The usage of information sources on the Internet in languages teaching and learning activities

This article stresses the importance of the information technology application in general and the Internet in particular in teaching and learning foreign languages. On this basis, this article introduces how to use the Internet and proposes some useful software for both teachers and learners of foreign languages.

1. Introduction

About the importance of the information technology application in teaching, the Instruction 29/2001 / CT-MOET Minister of Education and Training stressed: "Information technology has a strong impact, which changes the content, methods, teaching and learning methods. Information technology is a mean towards a learning society ". According to this spiritual instruction, the application of information technology in teaching and learning is more and more common and happens widely at both schools and universities nationwide with lectures conducted in the classroom with the support of computers.

2. The current situation of the application of information technology and solutions

The rapid development of information technology sector has created significant changes in the ways and methods of teaching and learning foreign languages, which brings positive results. According to the authors Beauvois (1992), Peck & Domcott (1994), Murphy (1995), Kallick & Wilson (2001) and Warschauer & Shetzer (2003), the application of information technology in teaching and learning activities has many positive effects:

-Technology provides both teachers and learners with a friendly learning environment; which allows teachers to guide and support every learner and similarly encourages learners’ self-study based on their own ability.

-Technology helps promote learners’ thought, which is an advantageous condition for learners’ self-organization, analysis, development and evaluation of learning activities.

-It is also technology that creates fresh and inspiring experiences for learners.

- Technology also creates favorable conditions for learners to pursue lifelong learning goal, which is regarded as the key to success;

- Technology makes learners more confident and proactive in learning. Moreover, technology also provides a huge multimedia resource with learning content in the forms of text, audio files, photos, video for learners

Technology give learners of foreign language chances to access to a diversified, plentiful and practical language learning environment, which allows learners to practice all basic language skills including listening, speaking, reading and writing skills besides learning vocabulary, grammar and phonetics.

However, there is a reality existing at many schools that computer has been only used to assist teachers in implementing the simple presentations in the form of text with the purpose of limiting the use of chalk or markers to write on the board.

Therefore, the lessons seem to be dry and boring, as a result, the target of education in developing students’ positivity, self-reliance and creativity has not been promoted.

That teachers know how to mine data system via the Internet will lead to more effective lectures in classrooms.

Those materials are mainly text, sound, image, animation, experimental film, video illustrations, graphics and animation, with technology of nonlinear interactive hyperlinks through the interactive simulation. The intuition of these materials can stimulate learning interest and inspiration, and simultaneously support the cognitive activity and self-cultivation of learners.

Internet is a multimedia interactive environment, a huge information library and extremely plentiful teaching resources. Internet is also an effective communication tool with a variety of interactive methods such as email, instant messages, conversations, forums and message boards. Teachers can incorporate teaching sites into the lectures through the direct links or downloading materials to support the teaching activities. Consequently, the exploitation and efficient use of Internet in teaching activities to improve the quality of teaching is very important.

In order to exploit the Internet for the purpose of supporting foreign language teaching and learning activities effectively, it is necessary to apply these requirements:

For information on the Internet

- There must be a coherent relation between the information on the Internet with the objectives and basic content of the lesson, in accordance with the level of learners in order to  support learners’ enhancing knowledge, practice skills and meet the requirements of the innovation of teaching and learning methods;

- Internet information used in each lesson must be directly or indirectly related to the content of the lecture to orient the thinking for learners;

- Internet information used in each lesson must be in various forms (information, photos, audio, video, etc) and should be selected carefully and reasonably to ensure learners’ concentration.

For teachers,

- Teachers must be proficient in accessing the Internet; using search tools, such as Google search, Yahoo, Altavista ; or selecting suitable keyword for material searching purposes;

- It is necessary for teachers to learn the way of creating an electronic library to store necessary information.

3. Some applications on the Internet to support foreign languages teaching and learning activities

To conduct the group and classroom management, teachers can use Edmodo – a completely free software which is widely used in many countries all over the world. Teachers can easily access, register and join Edmodo as a teacher, then create the group classes and directly assign tasks for students and manage their process of learning, as well as participating in the discussion. This software has a very high security and also reminds learners of learning and handing exercises when deadline is close. Simultaneously, Edmodo can mark multiple tests, which help save teachers’ time.

The software Voicethread allows users, mainly teachers and students of foreign languages in the world to interact, share knowledge of language. Moreover, Voicethread is especially useful for the activities of teaching English Speaking skills. With this software, learners can share their speeches on the web by recording and posting them on "thread" of their group or class, which more confident, flexible in communication activities.

There are some simple but highly applicable types of software like Crossword Forge, which helps teachers easily create crosswords for students; and Audacity, which is especially useful for teachers to edit audio, adjust speed of sound, cut sound into small pieces, or create music background for a more interesting story.

There are some other utilities of software such as MySchool Network (MySN) - a social networking site in education which can help students improve their ability of using English through projects, online events; Wikipaces which helps create learning resources and student profile; Testmoz whish helps online checking; or Socrative and Blackboard which help teachers interact with students.

4.Conclusion

Teachers and students of foreign languages should prioritize mining the features of versatility and communication of the Internet as a tool for effective language learning to create an ideal learning environment. The Internet allows students to create their own community and encourages them to use language to communicate with real purposes and meet the different study methods and interests of every student.

Translated by Huong Hoang

Proofread by ELTiCenter

This is a post translated from the Source: http://dean2020.edu.vn/news/Hoc-lieu/Su-dung-nguon-thong-tin-tren-Internet-phuc-vu-hoat-dong-giang-day-ngoai-ngu-253/