Reflection: Use of Technology in Language Teaching/Learning in Bangladesh

It is of no doubt that technology can certainly foster our four skills of language learning by providing us the input in a different way. Even though, we might not be used to the use of technology in language learning/teaching, we can certainly learn how to make use of it to get maximum benefit out of it in the classroom. In this regard, we can say that technology can possibly enhance the language Teaching/Learning in Bangladesh. If more institutions in Bangladesh could provide the facility of computer based classrooms in Bangladesh then learners will be able to learn interactively and make use of their language skills practically in the classrooms.

In learning a second language, I think that computers can offer support to all the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Use of technology will definitely allow the integration of the four language skills to be used and tested in computer or technology based classrooms. I am briefly going to discuss how the four language skills can support language learning in the classrooms. 

Listening Skills: In learning a second language, listening provides the direct foreign language input, pronunciation improvement, self error correction and the acquisition of language in a natural order. This skill can be exploited to teach other skills of language learning that follows it accordingly. Since, this is a receptive skill, it certainly precedes the productive skills such as speaking and writing. Listening skill can be integrated with the other three skills if there is an optimum amount of anxiety. According to Krashen and Terrell (1983), comprehensible input and learner's comprehension are the two most important things that can facilitate language learning through listening. 

In teaching the listening skills using technology in the classroom, teachers can provide listening audio, song, videos and even sounds that will help learners get direct comprehensible input. In some cases, if an audio or video of a native language speaker is used then learners can also learn about the accents. This can be done after learners have developed a better listening capability so that they can listen and differentiate between American or British or Australian or Indian accent of English in the audios or videos they listen to in the classroom. However, in the beginner stages, learners can be given input of listening to normal Podcasts or simple English songs to grasp the input of the foreign language through using computers in the classroom. 

Reading Skills: Reading skill is also a receptive skill and it provides input to the learners so that they can produce output through their writing or speaking skills based on the input. This language skill offers less anxiety to learners because from introvert to extrovert learners, everyone receive input using the reading skills and can later produce output. Reading provides input of the language psychologically as it provides new vocabulary, structures, spelling, modern and literary use of language etc.

Developing reading skills through technology could certainly bring greater advantages in classroom learning. Instead of asking learners to read from their textbooks, the teacher can show learners digital text through the help of a projector in the classroom. Now days, digital eBooks, newspapers, magazines, periodicals are available online according to the level of learners. There are also online Flash Card software that can be used to learn new information and memorize them in the class, Mind Mapping software that can be used to brainstorm ideas, Dictionaries that can provide definition, pronunciation, synonym and antonyms, common usage of the word etc. They can be used in the classroom, where learners can read directly from the projector screen and work on their exercises. It not only grabs the interest and attention of the learners but also allows learners to proceed at their own pace. 

Writing Skills: Related to the reading skills is the writing skills which can have greater advantages if used with the help of technology in the classroom. Learners traditionally make use of writing in the classroom through their exercise copies or blackboards but if technology can be facilitated, then learners can not only develop their writing skills using the computer, they can also learn and enhance their typing skills. Simple word processing software such as Microsoft Word can provide input for the basic writing output in the classroom where the teacher can ask the learners to write a creative poem, a short story or answer questions on the story which they have just read. In writing, the teacher can even correct learners' use of vocabulary, form, sentence structures which can develop their writing skills.

If learners are of intermediate level, they can use computers to make data collection, research on their essay topic and produce write-ups of their interest. There are several programs on the internet that could help learners check errors in their writing and develop their writing such as the Virtual Writing Tutor, Grammarly.com etc. Even simple grammar exercises, matching, fill in the gaps can be given by the teacher using computer and learners can answer or even check the errors. Other facilitating websites could be the Wikipedia or the Blogs where learners can freely write while the teacher monitors their progress. There are also hub of communication like the Ning, where teachers and learners can write cooperatively, discuss and submit assignments, get feedback etc. In this way, use of technology can certainly make better use of the reading skills for the learners.

Speaking Skills: After the development of the receptive or the comprehension skills, speaking skills can be developed for learning production. Through the use of language, learners can make use of language through authentic or practical communication filled with grammatical mistakes, pronunciation, fragments, fillers etc. The constant use of speaking skills and effective feedback helps learners to modify their outputs. In the classroom environment, teachers can use the CLT or the Direct Method to help learners make use of the target language and hence make use of their speaking skills effectively through group works, pair works, debate, discussion, recite, role play, practice pronunciation and produce dialogues etc.

Use of technology in the classroom can provide learners with the facility of blended learning experience where they will be communicating face-to-face and then go back to using technology. This can reduce the drawbacks for 'mechanical learning' or 'rote learning' of our learners. For example,teacher can provide learners with various internet resources for developing their speaking skills. By recording their own voices through audio recording via Audacity that can be turned into Podcasts, recording videos through webcam, voice threaded discussion can be done through the VoiceThread etc. They can make use of these technological tools and then go back to communicating with peers in class through group presentations, role playing through dialogues, chained story telling and picture description etc. This is how technology can assist making two way use of using speaking skills through computers and then interactive classroom communication among the learners.

Tools I Can Use to Teach Language Courses at my Institution:

As I have mentioned above, there is no limit to using technology in the classroom for language teaching and learning for developing the four skills of reading, listening, writing and speaking. These software and websites can be used as tools if I want to teach language courses at my education institution:

Word Processing Software: Simple word processing software such as the Microsoft Word and the PowerPoint can be used to make use of the writing and presentation skills of the learners.

Virtual Writing Tutor: The Virtual Writing Tutor has enhanced features and focuses more on writing errors and feedback that can be used for learner assessments.This website is a useful place for learning English Grammar and check spelling and grammar to learn about one's own errors. Not only there is scope for checking English Grammar but also feedback and practice activities to improve learners' grammar skills. The correction advice with practice sentences helps to identify and correct errors in writing. So, overall virtual writing tutor is a guide towards writing. 

Grammarly.com: Grammarly.com is more like the error correction software where learners can instantly get feedback on their writing and grammatical errors are detected and showed so that learners can correct them in their writing.

Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA): The Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) contains more than 450 millions words of text in American English that could help learners fins the practical use or words in sentences. This could help them learn use of words in sentences because using the search string they could find different uses of the same word which is not used in ordinary conversations.

TheFreeDictionary.com, Oxforddictionaries.com and Vocabulary.com: Being a similar corpus of vocabularies like the Corpus of Contemporary American English, the Oxforddictionaries.com, TheFreeDictionary.com and the and Vocabulary.com provides instant definition of words, their usage, history and relations with other languages which takes learners to a growing range of world languages. They will help learners to quickly and more efficiently learn new words.  

Audacity or RecordForAll: Both these software provides the opportunity to learn and record one's own voices and use the recording for any use. Learners can easily use these software to record their voices i. e. rite poems, story telling, dialogues between interlocutors, reporting about an incident, a fair they have attended etc. They can even use these recordings later to upload into any Podcasting websites where millions of people from other parts of the world can hear their recorded voices.

Hot Potatoes: Hot Potatoes is a genuinely effective tool that help both teachers and learners to create exercises on audio recordings, cloze tests, matching, quizzes, jumbled sentences exercises that can be used for language learning purposes or even shared with others.

Freemind: Freemind is a basic software where learners can easily brainstorm ideas and write them down to create a mind - mapping on any topic of their interest. It allows learners to edit a hierarchical set of ideas and brainstorming new outlines around a topic which can be saved and used for later purposes such as writing a research o reflection paper.

Mnemosyne: Mnemosyne is an interesting software that can be practically used for efficient learning instantly in the classroom, even learners can use it afterwards. This free flash card software uses a sophisticated algorithm and can optimize the learners' learning process. The flash cards can be scheduled based on their level of difficulty that will come up for a review and the learner learn them everyday and remember them and reschedule them based on the level of difficulty until the learner has completed learned the information on that card.

Freerice.com: Freerice.com is an online vocabulary game that is very interesting and sllow learners to explore and learn new vocabulary and also indirectly donate grains of rice to the charitable cause of the United Nations World Food Programme for the hungry people.

Besides, they can also create profiles with pictures and join groups to communicate with other learners from different corners of the world.

In this way, learners can learn how to make practical use of technology in learning the target language in the classroom environment.