REFLECTION 1

Reflection on experience on CALL

From our experience finishing the Bachelor of English Language courses that have been assigned to us, there are a lot of assignments which require the aids of computer. Indeed, 90% of the assignments should have been finished using a computer. For this subject, we have been given a few assignments throughout the semester and the first assignment given is related to computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The purpose of using CALL is to find ways to incorporate computer technologies that promote educational learning throughout the language learning process. This type of assignment is categorised as communicative CALL as the learners are engaged in problem-solving which we have to solve by ourselves with the help of a computer as the tool for reaching our goals which in our case is to speak confidently and fluently and to foster the interactivity between the learner and the learner, and learner and computer.

For this assignment, we have to randomly choose one approach from these five approaches (listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar) and we were lucky to be the ones doing the speaking approach in CALL. After that, as a group we will have to come together in finding the article that is suitable and related with our approach which is speaking approach. Next, we were required to find an interactive website or application or software that can assist us in language learning. Thus, we have chosen a website called English Central.

English Central is an interactive website that is the leading provider of online English conversation solutions. This website combines web’s best English videos, an adaptive vocabulary learning system and live tutors which is delivered over web and mobile. This website is suitable for all levels which includes beginner, intermediate and advanced. Besides, this website helps the learners in learning the language especially in enhancing the speaking skill where it encourages the learners to speak more by watching the videos provided and speak the selected words. The learners can also involve in a useful live chat rooms where the tutors are from different parts of the world. We could see that this method could be helpful for the learners’ speaking skill as it exposes them to the authentic discourse when they converse with native speakers. Not only that, this could also indirectly help in enhancing their listening skill.

Lastly, we had to present our findings in front of the class and had a Question and Answer session to trigger more feedbacks from the audiences. From the presentation and Q&A session in class we could see that CALL can be used in teaching and learning English Language as it could help the process of learning to be more interesting and enjoyable for the learners. Not only that, it is also suitable for helping the learners in acquiring or enhancing all LSRWG skills. Obviously, different CALL approaches would suit different skills and different level of language learners.