The significance of technology on language

learning
Most students and teachers are getting bored of the regular teaching
methods and this would affect badly on the teaching and learning processes!
In my opinion as a learner the courses that I am taking this semester that
follow the regular or traditional methods in teaching is making me feel bored,
killing the inspiration and passion in me and in these courses creativity is not
a priority, also it is worth mentioning that all of these courses are strict to
books and materials. This is the main reason behind the big deterioration of
the performance, level and results of the student.
We learn better when we are engaged to the lecture or when we are
interested in the subject. We are A students when it comes to creativity and
passion! We have a lot to offer and we can do more than writing essays and
sitting behind the chair. You just have to give us a chance to show what we
are capable of.
It is all about the way how the information is introduced to us!
So in this article I will talk about the solution of this big problem that would
make a big deference if it is applied to all kinds of materials that we take in
schools or universities in consideration of its advantages and disadvantages.

The solution is CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) which defined

as a new approach to language teaching and learning using the computers
and applications in teaching and presenting the materials.
CALL moves the processes of teaching and learning to the next level,
learning should be something that all of us are willing for. So it is important
to make the process of learning fun, informative, creative and accessible to
everyone. And this is the main reason behind coming up with Call.
How can CALL improve the student's level?
In my point of view by applying the technology (including computers and
applications' learning) in the methods of teaching would make a huge
difference in the results of the students because in the first place it breaks
the monotony of learning and trying a new and modern ways in learning,
besides it keeps the students engaged along the lecture and the most
important influence is enhancing the skills of the students and helps them to
overcome any problem they face.
I will write a little bit about my experiment in our course which is CALL and
how it influenced on my skills and abilities. Since I registered in CALL course
with Dr. Tasneem Alnaimi I was always interested to the subject of the lecture
because the way the information are presented drag the attention of me
along the time we spend in the class and I did not feel bored at all, in
addition I was always engaged to the course because my opinion and my
voice is important, I can ask whatever question comes to my mind also I can

discuss with my teacher and my colleagues my opinion in certain things and

we presented a power point about an application that is helpful to us as
learners. All these things improved my speaking skills in a great way.
Also we were asked to write an essay about creating a lecture with detailed
steps in specific thing for example I chose to teach simple past and irregular
verbs and write down all the techniques that I used in teaching the subject
and any tool is used while teaching the subject. For me it was a great chance
to do this task because it helps me in improving my writing, grammar skills
in the same time it was creative and informative.
In addition, along the semester I gained a lot of vocabularies that have to do
with technology and the material that we studied also it helps me to
overcome my fear of performing or presenting in front of people which is
known as stage fear.
Advantages of CALL
1-Interest and motivation
Not everyone likes learning because of the monotony of the methods that
are used in teaching and the environment itself is depressing. But CALL
follows and provides different and new methods of teaching that would
attract the students' attention, makes them feel fun and love what they are
learning. And this is almost achieved in CALL by providing new ways to learn
through online applications.

2-Individulizing
If I need to develop my reading skills only without wasting my time in things I
already been taught or know; CALL provides me with applications that are
specialized in teaching and enhancing the reading skills only at any time.
3-"Guided and repetitive practice"
"Students have freedom of expression within certain bounds that
programmers create, such as grammar, vocabulary, etc. They can repeat the
course they want to master as many as they wish. According to Ikeda (1999)
in Kilikaya (2007), drill-type CALL materials are suitable for repetitive
practice, which enable students to learn concepts and key elements in a
subject area."
(Efi Dyah Indrawati https://efidrew.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/assignment-4article-on-call/ )
4-Accessable to everyone
We all have computers and mobile phones and an access to the internet; so
we can use CALL whenever and wherever we want.
5-Improve your computer skills
In CALL you have to use computers a lot and by time your skills would be
improved.
6-Perfect use of learning time

Learning through computers and applications provides flexible learning;

which means it gives you the chance to choose the time, the material and
the method of learning you want.
7-"A compatible learning style"
"Students have different style of learning, and an incompatible style for
students will cause serious conflicts to them. Computer can provide an
exciting fast drill for one student and slow for another."
(Efi Dyah Indrawati https://efidrew.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/assignment-4-articleon-call/ )

Disadvantages of CALL
Some disadvantages of CALL are as follows:
1-If you do not have computers and an internet access at home you will not
be able to use CALL whenever you want.
2-You have to know how to use computers in the right way otherwise you will
not be able to use CALL.
3-"Inability to handle unexpected situations"
"The learning situation that a second-language learner faces are various and
ever changing. Computers merely have artificial intelligence, and it cannot
deal with learners unexpected learning problem or response to learners
questions immediately as teachers do. Blin (1994) in Lai (2006) stated that

computer technology with that degree do not exist, and are not expected to
exist quite a long time. In other words, todays computer technology and its
language learning programs are not yet intelligent enough to be truly
interactive."
(Efi Dyah Indrawati https://efidrew.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/assignment-4-articleon-call/ )

An example of CALL application that I am personally using is Cambridge

Dictionary;
1-Cambridge Dictionary is for translating words and paragraphs to any
language you want.
2-You can use it either by visiting the website of the dictionary or you can
download the application in your mobile phone.
3-It gives you the phonetic transcription of how the word is pronounced.
4-Other meanings in different context of the word.
It does not have any drawbacks except that it needs an internet access.

In this article I talked about how CALL is invented, its definition, what makes
it a great invention besides how it improves the performance and level of
students and I talked about a CALL application that I am using and it is very

useful which is Cambridge Dictionary. Also I mentioned some of its

advantages and disadvantages.
There is nothing we can add to or criticize in CALL expect as I mentioned
before that it needs an internet access and not everyone has internet. Also
some of people do not know how to use computers or mobile so CALL would
not be useful for them.

Sara Omar Alswaeer

0138665

Sources:
1- Ravichandran, T., M.A., M. Phil., P.G.C.T.E., (Ph.D.)
2000. Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in

the Perspective of Interactive Approach: Advantages and

Apprehensions. Htpp://members.rediff.com/eximsankar/ca
ll.htm accessed July 22, 2008 / 17:06:00.
2- https://efidrew.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/assignment4-article-on-call/
3- http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
4https://wirhayati.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/advantagesand-disadvantages-of-call/