MAIN PRINCIPLES OF ICT-ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING

Kushakova Gulasal Yuldashevna,

School 19, Yangiarik, Khorezm, Uzbekistan.

Nowadays, language teaching and learning process isdealt with under the framework of many approaches and principles such as communicative language teaching (CLT) approach, ICT-assisted learning and teaching, Linguocultural approach, Content-based learning, Task-based method and other ways of language teaching and learning theories. Particularly, in recent years the significance and use of ICT in teaching foreign languages is highlighted. From this viewpoint, it can be noted that all dimensions of language teaching such as language skills (speaking, reading, writing and listening) and sub-skills as vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar have been taught through ICT application in language classrooms in modern FLT teaching. In this connection, it should be emphasized that language practitioners and educators have applied ICT tools and techniques into teaching field of language skills and this approach has been proved to be productive in teaching integrated skills in language teaching context.

Here, it should be highlighted that the aim of all language teaching contexts is to encourage learners to study foreign language by motivating them through various ways such as using ICT, for example. It can be said that ICT tools can help the EFL teachers to teach integrated skills for effective language mastery and development for communication because research has shown that ICT tools proved to be fruitful activities to promote interaction, communication and cooperation in language classrooms. In addition, during ICT-based lessons learners are supposed to easily use the target language to persuade, argue, express an opinion, make a decision, inform, convey meaning and other daily activities which are basic communication elements that are used, uttered in everyday lives. They can easily pronounce the words, utter sentences after the recorded audio materials when they are supposed to repeat after them when it is a listening class, for example.

Using ICT tools in language classrooms can lead to a purposeful use of language of learners and development of four language skills to a certain extent (4, 2008). In other words, these computerized lessons create a meaningful context for language use because computer-assisted lessons are communicative and interactive in nature. The communicative character of ICT tools also makes learners play with language and communicate as well as interact with each other during the learning process, which enhances unconscious acquisition of inputs via ICT means.

The use of IC technology is useful for an opportunity of accessing authentic materials as well as creating original resources for teaching learners.  This can also be supported by the following Chinese proverb [1, p 79]: “Use technology with me, I’ll participate, I’ll transfer, I’ll employ, and I’ll create.”

This viewpoint is also supported by the following author [2, 2001]: it should be noted that creating tasks that is appropriate for the learners in terms of theirlearning potential and computer literacy level is important and needs considering.

It should be noted that the use of ICT in the EFL classroom can reinforce the following potential and advantageous aspects of IT activities as mentioned in Erben (1, p 79):

Ø    The EFL teacher can choose technology supporting text with colorful images like photos, graphs, or charts because of its potential as its visual representation;

Ø    The EFL teacher can choose ITs promoting vocabulary, grammar, and listening acquisition such as exercise builders, as well  as  digital  stories,  audio  podcasts  and  online  videos  (youTube) as mentions by the author.

       These lines make it clear that the EFL teacher should create IT activities fostering both types of interaction such as communicatively accurate interactions and communicatively effective interactions. Communicatively effective interactions are usually reinforced by the use of ICT while communicatively accurate interactions are fostered by the EFL teachers.

By reviewing the literature related to the topic we have classified problems of using ICT in the EFL classroom into some categories such as

a) e-creation tools: the tools that enable an ELL to play with and use  language  in  a  creative,  exploratorysense  while  simultaneously  constructing  materials against which learning performance can be measured;

b) e-assessments, rubrics, and grading online.

These toolsinclude podcasts, PowerPoint,  moviemakers, audiomakers, and web publishing;

c) e-communication: using online tools such as email, instant messaging, listservs, and discussion boards that foster ELL written and spoken interaction;

d) the category which deals with writing/reading-facilitative e-tools, such as wikis, blogs, writeboards, and webquests; e) the category which focuses on listening-facilitative e-tools such as vcasts, audioblogs, accessing audiolibraries, and podcasts; f) e-assessment tools and g)  using virtual learning environments in the classroom[3, 2000].

In conclusion, the following inferencing remarks and recommendations can be formed:

a)   the ICT application in language classrooms in modern FLT teaching can reinforce the development of integration of four language skills;

b)  the ICT-based teaching can promote interaction, communication and cooperation in language classrooms;

c)   the computerized lessons can create a meaningful context for language use and create original resources for teaching learners;

REFERENCES

1. Erben, T. Constructing learning  in  a  virtual  immersion  bath:  LOTE  teacher  education  through audiographics. In r. Debski and M. Levy Lisse (Eds.), 1999.

2. Chapelle C.A. Computer applications in second language acquisition.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2001.

3. Kern, R. and Warschauer, M. Introduction: Theory and practice of network-based language teaching, 2000.

4. Recesso, A. and Orrill, C. Integrating technology into teaching: The technology and learning continuum. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008.