Alaul Alam :
It is certain that in the age of digitization, along with creating enormous opportunities in our life in different fields, ICT or digital technologies have opened up a new horizon in English Language teaching and learning especially in an EFL context. It has offered immense possibilities to the English teaching – learning system. In this concern, the linguist Dr. Stephen Krashan stated that ICT helps to create a relaxed learning environment and reduces the affective filter which ultimately maximizes language acquisition.
Obviously, a few years back teachers were considered the only source of providing language input and ideal for imitation in terms of learning and practicing English. But in the present context, with the advent of ICT, the limited boundary of English teaching-learning has widened up while a greater number of scopes are provided for the teachers and learners to achieve the desirous outcome in this regard.
Studies show that incorporating ICT in the classroom has manifold advantages. It increases motivation of the learners to promote autonomous learning. Students can play an active role in the classroom being facilitated by their teachers and they do not depend on the teachers’ lectures all the time, rather they are found to enjoy freedom while they are in the class full of technological devices creating students’ centredness and involvement other than that of the domination of the teachers. It is evident that teachers’ domination slows the learning systems and obstructs the learners on their way to stay motivated in learning.
Not only that, it helps to develop creativity amid the learners as it makes learners engaged directly and so the system fosters critical thinking of the learners. For this, they can enhance communication and foster research and cooperative learning in the class which contribute to boosting their overall performance. Many language experts claim that the use of ICT not only makes language learning easy and comfortable but also accelerates both individual and collaborative learning.
On top of that, the use of ICT in the language class has minimized the gap among the learners in case of mutual understanding.It has ensured the unlimited access to have all the information taught in the class whether somebody is inside or outside of the class. Again, the class contents such as the use of blogs, podcasts and digital videos, google, Facebook give the learners more comfort and spontaneously, they can achieve learning outcome with pleasure.
The findings of different studies show that learners get the chance to interact more in the computer assisted language class than the teacher dominated one as they like to interact through email, text, audio and video conferencing. Besides, the use of speaker, earphone, CD, audio and video in the classroom makes them interactive and cooperative.
We know that every language has its own cultural attributes. To make language learning successful, it is important to learn the culture. The use of ICT in the real class gives the learners an opportunity to listen to authentic language. But it is true that learning language without its culture is always considered as incomplete learning.
However, despite enormous possibilities in language learning with ICT integration in the class, the maximization of language outcome can never be attained unless there is a motivation playing a significant role like the panacea. Along with this, the previous studies revealed a number of drawbacks like limited class hour, lack of technical support, lack of motivation, teachers’ centeredness and the inefficiency of operating the technological devices.
To mitigate the challenges in bringing out maximum learning outcome by integrating ICT in the class, teachers have many responsibilities to perform. They should use materials from internet judiciously according to the age, interest and need of the students. Apart from this, they should ensure a student friendly environment in the class. It is a must to equip the class with all types of logistic supports. More importantly, unless the teachers are well- trained, ICT in the language class hardly corresponds to bring out desirous outcome in EFL learning.
(Mr. Alaul teaches at Prime University. Email: [email protected])
