Teach English in Laodaosi Zhen - Hanzhong Shi

By Galya Ivanova 17 January 2019 Computer-Aided Language Learning has been getting more and more popularity in the past few decades and it has been the preferred learning method for many learners, as opposed to or in addition to instructor-based in-class learning of a language. Is this method really more effective and powerful? The aim of this paper is to look at the pros and cons of CALL and non-CALL methods of learning for the purpose of finding the most successful learning environment. Computer-Aided Language Learning (CALL) is defined as "the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning." (Levy, 1997: 1) The main purpose of using this method is to provide automated tasks related to the teaching and learning of a language by using computer technologies. While one might think that the use of CALL would instantly make teachers redundant, the automation of any task actually requires a lot of manual work, such as inputting the worksheet texts; uploading images and videos; creating presentations, tests; testing to ensure everything works fine and is accessible by the students; and then updating this information on a regular basis or adding new one for the subsequent lessons or further levels. How does CALL differ from the standard classroom language teaching process? Well, it does not differ much, really. The teachers still have to prepare all worksheets, images and tests to use in the classroom. Except, they can photocopy them instead of making them available electronically for use by multiple students. What is really different between the two approaches is the experience of students. While they get to use the same material, with the CALL method they get to interact with the material by playing a video, clicking on a link or undergoing an electronic test. They get instant feedback on the tasks they complete and can move onto the next task at their own pace. If the CALL method is really that attractive, why are lessons still performed in a classroom using paper books and worksheets? One reason, of course, would be that adopting a technological teaching method by either developing an in-house or using a bought-in system costs money. There are countries whose government would not approve technology in the classroom for religious or political reasons, or they would simply not be able to afford such an investment. Another reason is that for schools to offer a Computer-Aided Language Learning support, they would need to either replace their existing teachers with others who have the technical background or train the existing teachers in basic computer literacy. Not all teachers would be willing to change the methods they used for so many years, as that would mean denying the long-term achievements they are so proud of. Others might be willing to get up-to-date with the technological world, but might not be able to learn as quickly as it is required. In order to understand the benefits of each learning method, I am going to compare classroom language learning with two very successful on the educational market systems, of which one is using strictly CALL methodology (Duolingo), while the other is using in-class paper-based language instruction (Kumon). Duolingo is an online educational platform which launched in 2012 and currently offers 81 language courses. What is special about this system is that it offers a self-paced personalised language learning by providing a variety of interactive exercises focused on listening, reading, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. Their users can access the platform free of charge via a web browser or through mobile applications downloaded on their phones or tablets. Duolingo has more than 300 million students and has the world’s largest collection of language-learning data. Through data analysis of the errors produced by their users during the learning process, Duolingo is able to find patterns, and as such predict what challenges users would stumble upon as they progress further. This helps them develop appropriate learning material to ensure the students overcome the issues early in their learning phase. “As computer-based educational apps increase in popularity, they generate vast amounts of student learning data which can be harnessed to drive personalized instruction.” (B. Settles, C. Brust, E. Gustafson, M. Hagiwara and N. Madnani, 2018) This allows large platforms like Duolingo to offer such tailor-made user-specific learning. One of the techniques they use to achieve this is “half-life regression” - a combination of psycholinguistic theory with modern machine learning techniques, predicting the “half-life” of a word or concept in the long-term memory of a student. What is actually attractive and addictive about Duolingo, is the “playfully illustrated, gamified design that combines point-reward incentives with implicit instruction (DeKeyser, 2008), mastery learning (Block et al., 1971), explanations (Fahy, 2004), and other best practices. When it comes to younger learners, Duolingo would definitely be the preferred platform, in addition to being free, as game-like learning is the preferred teaching method for this age group. Older users, however, would not find this platform useful if they don’t have the necessary computer literacy or access to technology as such. In addition, while the platform is using advanced modern technology to analyse the error rates and find patterns in the learning process of millions of users, its curriculum will likely be completely different from the one being taught in a classroom-based language course, and as such cannot replace the latter. Not to mention that different countries have different language acquisition syllabi, while Duolingo is developed in the United States. The Kumon education system was created in 1954 in Japan, and, just like Duolingo, focuses on a self-paced individual learning process. While Duolingo can be practised anywhere via an internet connection, Kumon requires students to attend a designated centre where they are initially given a placement test to evaluate their level, and from then on, they are provided with a tailor-made study plan, based on their level. Students of different levels and ages are attending the same centre and classroom, however, no teaching takes place. Each student gets a worksheet which they have to complete, and they get homework to complete and bring back for correction. Just like with Duolingo, students can progress at their own pace, there are no grades or penalty points. Apart from having a dedicated learning center, Kumon also requires the presence of an instructor in the classroom. The role of the instructor is really important, as they are expected to observe and analyse the self-learning process of each student in the classroom. This, in addition to the actual worksheet evaluation, helps provide the best personalised plan for each student. Kumon is strictly against the digitalisation of their system, as they believe that there would be way too many distractions on a tablet or computer. Having a centre to go to makes this learning system more socially-focused, even though students are not supposed to talk while working on their task sheets. On the other hand, Kumon’s requirement to attend a local centre limits the accessibility of the system, since it is not available in every country or city, and as such Duolingo is more open to the public system, and it only requires an internet connection to access it. Traditional classroom learning consists of a group of students and a teacher. In most cases, there is no electronic content, and students have to listen to the teacher and do grammar or vocabulary exercises. This is definitely not as entertaining as the Duolingo program, and not self-paced as the Kumon method, but it is a safe environment where students are all at the same age and background. They can learn from each other’s mistakes and from the teacher who is always there and is not only an observer. Such type of learning is very suitable for children and teenagers, as they are yet to learn about attendance, discipline and the following of a schedule. Classroom learning gives a real-time connection between the students and the teacher. This helps students to hear the correct pronunciation of words, and have their mistakes corrected right away. When learning on their own, they might not notice recurring errors in writing or pronunciation, which would make it hard to correct at a later time. Through books and classroom notes students get prepared for undergoing tests and exams in the future. Some of the drawbacks of classroom-based learning are peer pressure, competition, physical or mental disabilities. More sensitive students would not be able to focus fully on the lesson and as such would be likely to fail tests and exams, and fall behind in their studies. While I do appreciate the key points of all three systems, I believe that a combination of their benefits would be most appropriate for a successful language learning. I would prefer to have an instructor checking how I am doing and being available if I need them; to interact with my classmates in a classroom, and afterwards, as homework, to test my knowledge and practice further on my computer or phone using a modern game-like interface in the comfort of my home. Computer-Aided Language Learning systems like Duolingo have a lot of potential due to the possibility to analyse data and, as such, offer a personalised self-study plan. It is definitely more attractive because it is interactive and engaging. The immediate feedback helps students get motivated to go on and see if they succeed again. CALL can provide learners with access to unlimited information while offering instruction flexibility adapted to the individual's learning, pace, cognitive style and learning strategies. However, despite it being user-friendly and engaging, It is best being used as further development and self-improvement in addition to the classroom instruction. REFERENCES Torat, B., Advantages and Limitations of CALL. Retrieved on 17 January 2019, from http://web.warwick.ac.uk/CELTE/tr/ovCALL/booklet1.htm Duolingo AI Research. Retrieved on 17 January 2019, from: https://ai.duolingo.com/ B. Settles, C. Brust, E. Gustafson, M. Hagiwara and N. Madnani (2018), Second Language Acquisition Modeling. Retrieved on 17 January, from: https://ai.duolingo.com/papers/settles.slam18.pdf B. Settles and B. Meeder (2016), A Trainable Spaced Repetition Model for Language Learning, Retrieved on 17 January 2019, from https://ai.duolingo.com/papers/settles.acl16.pdf De, Barinda (2018), Traditional Learning Vs. Online Learning, Retrieved on 17 January 2019, from: https://elearningindustry.com/traditional-learning-vs-online-learning