Incorporating the Internet to Enhance Listening Activities in TESL/TEFL

Moh. Muslikh Politeknik Negeri Semarang Abstract: The advance of information technology has incredibly influenced people all over the world with three great revolutionary developments in communication and cognition: language, writing and printing. Nowadays we are in the midst of another revolution in human communication, based on the development and spread of computers and the internet. Internet inevitably affects all aspects of human life including teaching English. Many English teachers try to accommodate the newest technology which offers challenge, entertainment and of course joy to incorporate into their classroom teaching. Unlike the use of email which has been broadly discussed, this paper discusses the listening utilizing the internet. Many aspects of teaching should be considered however, since different skills listening, speaking, reading and writing have their own ways and character in teaching and learning activities. Specific aspect of listening in teaching ESL is not the only one problem to consider when the teacher decides how to incorporate the internet in teaching (for example whether it is used online or offline) but a lot of things are still to think about and prepare before an English teacher presents it in his/her activities. Key words: incorporate, internet, online, offline, specific aspect of listening

INTRODUCTION
In the mid-1990s, the internet was used in instruction and research only by some countries. Nowadays when the internet becomes the global phenomenon, the users of this advanced technology have been more than half a billion around the world. Internet is spreading fastest outside the United States and Europe, in countries like China, Brazil and Egypt (Warshauer, et al, 2004). The wide use of internet in English teaching recently is no question at all following the previous way of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) which has been popular since 1980s. The specific character of the media offering more entertainment and joy has tremendously attracted both teachers and the learners of English. However there are still some things to think about before implementing it in English activities. Unlike other skills speaking, reading and writing the listening skill has its own characteristic to consider before applying it in the classroom activities.

WHY INTERNET?
ESL/EFL teachers should be proud of their innovation. When a new method or approach in teaching English comes along, they try to explore and discuss it, then adopt either partially or completely. Most ESL/EFL teachers apply an eclectic approach in their teaching, because they integrate the best elements of the approaches they have learned to reach the maximum goal they have planned. Sometime in the past some English teachers still argued about the use of the computer in their teaching. For the use of the word processor, for instance, they still wonder if it is acceptable in writing assignment. Recently, almost all of us accept that the computer is a Ragam Jurnal Pengembangan Humaniora, Vol. 10 No. 2, Agustus 2010 63

valuable means to develop the writing skills of the students. (Meloni, 1998). The era in which English instruction is much supported by the use of computer underwent for about two decades 1980s until 1990s which is popular with CALL. (Warschauer, et al, 2004) Now the discussion has turned into the use the Internet in English teaching. The debate against the needs of the Internet for ESL/EFL teachers and students has not been over; in fact, it is just beginning. If reluctant teachers wait, will interest in it simply go away? Most teachers who have ventured into cyberspace are enthusiastic about the wonderful learning opportunities offered to ESL/EFL students, as well as the valuable resources for teachers. They are encouraging their colleagues to jump on the bandwagon. Meloni (1998) states that Information technologies are tools and techniques, which helps people to plan and develop information systems. Equipment, software, databases, communication connections and client-servers are examples of information technology. Information technologies gives tools to process and transfer data automatically. People also have to have tools to use information technologies before it can be helpful. Information technology is not same as the new model. New technology is just a tool which can be used in the new model, but is not inherent to it. So the new model is broader as a technique and it includes whole range of strategies to organize the learning process. Information technology will evolve more and more in the field of education, because it will play an important role in the society of the future. There could be a new division between people, who have access to information technology and people who havent. The education place an important role in this presupposed divisions of haves and have nots. The education place an initial role in equalizing this difference, because it offers everyone the possibility to get acquainted with information technology (Thomas, 1999). However, in general the Use New Technologies is not only a lot of fun to use, but the quality is better. There are several factors to keep in mind as the teacher considers the new technologies. (Migliacci, 2002) Meloni (1998) confirms that there are several common reasons for this Internet enthusiasm. Increase Student Motivation Many students love internet. Most students feel comfortable with internet and are very receptive to any learning activities that involve the internet. Increased motivation leads to increased language use which leads to improved proficiency. Authentic Language When a writing activity is truly communicative, as e-mail projects are, the language is authentic. The students are not going through the motions of an artificial exercise. They are communicating because they need and want to communicate. Most of the information on the World Wide Web has been written in English by native speakers. The Web is, therefore, a rich source of authentic reading materials in English. Global Awareness Information can be exchanged easily between people in different corners of the world, connecting students around the globe. For example, communication between students in New York and Tokyo can be swift and smooth. Students attest that this kind of communication increases global understanding. Environmental Friendliness Use of the Internet can decrease the amount of paper used in the classroom. Much of the writing can be done on the computer. Web sites can replace some printed materials thereby conserving natural resources.

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Incorporating the Internet to enhance listening activities in TESL/TEFL (Moh. Muslikh)

SOME PRINCIPLES IN TEACHING LISTENING

The first thing that every English teacher should consider is developing Listening Activities. The Essential of Language Teaching recommends that when he/she designs listening tasks, keep in mind that complete recall of all the information from the text that the students should listen to is an unrealistic expectation even for the native speakers. In this case the teacher should be able to decide what kind of the listening activities for the students. Then he/she construct the listening activity around a contextualized task. Try to contextualize the listening program which is approximate to real-life activity and give the listener an idea of the type of information to expect and what to do with it in advance of the actual listening. The last, the teacher should define the activity's instructional goal and type of response. Each activity should have its own goal with the improvement of one or more specific listening skills. The Listening Stage in the Classroom Schwartz (1998) suggests that good listening lessons go beyond the listening task itself with related activities before and after the listening. Here is the basic structure: Before Listening Prepare your learners by introducing the topic and finding out what they already know about it. A good way to do this is to have a brainstorming session and some discussion questions related to the topic. Then provide any necessary background information and new vocabulary they will need for the listening activity. Use pre-listening activities to prepare students for what they are going to hear or view. The activities chosen during pre-listening may serve as preparation for listening in several ways. During pre-listening the teacher may
assess students' background knowledge of the topic and linguistic content of the text provide students with the background knowledge necessary for their comprehension of

the listening passage or activate the existing knowledge that the students possess
clarify any cultural information which may be necessary to comprehend the passage make students aware of the type of text they will be listening to, the role they will play,

and the purpose(s) for which they will be listening

provide opportunities for group or collaborative work and for background reading or

class discussion activities. Sample pre-listening activities:

looking at pictures, maps, diagrams, or graphs reviewing vocabulary or grammatical structures reading something relevant constructing semantic webs (a graphic arrangement of concepts or words showing how they are related) predicting the content of the listening text going over the directions or instructions for the activity doing guided practice During Listening Be specific about what students need to listen for. They can listen for selective details or general content, or for an emotional tone such as happy, surprised, or angry. If they are not marking answers or otherwise responding while listening, tell them ahead of time what will be required afterward. Match while-listening activities to the instructional goal, the listening purpose, and students' proficiency level.

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While-listening activities relate directly to the text, and students do them do during or immediately after the time they are listening. Keep these points in mind when planning while-listening activities: If students are to complete a written task during or immediately after listening, allow them to read through it before listening. Students need to devote all their attention to the listening task. Be sure they understand the instructions for the written task before listening begins so that they are not distracted by the need to figure out what to do. Keep writing to a minimum during listening. Remember the primary goal is comprehension not production. Having to write while listening may distract students from this primary goal. If a written response is to be given after listening, the task can be more demanding. Organize activities so that they guide listeners through the text. Combine global activities such as getting the main idea, topic, and setting with selective listening activities that focus on details of content and form. Use questions to focus students' attention on the elements of the text crucial to comprehension of the whole. Before the listening activity begins, have students review questions they will answer orally or in writing after listening. Listening for the answers will help students recognize the crucial parts of the message. Use predicting to encourage students to monitor their comprehension as they listen. Do a predicting activity before listening, and remind students to review what they are hearing to see if it makes sense in the context of their prior knowledge and what they already know of the topic or events of the passage. Give immediate feedback whenever possible. Encourage students to examine how or why their responses were incorrect. Sample while-listening activities:

listening with visuals filling in graphs and charts following a route on a map checking off items in a list listening for the gist searching for specific clues to meaning completing cloze (fill-in) exercises distinguishing between formal and informal registers

After Listening Finish with an activity to extend the topic and help students remember new vocabulary. This could be a discussion group, craft project, writing task, game, etc. Listening Resources from Internet Based on the needs that a teacher plans for the students activity, there are abundant information concerning the listening activities and or listening skill improvement found in internet. Some are listed here:
Look for listening activities in the Activities and Lesson Materials sections of Teaching

Guides Volunteering in ESL: Teaching Listening; from http://writing.colostate.edu/ guides/teaching/esl/listening.cfm). If your learners can use a computer with internet access and headphones or speakers, you may direct them toward the following listening practice sites. You could also assign specific activities from these sites as homework. Teach new vocabulary ahead of time if necessary. 66 Incorporating the Internet to enhance listening activities in TESL/TEFL (Moh. Muslikh)

 Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab (http://www.esl-lab.com). Around 140 listening clips

and quizzes for students to access online; categorized into four difficulty levels, but activities marked 'easy' may be too difficult for beginners due to unfamiliar vocabulary; many include pre- and post-listening exercises; requires audio software such as RealPlayer (free) or optional interactive software like Divace. The English Listening Lounge (http://www.englishlistening.com). Thirty free listening clips categorized into three difficulty levels for students to access online; more available with membership; requires audio software such as RealPlayer (free). (http//www.real.com) Other sites also contain listening like: Using Technology Effectively in the 1 computer classroom. At the Web Wide Web: http://teachteachers.org/projects/JSmall/public.html/ amerart/limited.htm; and then from British Council. Teaching English at http://www. teachingenglish.org.uk/try/listentry/listen_activities.shtml, One Stop English: http://www. onestopenglish.org; then Daves ESL Caf (http://www.eslcafe.com) has resources for instructors and practices for students; English Club http://www.englishclub.com; also http://a4esl.org. See also English To Go at http://www.english-to-go.com The following Web Sites provide excellent sources of authentic speech: www.npr.org on the National Public Radio Web site in which visitor may click on archive and search for audio stories on a wealth of topics. www.bbc.co.uk/radio The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) radio Web site which has so many options for streaming audio www.c-span.org C-span is a U.S public affairs cable TV and radio network. Its Web Site is also searchable. For practice listening to academic style lectures, go to the Booknotes area, which is an archive of many authors on a wide variety of topics.

THE LAST CONSIDERATION

Richard (1999) proposes that a teacher still holds the key role in any teaching and learning process through creating a successful environment. Therefore it is in his/her hand to decide what kind of program will be delivered to the students. Whether it is using online internet using the language lab which has been equipped with computers connected to internet or just using offline due to limited facility or because of other consideration: more preparation is needed. Really there are more than one principle that may be considered in teaching listening, (Harmer, 2000). The first three are essential: (1) Preparation is vital, (2) Once is not enough and (3) Different listening stages demand different listening tasks. The other three principles are: (1) Good teachers exploit listening texts to the full, (2) Students should be encouraged to respond to the content of the listening, not just to the language, and (3) the Hardware is as important as the Software.

REFERENCES:
Bart, et al. 1999. Communication and new Technology Paper for the module on Information Technology and Training Montpellier. Harmer, Jeremy. 2000. How to Teach English: An introduction to the practice of English language teaching. Addison Wesley Longman Limited. Meloni, Christine.1998. The Internet in the Classroom A Valuable Tool and Resource for ESL/EFL Teachers in ESL Magazine Jan-Feb 1998. Retrieved 20 May 2007 from http://www.eslmag. com/modulesphp?name=News&file=article&Sid=10 Migliacci, Naomi. 2002. New Ways of Using Video Technologies in English Language Teaching in ESL Magazine May-June 2002. Retrieved 20 May 2007 from http://www.eslmag.com/ modulesphp?name=News&file=article&Sid=25

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NCLRC. The Essentials of Language Teaching retrieved from http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/ listening Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab (http://www.esl-lab.com) Richards, Jack C. 1999. New Interchange Video Activity Book 1. Cambridge University Press. Schwartz, Ana Maria. 1998. Listening in a foreign language in Modules for the professional preparation of teaching assistants in foreign languages (Grace S Burkart, ed. Washington DC: Center for Applied Linguistics) Teaching Guides Volunteering in ESL from http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/esl/ listening.cfm The English Listening Lounge (http://www.englishlistening.com) The Essential of Language Teaching at http://www.nclrc.org/essetials/listening/liindex.htm Thomas, Patrick. 1999 Communication And New Technologies Paper for the module on Information Technology and Training Montpellier. Using Technology Effectively in the 1 computer classroom at http://teachteachers.org/projects/ JSmall/public.html/amerart/limited.htm Warschauer, Mark et al. 2004. Internet for English Teaching. United States Department of State; Office of English Language programs.

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