Name:

Computers vs. Teachers or Computers plus Teachers

Much of the debate regarding the use of [1]_____________ in language learning has focussed on the pros or cons of the use of new [2]________________ as opposed to the benefits of teacher-led classroom learning. I think that this debate is in many ways [3]____________ (in the wider sense of the word!) and would like to look at what to me seems more [4]____________, how the role of the teacher in the classroom has changed and will change as a result of the [5]______________ incorporation of CALL, Internet and multimedia into schooling systems. Integrating curriculum and its [6]________________ for the teacher Whether teachers like it or not, administrators and managers of [7]_______________ institutions are incorporating computer use into schools and universities, albeit in a variety of [8]_____________ ways. The challenge for the administrator or director is the way in which the [9]________________ and the classroom learning are integrated in a pedagogically successful way. I think what [10]____________ should be asking themselves is: which of my roles (and we all know how many there are!) as a teacher can new [11]________________ replace (well, perhaps minimise!) and which of my roles can he [12]____________ or given greater prominence? The increased predominance of multimedia systems in many schools has led to a need to [13]_____________ the multimedia and the classroom learning. The tacked-on 'self-access centre', with some CD-ROMs of [14]____________ quality for student use in their spare time, and perhaps as a place for a CALL or [15]____________ class, while well-intentioned, will no longer satisfy the demands of today's [16]____________. Curriculum and course content will have to be integrated between multimedia and [17]_____________; what is practised or explored either structurally or thematically in one medium should be [18]_____________ in the other. Less presentation, more production Well-designed multimedia (the integration of second [19]____________ acquisition theory into software design is of course a hugely important issue of its own) has the [20]_____________ to replace many of the more passive areas of language study, such as the [21]________________ and practice of grammar and vocabulary, listening activities and speaking drills of various types, to name a few. When looking at the [22]______________ and tested PPP (presentation,

-2-

practice and production) approach to lesson design, there seems to be ample scope for the [23]____________ to take over, at least partially, the presentation and practice parts, leaving the teacher free to [24]____________ the students' time on assisted production and give feedback on pronunciation, [25]__________________ nuances (for example), as well as providing conversation within a human-communication based system. When [26]_____________ teachers giving long-winded grammatical explanations, I often wonder about their value in terms of the use of limited student time in the [27]_____________, especially considering our aim of maximising student speaking time, and of the [28]_____________ learning styles and speeds that each student has. Wouldn't it be better for the student to explore and [29]____________, at their own speed, according to their own needs, the structures and [30]______________ using, for example, multimedia, and then use their class time to focus on any [31]__________________ or particular difficulties before maximising speaking time? And how valuable is it for [32]____________ to be filling out photocopied gap-fills in class time? The curriculum for both parts of such course ([33]______________ and teacher-based) should be designed to coincide and complement each other. These classes can more easily be based around maximum [34]____________________ time. Unlike a traditional class, there are virtually no presentations of [35]______________ or vocabulary - this task has been performed by the multimedia. The [36]_____________ role in this context is somewhat different. While they may have to answer a query or doubt, their role is as [37]________________ facilitators; to foment interaction and promote previously learnt structures and vocabulary, and to be [38]_______________ and sensitive 'correctors' of pronunciation, intonation etc. That's the idea, anyway!

1. student-speaking 2. multimedia 3. observing 4. academic 5. technologies 6. role-models 7. vocabulary 8. computer 9. native-speaker 10. conversation

11. educational 12. relevant 13. maximise 14. potential 15. internet 16. different 17. inevitable 18. teachers 19. structures 20. clarifications

21. technologies 22. practise 23. technologies 24. classroom 25. enhanced 26. integrate 27. variable 28. language 29. teacher's 30. well-tried

31. presentation 32. classroom 33. students 34. developed 35. different 36. computers 37. students 38. consequences