Technology and Language

By: Rida Sahridah (TLL’S REFLECTION JOURNAL)

I attend TLL or Technology Language Learning twice every week. Last week we discussed about approach and total physical response listening and speaking and also listening and speaking. I thought these topics will help me if I teach someday.

Natural approach is introduced by Stephen Krashen. As advertised, The Natural Approach is very appealing – who wouldn’t want to learn a language the natural way, and what language teacher doesn’t think about what kind of input to provide for students. However, upon closer examination of Krashen’s hypotheses and Terrell’s methods, they fail to provide the goods for a workable system.

Total Physical Response (TPR) is a method developed by Dr. James J. Asher, a professor emeritus of psychology at San José State University, to aid learning second languages. The method relies on the assumption that when learning a second or additional language, language is internalized through a process of codebreaking similar to first language development and that the process allows for a long period of listening and developing comprehension prior to production. Students respond to commands that require physical movement.

Technology also can apply in listening part at English session. Internet access can browse and serve some websites which is provided listening part. The websites are http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org and http://www.englishclub.com/listening/. For the speaking part, the websites are http://schmooze.hunter.cuny.edu/ , http://kalinago.blogspot.com/ and http://international.ouc.bc.ca/pronunciation/.

The successfulness of learning language is willingness. Hopefully next meeting will be more amazing.

Resources:

http://www.stanford.edu/~kenro/LAU/ICLangLit/NaturalApproach.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Physical_Response

Rida Sahridah 2010120029

Section C