The distance learning advantages of foreign languages

Размещено на http://allbest.ru

The distance learning advantages of foreign languages

According to experts the new technologies usage in teaching and pedagogical process is a qualitatively new stage in the theory and practice of pedagogy. Aspiration of progressive educators to meet the growing needs of society in education through the use of computer technology leads to appearing of the new forms of teaching.

One of these forms is a distance learning using the computer telecommunications networks, widely spread in a number of developed foreign countries.

In foreign scientific and educational literature, the term distance learning is used to refer to such forms of learning, in which the transmission of information between the learner and teacher occurs at a distance with the help of technical means of communication [1]. The most characteristic examples of such forms are radio and telelessons, receiving very widespread and enjoying great success abroad. The popularity of distance learning explains by its features comparing with traditional forms of learning. Firstly, it should be noted the availability of such training for almost every person who has a radio or TV receiver, and reach out of radio and television. Secondly, distance learning unlike tradition learning is a democratic, because everyone has advantage to use such as people of different ages, different levels of education and social status. However, the lack of operational individual feedback between learner and teacher substantially limits didactic possibilities of radio and telelessons.

In the modern world the distance makes no matter. You can live in a hut in village and at the same time manage a well established company with offices around the world. You can work in another country and every day to communicate with relatives from your own country. Globalization makes life easier, but it makes its own demands. For example, today is not enough to know English at the level of primary school classes.

Distance learning of English language makes easily the lives of many people. Lessons can be held at any time that is convenient to you, regardless of external circumstances. A lot of training sites allow each to master a foreign language according to his needs. In addition, you can communicate directly with the teacher through Skype or by other programs with video connection. This will make your training more effective, because you can learn when you have the free time, at the same time communicating with your mentor.

There are many people whom disturb the question about how effectively can be teaching English online. Especially distance learning is often compared with full-time. The main problem of lessons outside the university or school is student's self-organization.

If you understand that without controls you can fail, it will be better to choose the real courses where the teacher will supervise homework and master the skills of the language. Of course you'll spend much more time not only on the training itself, but also on the way to classes and back. In addition, lessons after a hard day may not be useful. You can study in the evenings and weekends. This system is convenient for those who want to learn English at his free time. And the results will be seen very soon, and you can very quickly speak.

Internet allows improving listening skills on the basis of authentic audio texts such as listening to and hearing the others, enrich your vocabulary lexicon of modern foreign languages, reflecting a certain stage of development of the national culture, social and political systems. You can use the various records of the last radio or TV - news, numerous audio - video programs on CD-ROM [2].

Helping students to communicate via e-mail, you can form the writing skills, when they make the answers to the partners, participate in the preparation of essays, writings, etc., thereby improving not only linguistic knowledge, but also develop the ability to generate ideas.

The teacher should not only formulate the theme of the project, but also carefully prepare its conduct: to determine the time frame of the project; consider what materials other than Internet can be used; choose the optimal form presentation of the results. The teacher must be ready to respond quickly to questions of the students, help them guide their work. The Internet usage in the classroom makes higher demands on training and personal qualities of the teacher. Theme of the project can meet the educational topic or to be independent of the textbook. In any case, it should be interesting to students and included in the overall context of language learning [3].

The themes of topics may include: - researching information about a city, region, country; - making a plan for travel by plane, train or other vehicle in a country of target language; - searching and finding information on the possibilities of work or study in the country of the target language, etc.

The most advantage Internet gives if you use it directly in the student audience. A good condition for such work is the presence of a computer class with an Internet connection. The most common types of work are now a variety of Internet projects. As you know, projects can be carried out without connecting to the web. However, many teachers say that the Internet gives the project a more dynamic, it changes the time frame [4]. During the project work students apply and expand their language skills, get a numerous of information.

Distance learning via the Internet feature of interpersonal communication in a foreign language between the teacher and the learner is its indirect nature. On the one hand, the possibility of constant communication at a distance during the learning process differs distance learning from part-time learning and we can say that this is as full-time, on the other site - interpersonal communication telecommunication is not able to fully compensate for the absence of direct «live» communication.

It is known that the effectiveness of any kind of distance learning depends on four components: 1) effective coordination between teacher and student; 2) used in this case pedagogical technologies; 3) efficiency of the developed teaching aids; and 4) productivity feedback. In other words, the success and quality of distance learning depend on the organization and the methodological quality of the using materials, leadership and skill involved in the process.

However, it should be mentioned about those problems which of them teachers of foreign languages meet in handling the various types and forms of distance learning. First of all, it concerns the financial costs. Not all the educational institutions still have free access to the Internet, cannot afford to have an expensive, powerful technique to take full advantage of all the services on the Web. Lack of technical training of teachers is also reflected in their work. But all this is apparently only temporary difficulties. The main thing - to realize that we are all on the verge of monumental technological changes in the near future that will affect not only the forms and methods of teaching modern foreign languages, but also on the manner in which the learners will learn these languages.

References

1. Dmitriyeva Ye.I. The main methodological problem of distance learning foreign languages through computer telecommunications network Internet // Foreign languages at school. - 1998. - № 1.

2. Polat Ye.S. Internet at the lesson of foreign languages // Foreign languages at school. - 2001. - № 22.

3. Azimov E.G., Vilshinetskaya Ye.N. Internet materials for English language lesson // Foreign languages at school. - 2001. - № 1.

4.Podoprigorova L.A. Usage of Internet in foreign language learning// Foreign languages at school. - 2003. - № 5.

Размещено на Allbest.ru