Multimedia in teaching foreign languages

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Vinnytsia National Agrarian University

MULTIMEDIA IN TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Tymoschuk N.M., Candidate of Philological Sciences,

Associate Professor of Ukrainian and

Foreign Languages Department

Annotation

Multimedia has an enormous impact on the whole society since it is nowadays exploited in many industries (e.g. engineering or medicine) and as a common means of reference (e.g. encyclopedias or dictionaries). Thanks to its great potential for learning, multimedia is also widely used in the teaching of foreign languages. This article gives an explanation of the term multimedia; states reasons why it should be used in foreign language teaching; outlines its important role in the acquisition of second language learning; illustrates how multimedia is delivered in foreign language teaching.

Computer technology and Internet are inevitable new media in education methodology. Still, the central role in teaching belongs to humans. The power of Internet lies in offering authentic materials, software, education plans, list of exams, literature, etc. to schools, universities, and institutions all over the world but under the same conditions. Next to its commercial importance, it is seen as pedagogical tool for either the independent research or teamwork. The paper brings out positive and negative effects of new technology and its implementation in foreign language learning. Besides for the lessons learning, the idea of information literacy maintains crucial position in education. The new technology demands investment of time, effort, money, and self-education, so that the principal question remains if we are ready for new type of education in order to offer better teaching, more interesting lessons and more importantly, to prepare new generations for future challenges. language learning multimedia university

Multimedia practical lesson gives the opportunity to combine an incredible number of interesting tasks, attracting more and more students in one lesson. We see the directions of further work in solving the outlined problem in the creation of computer multimedia programs using an accessible interface for both teachers and students. Key words: multimedia,, multimedia technologies, Internet resources, computer technologies, students.

Анотація

ЗАСОБИ МУЛЬТИМЕДІА У НАВЧАННІ ІНОЗЕМНИХ МОВ

Мультимедіа здійснює вагомий вплив на все суспільство завдяки використанню новітніх технологій у багатьох галузях промисловості (наприклад, інженерія чи медицина), мультимедійні засоби також широко використовуються в навчанні іноземних мов. У роботі наведено визначення дефініції мультимедіа; схарактеризовано причини використання мультимедійних засобів у навчанні іноземних мов; обґрунтовано їх важливу роль у засвоєнні дисципліни.

Комп'ютерні технології та Інтернет -- нові засоби масової' інформації в освіті, однак центральна роль у навчанні належить людині. Перевага Інтернету полягає в тому, щоб пропонувати автентичні матеріали, програмне забезпечення, плани навчання, список іспитів, літературу тощо для університетів і навчальних закладів у всьому світі, але за однакових умов. Інтернет розглядається як педагогічний інструмент як для незалежних досліджень, так і для роботи в команді. У публікації викладено позитивні й негативні наслідки нової технології та її впровадження у викладання іноземних мов для студентів нелінгвістичних спеціальностей. Звісно, нова освітня технологія вимагає часу, зусиль, фінансових інвестицій і самоосвіти, тому головним питанням залишається, чи готові ми до нового типу освіти, щоб ліпше викладати й підготувати нові покоління до майбутніх викликів. Використання засобів мультимедіа значно розширює та диверсифікує програми вивчення іноземних мов для студентів немовних спеціальностей, надає доступ до різноманітних автентичних матеріалів, посилює мотивацію студентів до навчання, надаючи можливість працювати над вивченням мови в індивідуальному режимі. Засоби мультимедіа забезпечують гнучкість та інтеграцію різних типів мультимедійної навчальної інформації.

Мультимедійне практичне заняття дає можливість комбінувати в одному занятті неймовірну кількість цікавих завдань, залучаючи все більшу й більшу кількість студентів. Напрями подальшої роботи в розв'язанні окресленої проблеми вбачаємо в створенні комп'ютерних мультимедійних програм із використанням доступного інтерфейсу як для викладачів, так і для студентів.

Ключові слова: мультимедіа, мультимедійні технології, Інтернет-ресурси, комп'ютерні технології, студенти.

Statement of the problem

The modern system of education is characterized by rapid changes, they also affect foreign language teaching for university students. Nowadays, the Internet has become a major component both of everyday life and the educational process. Students are more interested in computer technology than textbooks and manuals. Considering informatization of society and comprehensive spread of the Internet, the relevance of the multimedia technologies application in the educational process is obvious. Large international companies need specialists speaking foreign languages fluently. Thus, the status of a foreign language as a means of intercultural communication is growing rapidly. These factors necessitate the improvement of foreign language teaching methods. Students will create the business elite of the country in the future. That's why teachers should focus their efforts on improving the quality of foreign language teaching. It is important to use multimedia tools for language teaching, developing skills that would allow them to be mobile, informed, where language is a means of conveying information, especially through multimedia channels [2].

Multimedia is a useful and fruitful educational tool due to its inherent qualities of interactivity, flexibility, integration of different types of multimedia educational information, as well as the ability to take into account individual characteristics in learning, and to increase student motivation.

Analysis of recent publications

Significant progress has been made in research of multimedia application in the process of a foreign language teaching. We should mention such Ukrainian scholars as M. Boremchuk, S. Kozhushko, V. Nasonova, A. Nisim- chuk, E. Subotina, O. Tarnopolskyi and P. Shpirko. Foreign scientists (T. Hutchinson, A. Waters, P. Widdoswon, R. Bolitho) have developed a method of teaching foreign languages for professional purposes; it was introduced in the teaching of non-language specialties at Ukrainian universities. O. Bihych, M. Bov- tenko, L. Skalii, S. Fomin are convinced that the Internet should be widely used for teaching English. The literature review indicates that question how to the quality of teaching improve is rather actual today.

The purpose of the article is to consider additional possibilities of using multimedia tools in the process of learning a foreign language by students of non-language specialties at universities.

The main part of the research

The more actively computers are used in the educational process the more effective are the learning outcomes. The computer promotes the development of independence and creativity of students, it also makes classes more visual and interesting. PC provides the individualization of learning, the formation of foreign language competence, and strengthens interdisciplinary links. The above-mentioned characteristics make it possible to improve the education quality. P. Shpirko has focused on certain contradictions in the formation of foreign language competence of students of nonlinguistic specialties, i.e.

1) theoretical and practical attitude to this problem;

2) understanding the need for foreign knowledge language by a modern specialist and his actual level of language knowledge;

3) understanding the need to use multimedia tools and technologies in teaching a foreign language using the Internet resources and the absence of any changes in planning the learning process and setting new goals, clarifying the purpose of each level of learning, developing a systematic approach to using multimedia learning tools, creation of new, more modern and effective technologies and teaching methods [5].

The introduction of modern and innovative approaches to teaching a foreign language requires the multimedia teaching aids application. Multimedia technologies have significantly affected the entire education system, i.e. its content, form and methods. It has caused a change in the requirements of the most modern students for the quality of education.

L. Skalii offers a variety of methods of using computer technology in language teaching. We would like to mention the following ones:

1) management of educational staff, which allows the teacher to implement a differentiated and individual approach to learning, using selected from the Internet resources exercises and tasks;

2) the use of the Internet as a source of information, which allows teachers and students to access authentic texts [4].

Multimedia learning tools provide different types of activities based on the integrated application of various types of information processes, i.e. information technology in both frontal and group work; electronic textbooks application; creation of classes-presentations etc. A. Nisimchuk, O. Padalka, O. Shpak define multimedia technologies as a set of visual, audio and other means of displaying information that are integrated in an interactive software environment [3]. Creating multimedia presentations, the teacher must take into account such a sequence as motivation, goal setting, creating preconditions for the perception of educational material, the presentation of educational material and its evaluation, as well as take into account the relevant principles of classical didactics, but also specific principles of computer multimedia products.

Let's focus on the stages of preparation of a multimedia presentation: structuring of educational material; drafting an implementation scenario; presentation design development; preparation of media fragments; preparation of musical accompaniment; testing-verification. The forms and place a multimedia presentation application in a practical foreign language lesson depend on the content and the goal of this lesson. We would like to single out some general, most effective methods of multimedia presentations using, i.e. when studying new material, which allows to illustrate it with various visual aids. The application is especially advantageous in cases where it is necessary to show the dynamics of any process; to test students' academic achievements. Creating a script scheme you should be guided by the following principles: the presentation should be short, accessible and compositionally complete, lasting no more than 10-20 minutes; there should be nothing superfluous, and each slide should be a necessary link of studying of new material; do not overload the slides with unnecessary details, additional effects should be minimized and used to draw the student's attention to the key points of the demonstration.

Teachers need to take into account the peculiarities of the perception of information from the computer screen, to think about and maintain a common style of presenting information for the whole lesson and strive to unify the structure and form of educational material presentation. It is important to check the presentation for readability from the computer screen. It is recommended to use a concise, informative style of teaching material. Creating a multimedia presentation, you need to solve one of the main tasks: how to ensure maximum simplicity with the maximum information saturation. This can be achieved by limiting both the ways in which material is presented and the set of navigation objects. The student, quickly understanding the features of the interface of the proposed presentation, will not be distracted in the future, focusing on the content of educational information.

It is clear that classes with multimedia technologies require a lot of preparation. The teacher must be able to use a variety of programs, i.e. graphics, flesh-animation, web-editor, programs for creating presentations, programs for working with audio and video. It depends on how you decide to submit the information. It can be a video, presentation, webpage with various videos. In general, the choice is very large. You can use Internet resources to illustrate the training material.

Multimedia tools include special programs for listening, presenting, using a multimedia board, and multimedia guides. Multimedia teaching programs are used as a means of improving the effectiveness of the lesson, because by involving the simultaneous action of audio (sound) and visual information, they have a greater emotional charge and are able to increase the productivity of students. Therefore, it is important for foreign language teachers to master these multimedia technologies and learn to work with programs enabling them to be used in the educational process, namely: PowerPoint presentation program, Winamp audio and video playback program, video or slide show software and have basic skills with a multimedia board.

The multimedia board application provides an opportunity to learn English more effectively by involving specific human abilities; make exercises more interesting compared to textbooks; involve the whole group in the learning process; improve both picture and sound quality compared to computer training; draw, scale, underline and drag words and sentences directly on the board; easy to learn English, relieving stress during the lesson; unlimited use of any video, audio and Internet resources.

Let's define the positive aspects of the multimedia tools application in the educational process:

1) provide a high level of interactivity between the student and the material;

2) it is possible to develop and improve various learning styles and interactions, which became possible due to the use of interactive video;

3) there is a possibility of connection through a network that considerably saves time and money;

4) combines sound and images with PC-based learning;

5) prices for technical support for multimedia systems are relatively low;

6) attracts a significant number of learning students;

7) storing data in digital format provides greater opportunities for learning, the material can be considered step by step;

8) contributes to the motivation and encouragement of students;

9) the student can choose the pace and time of mastering the material.

Ukrainian scholar R. Hurevych has named the following disadvantages of multimedia technologies:

1) each student needs access to a multimedia computer;

2) special equipment is required for the operation of programs (multimedia complex);

3) development may require significant financial and time costs;

4) the Internet provides a huge amount of information that students cannot always adequately perceive;

5) low quality of communication;

6) it is impossible to convey a personal attitude or behavior;

7) some students find it difficult to perceive information from the screen;

8) there are practically no multimedia programs in the Ukrainian language [1].

Let's focus on the issue of providing the didactic functions of the educational and methodological complex to the multimedia presentation. There are the following requirements to the multimedia presentation, i.e. text fragments can be accompanied by audio or video information to highlight semantic accents. It is recommended to use a multi-window interface to present a variety of information; the multimedia presentation may contain additional material as well as material for in-depth study of the topic; the most important elements of a multimedia presentation should have hints or explanations; after studying each structural unit of educational material in the presentation is placed material for generalization; multimedia presentation should be open for development, and its text should have free access to copy and print. Creating a presentation, you should find as many points of contact between the training subject and external information flows. It makes the presentation more interesting, relevant and exciting for students. The multimedia tools used in the presentation help to interact more effectively with students. Flexibility is one of the foundations of a successful presentation. The teacher needs to be prepared to make changes in response to students' reactions.

Conclusions

The use of multimedia significantly expands and diversifies foreign language programs for students of non-language specialties, provides access to a variety of authentic materials, strengthens students' motivation to learn, providing an opportunity to work individually while learning language. Multimedia tools provide flexibility and integration of different types of multimedia educational information. Students of non-linguistic specialties become subjects of communication with the teacher in the educational process where computer technologies are used, they promote the development of their independence and creative approach in educational activities. An integrated approach to solving basic tasks, which combines a set of multimedia technologies with high didactic potential, computer learning of foreign languages and methods of intensive foreign language learning, should be considered a promising area of work in the system of intensive foreign language learning.

Systematic application of the computer at practical classes, in particular presentation systems, leads to improving the quality of the use of visual aids; increase productivity; establishing interdisciplinary links; there is an opportunity to organize project activities of students to create curricula under the guidance of teachers; the teacher who creates the presentation should pay attention to the sequence of presentation of educational material, which has a positive effect on the level of knowledge of students; change into better relationships with students who are interested in computer technology.

Prospects for further research. Multimedia practical lesson gives the opportunity to combine an incredible number of interesting tasks, attracting more and more students in one lesson. We see the directions of further work in solving the outlined problem in the creation of computer multimedia programs using an accessible interface for both teachers and students.

References

1. Гуревич РС., Шестопалюк О.В., Шевченко Л.С. Застосування мультимедійних засобів навчання та глобальних інформаційних мереж у наукових дослідженнях: посібник. Вінниця: ДОВ «Вінниця», 135 с.

2. Корж В.В. Роль мультимедійних технологій у навчанні іноземної мови. URL: http://www. confcontact. Com/2008oktInet_tezi/iy_korzh.htm.

3. Нісімчук А.С., Падалка О.С., Шпак О.С. Сучасні педагогічні технології. Київ: Просвіта, 2000. 436 с.

4. Скалій Л.І. Поняття професійної компетенції вчителя іноземних мов у застосуванні сучасних інформаційних технологій. Гуманізація навчально- виховного процесу: збірник наукових праць. Слов'янськ: СДПУ, 2003. С. 293-296.

5. Шпірко П.Ф. Сучасні та інноваційні підходи викладання англійської мови для студентів інженерних факультетів. Вісник Національного технічного університету України «Київський політехнічний інститут». Київ: Політехніка, 2009. С. 196-200.

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