MY FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

First time I heard about Technology and Language Learning, I can predict that this subject has relationship with Multimedia Production and it’s true. Basically, In this century many schools have used technology for teaching and learning activities. Because, technology is such human lifestyle and it is useful for human life. Technology evolves through the time, including technology for language learning.  CALL (Computer Assistant Language Learning) has 3 main stages, such as behavioristic (1960-1970), communicative (1980-1990), and Integrative (1990-present). Behavioristic CALL emphasizes to accuracy for students. Computer is used for drill and practice. Communicative CALL emphasizes to fluency of students. Computers are used for discussion, writing, and stimulate high order thinking of students. Recently, schools are using integrative CALL, such as web-based (internet) learning. Students are to be independent learners, because they can find any sources by themselves through internet and teacher just to be facilitator. 

I reflect when I was in high school, my English teacher was taught me without any technologies. We just write and listen to teacher’s instruction. It was really boring. But my ICT teacher makes technologies more useful for students. For me, I was really interested learn with technologies rather than without it. Technologies makes teaching more effective and let students engage the subject easily.  Besides, using technologies in language teaching can prepare students to face globalization in future. 

Besides the advantages, technologies also have disadvantages. First, schools which have low budget or lower income students will have problem to get some technology application like computer, especially in Indonesia which people still live below the poverty line. Second, teacher must still need to join training about technologies, because there are some teachers who still have lack of abilities to work with computer. From my perspective, I think teachers in Indonesia is dominated with old teachers, they are also from old era that really different from now on. Moreover, technology is really fast to change and teachers have to be more up to date about knowledge, including technologies. Third, computer should be just a tool for helping students to learn, because students still need teacher to guide them.

In conclusion, technology is really helpful in this century for teaching and learning. If they can use it appropriately, it can be advantages for the users, just depends on how people use technology for they life.