National Tests Preparation by Using Computer – Assisted Language Learning (CALL) for Senior High School Students

 

            Learning English in Indonesia is challenging because English is a foreign language in Indonesia. But, English is one of important lesson that must be mastered by Indonesian student. It is shown in putting English as one of national test that senior high school student must undergo. English at school now is emphasizing in mastering four skills of English such as reading, listening, speaking and writing but in the national test students are required to answer some questions which are related to listening skill, reading skill and a little of grammar. This national test is going to be very difficult for students who lack of reading habit, listening skill, practicing the tests and poor of grammar understanding. The problem is bigger if students aren’t interested in English because it is difficult and not fun. The idea in this paper is inspired by computer assisted TOEFL preparation and this paper will discus the effectiveness of Computer – Assisted Language Learning (CALL) for successful Senior High school National Tests in English Subject.

            It is very important to make CALL program for National Tests preparation because by doing so it will help both teachers and students and increase the effectiveness of learning. It will help teachers because computer can act as a teacher or tutor by giving the students information, explanations, example, a lot of practices and a quick analysis and result of the students National Tests preparation. Students will have also some benefits by using the program. They will get flexibility in practicing the tests and convenience situation. Students can easily stop the program, continue, pass some materials or tests, review and even repeat it again if they don’t pass the tests. Not only flexibility but also a convenience situation where the students can do the tests privately at home without worrying the judgment of his friends and teachers.

            Even though CALL is designed for individual learning but teachers role is important in guiding, motivating, explaining, controlling and evaluating students’ progress. Teachers guide the students at the first time of using the program by showing how to use it and explaining some buttons or functions of certain menu in the program. Teachers explain some additional materials or tests that students need if they don’t get enough from the program. Teachers also motivate students to undergo the program and motivation in this case is important because sometimes there are some students who don’t have enthusiasm in learning. Then, teachers should also control and evaluate the students’ development. Even though CALL has its own evaluation program but teachers must also give their attention in controlling and evaluating so that students will not feel to convenience in using the program because of its flexibility. Give the students time limit to use the program and then at the end of the due time teachers can evaluate the students’ improvement.

            What should be made in designing CALL for national test preparation? There are some principles in designing CALL that must be considered.

1.      Interactivity (feedback and instruction). Interactivity refers to how the program can stimulate interaction, especially interaction between the computer and the user. It includes the effectiveness of the instructions and feedback provided in the program.

2.       Usability (flexibility). It refers to the flexibility, ease and inherent interest of the program used, and how easy it is to navigate within the program.

3.      Content and appropriateness. It is concerned with the amount of material presented in the program, how easily the material is learned and understood, and how far the material meets the students’ need.

4.      Effectiveness. It refers to how effectively the program assists language learners to improve their mastery of grammar.

5.      Performance (Attractiveness). It refers to the presentation, lay out of the screen, the color, and the illustrations (picture, diagram, charts, etc) used in the program.

(Hartoyo, 2006)

The main content of the program is variation of National tests that includes listening tests, reading tests and grammar tests. All of the tests are in the form of multiple choices and there is a time limit to do the tests.  In the tests must include pictures, diagram, color, interesting back ground and chart that will make the tests more attractive. After students finish the tests, they will immediately get the result about correct and wrong answers. The programs then will advice the students whether they must continue to the next tests or to repeat again but the students can also choose to pass to the next tests. Some games could be added if students can answer most of the questions correctly. The program also provides some explanation of the material that is being tested if the students want to know the reason behind their answer. At the end of the program students will know their score and their graphic of progress in doing the tests.

            To undergo this CALL school must provide enough computers for students in their computer laboratory and it is better if the students have their own computer at home. Teachers guide the students at school using the program and then after they have understood how to use it teachers will only observe students. For those who have computers at home may bring the program and install it to the computer and they will report their activity and progress to their teachers regularly and teachers will evaluate the progress. Hopefully by using CALL for national test preparation students will have sufficient practice and experience in doing the tests. Students who have good score will get a better self confident in doing the real tests and those who haven’t good score will repeat, analysis, and review by their own until they get a better score.

Computer – Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in Classroom

 

            Computer has been an important tool nowadays. Almost all professions, institution, and even houses now are using computer to help them to do their tasks. In education, Balleden  (1984) points out that computer technology will increasingly penetrate all areas of life, including education. Because of this rapid development of computers so teachers are encourage to make use this technology in order to get the most benefits in teaching and learning at the classroom. But of course there are some strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages of this technology and this essay will discuss about it.

            Computer has many strengths and advantages as a tool to help learning in classroom and it depends to the teachers and students to use the computers.

The unique property of the computer as a medium for education is its ability to interact with the students. Books and recordings can tell a student what the rules are and what the right solutions are, but they cannot analyze the specific mistakes the students has made and react in manner which leads him not only correct solution.

(Nelson, et al, 1976)

Some strengths of computer are the interactively of it, has a function as a teacher or tutor, as affective and efficient reference book, communicate visually with students, simulate conversation, as a good tool for listening practice and has a flexibility.

            First, computer is interactive because it is not only as a source of learning but also analyze and give result to students’ outcome. It will give students feedback and understanding of the lesson. Next, computer can be a teacher or tutor because it gives students with information, materials, explanation, example or model, practices and feedback and evaluation. Then, as affective and efficient reference book because it provides references in very interesting way by using color, pictures, video and audio. It is also a very quick reference for students. If students want to find some information they just click or type and computer will provide it. Then, it communicates visually with students because computer shows graphic, pictures, drawing, text and movie. Next, it can simulate conversation because computer can give simulation of conversation by using sound, movie and video of real life. Finally, computer has flexibility because students can choose whether they want to stop, continue, pass or repeat the program.

            Even though computer has many strengths but it also has weaknesses or disadvantages. Computer is quite expensive things for some schools so it is hard for them to provide enough computers for students or to make a computer laboratory. Computers are not handy tool like books so they cannot be used in any place or any time. Reading text from computer screen is more difficult and tiring than reading from books and it also can cause eye irritation and pain. Gould and Grischowsky (1984) have shown that people read 20 – 30 % slower from low resolution screens. Computer is one of high technology so not many people can use it. Some teachers feel reluctant to use computer and they feel hard to learn computer.

            Despite some strengths and weaknesses, computer is now a wide world aid which is used in global community. We can not avoid this progress and should adapt quickly to this technology. From the analysis that we have discussed we can conclude that the advantages of computers are bigger than the disadvantages. The using of computer in the classroom should be promoted more and step by step computer will be one of integrated learning tool in classroom.

CALL Program Assessment

            As the development of technology especially in computer, telecommunication and information are very rapidly and it influences the teaching and learning strategy at school. Consequently, there are some experts develop and integrate between ICT and teaching -learning language in order to make the learning process become more interesting, efficient and effective and they called it CALL (Computer – Assisted Language Learning). Hopefully, by using CALL the result of learning language will be significant.  This writing will report some analysis and assessment of four CALL programs which are used to help students to learn language individually. The names of those programs are Speak English, Learn English, Issue in English and Easy to Sing.

            The first program is Speak English. The appearance and the features of this program are very interesting and eye catching. The program has colorful background, many pictures and some helpful buttons which are easy to use. The program was made to practice some expression and dialogue in British style. It is provided with help language in American style and also for comparison between American and British style. The topics practiced are common expression used in daily life such as: Alphabets, greetings, at the restaurant, shopping, getting around, at the hotel, on the phone, emergencies, leisure and business. The students listen expressions both in American and British after that they should do some quizzes in listening and pronunciation. Especially, for pronunciation additional tool is needed such as microphone for phrase recording and dialogue recording. Overall the program is interesting and it is suitable for basic to intermediate students to practice their listening skill and speaking or pronunciation.

            The second program is Learn English. Like the first program, the features are interesting and colorful with funny pictures and cartoons and the buttons are easy to use. The program is emphasizing in vocabularies such as colors, food, countries, shopping, time, and numbers etcetera. After doing words practice students can choose to go on to speaking practice or games. The interesting part of this program is the games which are used to empower the learning. The program is suitable for basic students to improve their memory in English vocabularies and their pronunciation.

            The third program is Issues in English. The program is emphasizing in vocabularies, grammar, speaking, writing and listening. It provides a complete practice in four skills of English such as listening, reading, writing and speaking. But, the appearances and the features are not too interesting and without colorful background. The program is good for those who are seriously to learn English especially adult who are in intermediate – advance level because the lesson   presented in many kinds of issues which are quite difficult  and has many quizzes and exercise of grammar, writing, listening, and reading etc. To use this program students are required to master many English vocabularies in order to understand and to practice the lessons.

            The fourth program is English for Dummies. This program is very interesting because it has many pictures and cartoons, a lot of games and tips for students. The program is an interactive conversation and it helps students to learn how to speak, read, write and listen in English. It is also good for improving the pronunciation. Finally, this program is good for basic – advance students because it contains a wide range of variation.

            The four programs have strength and weaknesses and it depends to the teachers to apply it for appropriate level of students. By using each program it will help both teachers and students in teaching learning process.

Hello, my name is Wahyu Hidayat and I’m from Indonesia. This is my first experience to write on the internet and I’m very happy about it. As a new comer I’m eager to learn more about internet so I’m trying to make my own website by using WordPress.

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