APPLIED LINGUISTICS for BA Students in English
VISUAL, AUDIO, AUDIO-VISUAL AND DIGITAL AIDS
Basic principles of using tools in foreign language classes
One can consider tools, resources and didactic materials as “anything that can be used to facilitate the learning of a language” (Tomlinson, 2001).
Tomlinson (2001) has outlined different criteria for classifying didactic materials in the following categories:
• instructional in that they inform learners about the language;
• experiential in that they provide exposure to the language in use;
• elicitative in that they stimulate language use;
• exploratory in that they seek discoveries about language use.
One can distinguish resources facilitating language learning according to criteria related to perception, too. Thus, one has the categories of visuals and techniques of visualization; audio resources and ways of audio-production; audio-visual means of education and approaches to video-production. The fourth category covers the contemporary tools based on information and communication technologies (ICT) that integrate perceptions and language production. (Poór, 2001)
When using any tool, one has to obey basic didactic principles. One of them is the so called ‘three stages principle’. It refers to the necessity of introducing a few activities before students would be exposed to the particular medium, further ones while they have close access to the input provided by the source and conclude the whole process with tasks to use all the language and information gained in the previous actions. Thus, one can distinguish pre-medium, active and follow-up stages.
At the pre-medium stage students are helped to prepare for the content the medium to be used, will offer in terms of theme, linguistics and skills alike. This period bridges the experiences of previous learning processes and provides lead-in activities towards the next stage.
When looking at, listening to, watching and reading the particular resource there should be a great number of opportunities for learners to explore all aspects of the medium. That is, to exploit all thematic, linguistic and skills-related benefits of this period in a very active and productive way. new medium at the same time. Thus the process of learning supported by various tools can be seen as a continuous one.
The follow-up stage serves for transfer and consolidation. Everything that can be learnt from the bridging or lead-in and active stages, will be applied for complex language production. This period can be used as an introductory one to a new medium at the same time. Thus the process of learning supported by various tools can be seen as a continuous one.
Another main criterion for tool-enhanced language learning procedures is the principle that one may want to refer to as ‘a piece of chalk is equal to the computer display’. It means that there is no dominant source in languages education. Each category of tools has got its significant role in the classroom. This is the teacher who knows when the time for each tool or resource is, and how to integrate them all in the process of education. That is, there are situations when a traditional means of education can do more than the most recently invented technical device. Inventions of new technology have to be used when there is no other tool that could offer a better outcome in the particular learning period. A balanced application of all possible tools can guarantee effectiveness in the long run.
