Annotation: In this article, you will be informed about the role of communication technologies in learning foreign languages. Hope, if you have some hesitation in the question whether learning other languages is essential or not, you will find the solution to this question in our article.
Key words: language, modern knowledge, young generation ,effective learning, foreign language, technology, computer equipment, improvement, educational process , communication.
The 21st century is the century of high technologies, and our modern youth are taking steps not only in accordance with the spirit of the time, but also in accordance with the progress in the electronic world. With the rapid development of information and communication technologies, which is one of the distinctive features of our time, special attention is being paid to a new approach to the educational process and its organization, using its opportunities. Opening a broad path to modern knowledge, effective use of new information and communication technologies in improving education has become an urgent requirement of today. The “National Program of Personnel Training” and the “Law on Education” of the Republic of Uzbekistan impose this responsibility on all those who provide services in the field of education.
We can see that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which is currently developing in every field, has found its place in schools, academic lyceums, colleges, and all educational institutions and is being rapidly noticed. For this reason, a different approach to the process of teaching the young generation is required.
In the Decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated December 10, 2012 “On measures to further improve the system of learning foreign languages” “Introduction of advanced teaching methods using modern pedagogical and information and communication technologies” by way of teaching the growing young generation to foreign countries, to fundamentally improve the system of training specialists who can speak these languages fluently and, on the basis of this, to create conditions and opportunities for them to widely use the world’s information resources in the achievements of world development, to develop international cooperation and communication” and a number of important tasks for this the need for implementation is indicated.
The introduction of information and communication technologies into the educational process, especially in the teaching and learning of foreign languages, is becoming more and more important. New information technologies provide great opportunities in the education of foreigners, they play an important role in obtaining quality knowledge in science and increasing the effectiveness of education.
ICT tools mean the opportunity to save class time and get more and more effective information through computer equipment, tape recorder, books, video equipment, electronic board. Nowadays, young people do not spend time searching and flipping through books to get additional information, but turn to the Internet.
Multimedia textbooks and an online test system are another achievement of information technology in foreign language learning. Electronic and multimedia textbooks are textual, graphic, audio, animated, informative textbooks. These opportunities are widely used not only in the teaching of informatics and information technologies, but also in the teaching of other subjects, including the English language. The use of Internet tests is also designed to monitor students’ mastery of subjects or courses, and tests help to determine the level of student mastery. Tests are regularly used in the course of the lesson.
The role of the teacher in the lessons is also changing. The teacher now acts mainly as a guide. It is time for teachers who aim to keep pace with the times to be ready to enliven any part of the lesson through ICT. Teachers are essential to the classroom teaching and learning setting, and the ways in which ICT affects their jobs and the tactics they use to create a conducive learning environment are vital and significant. There is a common misconception in the teaching and learning context that utilizing ICT to enhance learning necessitates major changes for everyone, even if there are several examples of suitable learning environments that don’t use ICT. Teachers’ professional practices are changing dramatically as a result of the widespread adoption of ICT in teaching and learning. They are no longer solely instructors; instead, they are facilitators and prompters. According to Yunus (2007), it’s critical to comprehend the underlying variables influencing teachers’ decisions about ICT use in order to effectively deploy ICTs for language instruction.
In order to effectively incorporate ICT into the process of teaching and learning foreign languages, educators and students must be ready to take on new roles and make responsible use of the technology that is currently accessible. Teachers ought to possess professional competencies, such as pedagogical and technical expertise, because language teachers may more successfully integrate ICT in the language classroom if they are more passionate and educated about the subject. Teachers need to understand that their new position is not that of an instructor but rather that of a guide and facilitator. Technology-based learning activities may only be beneficial to students if they are pertinent to their needs and areas of interest. ICT adoption necessitates the development of new teaching and learning methodologies (Fitzpatrick, 2004). Teachers of languages must assume new duties. They are no longer the only source of information and are not the dictatorial. Since they are in charge of establishing a productive atmosphere for language learning, they must be informed about all the opportunities that information and communication technology might present in the language classroom.
Additionally, they must to be computer literate, meaning they should know how to operate common software. They must be aware of each student’s unique learning challenges and exercise deliberate judgment when deciding how best to employ ICT. In the learning process, teachers ought to take on the roles of guides and facilitators. Their job is to guide, assist, elucidate, and provide moral support. However, it is critical that there is constant contact between the student and the teacher as well as among the students. For this reason, appropriate ICT use should be done in accordance with the objectives and requirements of language teaching and learning.
Therefore, there is a lot of instructional potential for modern ICT in FLT/FLL. They are employed in the development of language and communication abilities, but they can also serve as a stimulant for analysis, critical and creative thought, and motivation. Consequently, it is imperative to understand all the shortcomings and restrictions that ICT still has, and thoughtfully design the educational process at every level of new ICT introduction and implementation in accordance with the unique demands of instructors and students.
In terms of real-world application, the planned telecommunications project demonstrated the efficacy of ICT deployment, which not only enhances language, communication, information, research, and creative skills but additionally shapes significant aspects of learners’ personalities.
Additionally, ICT gives students the chance to access and use Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) from both home and school, such Moodle, Blackboard, and others. Through peer-to-peer material sharing, remote communication with teachers, and individual study, this model empowers students to take part in the educational process. With the ability to create and complete tasks like information retrieval, language exercises, and communication activities remotely, students with access to VLEs have greater control over their learning process and become more self-directed and independent.
The complexity of learners and the learning process may be the reason why there is a greater amount of qualitative than quantitative data on the effectiveness of ICT in foreign language learning. Longitudinal studies are necessary now and could yield valuable quantitative data later on. Although it should be clear, pedagogy is not always evident in the ways that educators utilize ICT, or in the online activities that they design or assign to students. Students may engage in a variety of engaging and attractive activities thanks to technology, which can be inspiring in and of itself. But the use of technology must always be guided by an awareness of pedagogy and the goal of learning; it should never be employed if it does not improve the quality of the learning process. ICT need to be viewed as a tool that makes teaching easier and more efficient. Similar to this, a lot of technologically adept teachers jump at the chance to create their own materials using free software tools or utilize online activities. However, these should be carefully considered before use, as a lot of them are built around an antiquated method of instruction (quiz-style test – feedback). The same cutting-edge pedagogical concepts that apply to other facets of teaching and classroom practice should also apply to the use of ICT.
In this regard, ICT coordinators and support staff may need to question teachers’ conceptions of how ICT can be incorporated into their teaching. For example, employing ICT does not always require students to work at computer workstations during class; it can also involve extra learning outside of the classroom, self-directed learning, group projects, or full participation in class using a smart board.
In conclusion, it can be said that today information technologies are one of the most important factors in the development of our society, especially in the field of education. You cannot imagine modern ICT teaching process. Educators, as well as students, use ICT in their practical activities to improve their efficiency and create a foundation for achieving the intended goal.
References
- Sun, Y. and Dong, Q. (2004) ‘An Experiment on Supporting Children’s English Vocabulary Learning in Multimedia Context’ in Computer Assisted Language Learning.
- Prensky, M. (2001) ‘Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants’ in On the Horizon.
- Woodrow, L. (2017). Motivation in language learning.
- Chapelle, C. A., & Sauro, S. (2017). Introduction to the Handbook of technology and second language teaching and learning
