Introduction
The article “Facilitating Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in a Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) Learning Environment” by Masputeriah Hamzah from Faculty of Management and Human Resource Development Universiti Teknologi Malaysia is about a study which explored the application of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) in an English for Civil Engineering (ECE) learning environment in University of Technology Malaysia. The purpose of this study is to examine how the use of CMC can help to create a conducive environment that will be facilitative of second language learning and acquisition and also, this paper is purposely to report on the potential of using CMC in generating opportunities for communicative practice of the English language through meaningful interaction using the asynchronous on-line bulletin board platform.
Research Questions
a) What kind of language does the learner engage in during a CALL
activity?
b) How good is the language experience in CALL for L2 learning?
Population and Sample
The participants in this study consisted of one English language teacher and a group, which comprised of seventy-three male (n = 38) and female (n = 35) students. The researcher was a non-participant observer in this study, assisting the language teacher during the earlier preparation of the task requirement and whenever there was a need to attend to technical matters related to the implementation of the task
Duration and Method
The students were required to conduct an asynchronous on-line discussion forum using the CMC bulletin board technological platform. The duration of the task covered a period of ten weeks, with one hour per week allocated for task implementation. However, due to the large group of students, limited number of computers, and limited Internet access available for all
students' use at one time, the students were given the flexibility to conduct the task as a self-access activity.
Data Analysis
Quantitative and qualitative procedures were adopted for the purpose of data analysis. There are two sets of text-based transcripts of database from the student-to-teacher and student-to-student interactional exchanges in the on-line discussion forum. For the purpose of analyses, the text-based transcripts of the postings were printed off to examine and analyse the written discourse. Seventy-five student-to-teacher interactional exchanges and a further seventy-five of the student-to-student interactions were arranged sequentially to reflect the overall interactive nature of the exchanges. Later on, a semi-structured interview was used to gain insights regarding students’ opinion, experience, and perception about the forum. The interview was conducted after the ten weeks of on-line forum discussion was completed. The interview works as the data collection about the teachers and students perception regarding the asynchronous on-line interaction.
Findings
The results revealed that:
Interview –both the teacher and students responded positively and favourably to the task conducted using the CMC platform. The asynchronous mode of interaction provided opportunities for students to monitor their language thus viewing and correcting their language first before posting it. The teacher reported that he could monitor each student’s performance more closely and provide individualized feedback in their writing and encouraged them to improve the problematic forms in their output. As such, this created more awareness among students. Moreover it encourages participation. This on-line platform was also perceived as providing a less stressful environment and a less threatening forum for students who lack fluency and confidence in using the language.
Interactional exchanges- This on-line electronic medium could be viewed as a suitable context that created numerous opportunities to make input more comprehensible to the learners. This occurred in various ways in the process of meaning negotiation. It could be seen that learners treated this on-line platform as a test-bed for them to test out hypotheses about the target language,
Reactions on the implications of the findings to the language learning scenario in Malaysia
In case of language learning scenario in Malaysia, it would best benefit the students while dragging the students into an enhancing learning environment. Language learning is in need of practice of real conversation and discussion or writing between entities and these findings are strengthening the point. The use of language itself is to interact to others, and the concept of interactive which asynchronous CMC endorsed to the language learning is a bless for the students to learn language. In addition while composing the messages, the students have time to recheck their language and repair their errors. It will give great advantages to the students to avoid unintentionally errors and to observe other errors committed by other students and to take lesson on the occasion.
Furthermore, it would greatly help the teachers in Malaysia to efficiently monitor their students and give feedbacks regarding their works or errors in language learning. Furthermore in class, direct criticism or direct correction in front of the class may result into the degradation of participation. The society in Malaysia is practicing “Collectivism” where direct correction from the teacher to the students without a correct method can result for the students to lose face. This is somehow a serious culture problem and CMC gives a great solution to this pertaining matter. The students can avoid the ‘lose face’ attitude and moreover, CMC can increase the output and participation plus confidence. Language learning has to be dynamic and thus effectively helps the students to grasp the proficiency fast and accurate. The findings in this article should be implemented in Malaysia language learning system thus leading to an efficient language learning environment.
Discourse Analysis of the Forum Thread.
Introduction
Forum: Lowyat.NET->Lifestyle ->PetsWonderland
Retrieved from: http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/967401
Thread topic: “Pantai TimuR Pet Owner.. and pet lover, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan.. and all” posted by azian 9100 on Mar 17 2009, 11:04 AM.
Short-Summary
This forum is about the discussion regarding their interest in pet care, how to take care their pet and naturally their discussion is in a specific range of context. The language used is in English and certain words are mixing with certain other language words where the term language borrowing can be best used to describe the situation. The culture of their language is mixing up with their mother tongue language where some words are being borrowed from the standardized language into English. Their English language is not strictly in accordance to the grammatical rules and this proves that the target group uses English freely without worrying about the grammatical rules and this somehow is the first step in learning language while observing others and interacting with them in the specific language. Self-confidence can be built from the provided situation.
Analysis
First of all, when we observe the topic of the forum itself, it promotes others who have interest in the specific interest to join and give opinions about their interest and discussion topic. What is important here, the topic “Pantai TimuR Pet Owner.. and pet lover, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan.. and all” is actually not a well sentence-structured topic but still the way it is presented can attract people to participate without concerning their level of proficiency in English language. This is actually a good effort in language learning basic.
Let’s take a look at one of the visitor’s comment.
JyEn
Mar 17 2009, 12:13 PM
“me raise in terengganu, was married to kuantan and had 7dogs there now at kl hav 2 lo.”
The sentence is indeed wrong in term of language rules but from the sentence we can perceive that the visitor is trying to communicate in English even though his proficiency in the language is low. The meaning of the sentence can be understood easily and the errors are not hindering the meaning.
xtreme_paranoid
i am from pahang..
raub, pahang
so far i only have tarantulas
3 tarantulas
The above sentence is simple and easy to understand. Grammatically correct and even though the pause (…) is being used excessively, it only shows us that the poster is trying to build confidence in sharing his interest.
Fatimus
Mar 17 2009, 12:55 PM
“Stuck at Kota Bharu for time being, have a black labrador retriever and he is undergoing fur shedding, driving my mom mad. “
This subject is using certain term to describe her pet and problem New vocabularies can enrich language learning and maybe if the visitors have problem in understanding the new words, it actually motivates the visitors and learners to find the meaning in other source. This kind of situation motivates language learning.
Advantages
People or students are reluctant to speak in class or public and may feel more at ease in a written format. It can build confidence in one-self and it is indeed an advantage. Forum also is having good trait in term efficiency of storage and people or students can re-read the messages repetitively. Furthermore, forum is in written format and it is easier to read a message or writing in L2 than to listen to it. In addition, the date of the postings can be traceable for future reference and greater precision.
Examples:
azian9100
Mar 17 2009, 11:04 AM
Regular
Group: Junior Member
Posts: 239
Joined: August 2008
I always lepak in LYN... what i know many of the Pet owner from KL, Selangor, Jb and penang.
So I open this tread just to.. gather all the Pet owner from Pantai Timur... tak kisah what ever pet you have...
I'm from Pahang .. and I have Rabbit...Fish and 1 cat (but always come and our come and out)
Come lah.. we have a chat .... PAntai Timur... Pet owner
JyEn
Mar 17 2009, 12:13 PM
Regular
Group: Junior Member
Posts: 273
Joined: June 2008
From: emo world
me raise in terengganu, was married to kuantan and had 7dogs there now at kl hav 2 lo.
azian9100
Mar 17 2009, 12:47 PM
Regular
Group: Junior Member
Posts: 239
Joined: August 2008
QUOTE(JyEn @ Mar 17 2009, 12:13 PM)
me raise in terengganu, was married to kuantan and had 7dogs there now at kl hav 2 lo.
hahaha... actually... I dont know lah.. I'm right or not.. But I think we in Pantai Timur... very very despretly need a very good vet with the very afforadable price. and somemore ... most of the Pet Shop here only selling fish... and nothing special for our lovely pet..
Like me I have to drive 2 hours just to see a vet.. and wanna buy good feed and anything for my pet .. I have to buy it online.
xtreme_paranoid
Mar 17 2009, 12:48 PM
LYN T-Shirt Designer '..::-/^\-::..'
Group: Senior Member
Posts: 829
Joined: September 2006
From: there to here..
i am from pahang..
raub, pahang
so far i only have tarantulas
3 tarantulas
Fatimus
Mar 17 2009, 12:55 PM
Regular
Group: Junior Member
Posts: 473
Joined: February 2006
From: Kay Bee
Stuck at Kota Bharu for time being, have a black labrador retriever and he is undergoing fur shedding, driving my mom mad.
azian9100
Mar 17 2009, 04:06 PM
Regular
Group: Junior Member
Posts: 239
Joined: August 2008
QUOTE(cracksys @ Mar 17 2009, 01:05 PM)
i have a couple of chicken and serati
hahah.. Itu sudah biasa.. that Pantai Timur people like Terengganu and Kelantan... love Chicken (as pet lah) and bird... and i belive the Serati people keep for their egg or something...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment