implementing CALL in Malaysian classroom

Implementing CALL in the Malaysian Secondary Classroom

If you had the chance would you utilize ICT (CALL) in your teaching?

Yes, because there is a lot of interesting sources that we can find and use from the internet which can help in the teaching and learning especially with audiovisual advantage. Since knowledge in technology is a very important skill nowadays, we not only teach students about language but indirectly we are exposing technology to students who have no or limited knowledge in using computer and what not, and in a fun way as well.


How do you think it would help (or would not help) your students to learn English?

As I mentioned in the first question, audiovisual material that are available can help students learn language better since most learners are stimulated using the sight and sound senses. For example, sing-along, pictures with music and so on. Students can also choose to learn the same lesson over and over again when they want to since the lessons is ready to be used 27-7. There are lots of in helpful lesson that are available, for example; the speaking lesson can help students in their pronunciation as well as their vocabulary, writing e-mail or blog can help students in their writing and grammar, and apart from that, students learn how to make friends and keep in touch with their friends.


What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing CALL in the Malaysian schools?

Some of the advantages in implementing CALL in Malaysian schools includes; it motivates students to learn in a fun way, students get to learn basic knowledge about technology as well especially those who have no computers at home, teacher can have less time to prepare for lesson because there are a lot of sources in the internet, it is much cheaper to use computer in classrooms once it was implemented because teacher needs less teaching materials such as mahjong papers or marker, teacher can monitor students progress all the time and in a way, classroom management is easier when students concentrated on what they need to do with the computer. Meanwhile some of the disadvantages include; it is very expensive to prepare and provide a conducive place with computers or technology that functions properly whenever we need it, there is probably classroom management issues as students may stray away from the lesson and do something else, and it will be unfair for students who have no computers at home when they are given homework.


What are the barriers in implementing CALL in the Malaysian classroom?

The barriers are; very expensive to be implemented but still not everything are functioning well, some teachers still don’t have enough knowledge in ICT themselves and it is very hard to keep up with the students who some of them are already experts in using technology, there is also problems in safety in ensuring student to be ‘shielded’ from unnecessary contents on the internet and to ensure that students treat the provided technological equipments properly and avoid vandalism, and the students may plagiarize in doing their work.


Please also include any other comments/thoughts/ideas on this topic

In my opinion, integrating CALL in our education system or classrooms is very important because we have to prepare students with the essential skill not only in language but also in technology as well. By using technology in teaching language, we may not only learn the English language only, but it is possible for us to learn other languages as well using the multiple resources that we can find in the internet. However, I believe that Malaysian educators should also come up with their own software in teaching language instead of just ‘borrowing’ from other country.