MEDIA COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN TEACHING ESP

Lina Smirnova

(Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine)

Essential process of encouraging excellence and innovation in language teaching states in the implementation of effective language education policies and learning strategies. Speaking about ESP as a constituent branch of English language teaching (ELT), we would like to consider some aspects of productive combining recent technological applications with top-notch teaching of English for Specific Purposes. The necessity to experiment with new teaching techniques and educational media and software platforms is one of current issues.

In this respect, we take into consideration Van Dijk’s analyses of the main features of the new media. According to him, the first important feature refers to “the integration of telecommunications, data communications and mass communications in a single medium. It is the process of convergence. For this reason, new media are often called “multimedia”. The second main feature is represented by “the rise of interactive media”. Finally, the third characteristic is digital code as a technical media characteristic only defining the form of new media operations [3].

There are many benefits of learning ESP with the help of media. Internet is a window to different experience in a certain field, allowing future specialists to connect with others from around the world. But sometimes ESP extends past just having a simple conversation or having access to different words, concepts, and metaphors. It is necessary top-notch teaching provides for improving sociocultural skills as well. So, when learning English for Specific Purposes, experience with the target culture helps to develop context and makes learning more meaningful. Thus, nowadays it is important to research and to learn more about the ways how to combine some of the newer technological applications with top-notch teaching.

For some time it was not taken into account to what extent technology would be beneficial to ESP teaching methods, but recent studies have discovered an overall good tendency of the newest techniques being used in English for Specific Purposes learning methodology.

Nowadays it is recognised, multimedia has been shown to activate both sides of the brain, and the study of foreign languages has been shown to be most successful when the whole brain is used. The studies suggest the bilingualism improves the brain’s executive function. It helps with ignoring distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from one thing to another and holding information in mind. Learning a foreign language is one of the most effective and practical ways to increase intelligence, keep your mind sharp, and buffer your brain against aging. Therefore, there are both practical and scientific reasons to incorporate computer software and Internet use in class plans [1].

Considering reasons why we use the newest strategies for ESP, let’s firstly speak about utilizing the powerful medium of the Internet.

It's been known for over a decade that the Internet increases professional language use, helps students in getting good analytical skills also encouraging students to use the newly learned language patterns in their daily lives.

Though some percentage of students often find it difficult to locate the exact information they are looking for. This is partly because searching is a skill in itself which students need to acquire. The Internet research is a stage towards this and some other goals. Project work is also popular in teaching ESP, especially with students who have access to a wide range of new resources. The Internet facilitates collaborative projects which are good for the social and professional aspects of language education. Finally, the Internet provides a wealth of resources for both students and teachers.

The Internet is more than just a pool of information. It is also a communication tool that gives the teacher and the students the capability to interact with other people around the world. The Internet helps with both technical and conceptual language mastery. Because language is not just words alone, but a highly complex network of syntactical relationships, besides it demands keyboard skills, file storage etc. Additionally, the Internet helps to expand and evolve the interaction between the teacher and the student, helping education become more focused on the student.

Secondly, using educational tools and software applications. There is a variety of different tools out there that can help with many educational needs, ESP not withstanding. For a tool to be beneficial to both teachers and students, first should consider such evaluation criteria:

• value the potential of the tool for achieving learning objectives;
• verify its usability to use the tool easily and to adapt it to the teaching context;
• take into account its interactivity from the point of view of communication and collaboration amongst learners;
• take into account important technical aspects to consider in terms of compatibility of operating systems, equipment, browsers, etc.

These criteria have been developed by teachers for teachers and provide essential information so that you can select appropriate applications and use them with your learners. You can search the inventory through the use of filters or keywords. All evaluated tools are freeware or have a free version, and many of them are presented with specific examples, suggested and tested by teachers, on how you could use them in your classroom [5].

Voxopop, a voice-based e-learning tool.  We use it as an excellent resource for focusing primarily on learning to speak English. For the text side of it you can try visuwords, which is an online graphical dictionary. Visuwords would help more with writing and reading. The app Wallwisher allows educators and students to collaborate on projects through a shared online board. It has proven especially useful for students who pursuing online education.

Other programs, including Photopeach, Voicethread, Storybird and Community Clips allow students to use visual media, such as video, audio, and pictures to create stories. These programs have the potential to be particularly useful to students learning English as a second language, as they are given a neutral intermediary that can break down initial language barriers.

We can’t but mention such content-specific tools as Comic Maker which is a great way to get in some entertaining reading and writing practice, FluentU which immerses learners in English through videos and real-world interactions. It is especially helpful in that it gives students quality independent practice and offers valuable exposure in a way that is fun and appealing, what means effective.

Innovative technology is vitally useful, but it will never replace the value of a powerful teacher-student relationship. Sometimes student’s success depends on the strength of the teaching he or she receives. ESP educators: must create strong game plans; need to use comprehensible gestures and body language to impart meaning to students; create visual lessons (possibly with the aid of the applications listed above); encourage cooperative learning styles that facilitate students working together and sharing unusual words, terms, idioms, and phrases [2].

It should be stressed about the importance of encouraging the students to socialize and talk to each other. At the same time there are some obstacles, such as:

• students frequently reverting to their first language;
• students being unsure of what they're supposed to be learning;
• students being too dependent on the teacher.

Teachers should also remember not to echo the students, as it cuts into their talking time and adds to their dependency on the teacher's affirmation. A better way to interact is by adding helpful sentence completion. The teacher should work on redirecting student’s sentence in a way that still makes the student finish his thought.

Definitely, such aspects as helping students negotiate meaning and understand their environment; modeling language and helping young learners to acquire the target language; making learning experiences meaningful and comprehensible for students should also be taken into account [4].

Technology can be a huge time saver for teachers and can make some of the most difficult tasks quick and easy. But there are aspects of learning English for Specific Purposes that are particularly challenging, which is why immersing the classroom with Internet access, digital whiteboards, and plenty of applications and training groups is an excellent way for progressive educators to start constructing a game plan for top notch ESP learning.

With so much focus on educators implementing technology in their classrooms we must still experiment with new teaching techniques based on media and software platforms in order to maximize productivity and ensure a constructive relationship between the teacher and the student and between students.

References:

1. Palmero L. How learning a new language helps brain development. [electronic resource, access:  https://www.whitbyschool.org/passionforlearning/learning-a-new-language-helps-brain development?utm_campaign=Passion%20for%20Learning%20Blog%20Subscription&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=56890642&_hsenc=p2ANqtz_Pbv_e3D3wvIJ4Zgna6EURccbPd2Mac2lXClusqBYNEaucCF6EvfXke0sjcHjqxxit2XfWqPQOZJKtz0KboaakvIUHQ&_hsmi=56890642]
2. Shandruk S. Foreign language teachers training in Ukraine: tendencies and challenges of education reform // Current Higher Education Environment: Views and Perspectives. – Arkalyk. – 2017, P. 128-136.
3. Van Dijk, Jan A.G.M. 2006. The Network Society. Social Aspects of New Media. Second Edition.London: Sage Publications, [online] Available at: [http://www.forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/The_Network_Society-Jan_van_Dijk.pdf]
4. Woodson K. How to Use Technology Effectively to Transform Your ESL Classroom. [electronic resource, access: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-technology-resources-for-students/]
5. Zakhareuski A. Newest Strategies For ESL Instruction. [electronic resource, access: http://busyteacher.org/9987-newest-strategies-for-esl-instruction.html]