Language is very important in our life, because it is always used in our daily activity to communicate with the others. We can’t communicate each other without language, because it is one of the communication tools used by people in general. We can use language to convey our messages or to express our ideas through oral, written, or signal languages.
In order to improve the students’ critical thinking by integrated skills we practiced using video materials in ESP classes. Largely, work with the video resources focuses on listening skills development, and it has some obvious advantages over using the audio-versions. Visual elements make it easier to comprehend and decode the message of the oral speech. Moreover, the authentic resources and opportunities to see a language in the realistic settings can give a chance to our students to be close to areal life situation. What is more, pronunciation, grammatical sub-skills; vocabulary can be promoted as well. The video classes’ procedure can be various and flexible the digital format of video clips make them convenient for home assignment. Viewing tasks can focus on comprehending the gist and main points as well as comprehending the specific information and sub-points. Types of input discourse are diverse: monologue (presentation, explanation, description, instruction, narration, lecture, etc.), dialogue (interview, conversation, discussion, etc.), polylogue (interview, conversation, discussion, etc.). Silent watching is useful for some activities. The most common types of the comprehension tasks are the following: answering questions, note taking, sentence completion, ordering, and multiple-choice questions.
While planning to use the short video sequences exposing the special topics and lexis in the classroom, it is essential to think over a relevant structure of the class. It is supposed to comprise at least three stages:
– pre-viewing
– while-viewing
– post-viewing.
Various activities can be offered on the while-viewing stage: getting the gist, detailed comprehension, partial comprehension, etc. Students can fill in the omitted words or information into the pattern text, answer the questions, and take notes. As for pre-viewing and post-viewing stages, some sets of assignments should be worked out to develop productive and receptive skills. Before watching it is reasonable to introduce some terms, notions, words with the specific meaning, it would be considered as input. After watching and analyzing the listening/watching comprehension tasks students can read some additional texts on the issues under discussion, exchange opinions in groups and present reports based on the watched sequence, write an essay, article or report. On the output stage, it is advisable to control grammatical, lexical, and phonological accuracy. Some follow up activities can be offered as well: reading additional texts on the issues under discussion, writing essays, articles or reports. While viewing presentations, descriptions of the processes, tutorials, students can work on their owner in small groups. One of the possible activities is taking notes and making reports. Students can act as lecturers. They can be offered to watch different videos, further they are to present their colleagues what they have watched and learnt. As an additional task, students can draw a scheme or illustration of the process, or describe it in the written form. In this case, it is advisable to work with online dictionaries, encyclopedias. One of the options is the following: watch the clip in the mute regime and give the necessary explanation, but it is not very easy, and only some of the students are able to do it.
Students can watch some advertisements and presentations on the specific product or service. After that they will be asked to find more information on the Internet (it is better to limit their choice and provide a list of the web sources), read, prepare a report, and exchange opinions or have a discussion. While listening to a fragment of a lecture, it is reasonable to train learners to take notes. Interviews can be used as a source of information leading to a further discussion or a written assignment. Furthermore, if you ask students to think of some questions they would like to ask a representative of the company or a well-known scientist or businessperson, it will arise their interest or curiosity at least. While viewing, click on the pause and ask students to predict an answer, then they can check if their assumptions were correct. All the above-mention deactivates demand good functional language competence. Unless our students are from the Computer Science, Information Technology or Telecommunication Departments, we should introduce the so-called ‘Internet jargon’ and ‘computer-related jargon’. Students should know how to say web addresses correctly, they should be aware of the special vocabulary necessary for working on the computer and searching the global net. If we have time, we can offer additional practice and some activities in the class. [4] To eliminate the use of the native language while working in groups, it is sensible to work out a list of the useful phrases, kind of ‘the e-classroom language’. Starting with the simple words such as ‘to scroll up and down’, ‘to download and upload’, and ‘a flash stick’, you can proceed to more complicated terminology and promote students’ IT English language competence that has justified to exist equally with the Business English language competence. Online computer dictionaries and reference sources can assist to a great extent. Many students use various Internet video resources and demonstrate them when they present home reading reports, reports on their individual or group projects, use as additional material while fulfilling home assignment, and show in the classroom. In most cases students watch, and a teacher comment on. It would be wise to ask students in a good time to prepare questions that they will ask their peers before and after viewing. Summing up it is necessary to reiterate that the web video resources connected with the students’ professional field can be used in the classroom to promote the various language skills, in this case the classes should have a special format and classroom management.
Modern information and communication technology (ICT) has been penetrating into the education system and invading the foreign language teaching community. It is obvious that implementing ICT into the classroom demands significant changes in the teaching and learning strategies. Focusing on the video resources use in the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classes, we review the relevant approaches to classroom organization and management, students’ integrated skills development, and shares experience of digital-video-based language training. Being a constituent part of our lives nowadays, the video materials provides information and gives access to knowledge. Moreover, it allows communicating and transferring information and knowledge. Over the past decade, the web technologies have been becoming increasingly important for all participants of the educational process. Teachers use the video materials as a tool of information and technical support, means of foreign language teaching, and source of professional development. In their turn, students use the video materials as a tool of information and technical support, new means of communication in a foreign language, admit and accept the video materials as a source of self-study and self-development.
Using the video resources, language teachers can make their classes more challenging and successful. Besides, the educators and scientists have proved that visual receiving of information is more effective than verbal receiving, in their turn, receiving and participating and doing can lead to real acquisition of profound knowledge. [1] Thus, video resources cannot be considered as only supplementary means, they are able to provide a platform for linguistic and professional competences promotion. The Internet opens new horizons as students and teachers can create their own video resources and allocate them on the global net, share them with the others, organize video-conferencing and video chatting. It demands special equipment and skills. Some of the students admit they can do such a kind of things, but not all teachers are ready, as it seems very complicated and frightening. That can provide a real communication in the foreign language on the topics related to academic studying and work in their professional sphere. There is no chance to step back. The new software programs, tools, and applications, state-of-the art gadgets are education-friendly. Teachers and students have an opportunity to use the various Internet services to publish and host media, including YouTube, Blip.tv many blogging platforms. [2] Collaborative approach and mutual support can lead to the successful use of the new-fangled means of language teaching and learning.
While planning lessons, the teacher faces some challenges. First, he or she should become an Internet surfer and search for the desirable material. Secondly, it is necessary to think over how to implement and integrate this material into the classroom. Next, it is important to realize fully what students are expected to produce on the output stage, why it is essential for the course, and what the offered activities can result in.
The video materials demand innovative approaches and teaching techniques that can attract students’ attention. While watching the video-sequences, learners develop their listening skills, train their ear. It has some obvious advantages over using the audio-versions. The visual elements can assist to understand the message better, especially if there is some unknown lexis, new information, or presenters speak very fast. The various activities, based on or connected with the video, can be elaborated and implemented aiming at other skills and sub-skills mastering: speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, — as well as grammatical and lexical accuracy. The educational video can help to promote some strategies, such as predicting, guessing through the context. In addition, some psychological processes are involved, such as auditory perception, recognition, and concentration. The video materials focusing on the special topics, related to the students’ major, develop their professional competence. Working with the topics and information they need in the future career, students get the drive, motivation, interest to study. The specific peculiarities of the video class procedure require autonomous and independent functioning. The latter can help to promote the necessary skills for life long education and professional competence and skills’ development and promotion.
References:
1. Dudenev G., Hockly N. How to teach English with Technology. Harlow, United Kingdom: Piersen Longman, 2007.
2. Multimodal Learning Through Media: What the Research Says. Metiri Group @ Cisco Systems, 2008.
3. Raitskaya L. K. Internet Resources in Teaching English in High School. Moscow, Russian Federation: MGIMO University, 2007. (In Rusian)
4. Handbook of Emerging Technologies for earning. Learning Technologies Center. 2009.
