This article actually, to some extent, is an attempt to record steps taken in the direction of using CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) materials at a broader societal ground. To be very clear, it is partially a report on and a part of project funded by the British Council. The announcement of the project was made in June 2006 on ELTeCS website which is an online Association of English Language Teachers in India. The project is mainly handled by H.M.Patel Institute of English Training and Research in association with the Institute of English, Kolkata. The project is entitled as ‘Initiating CALL activities in Gujarat and West Bengal’.
Background and rationale of the Project:
It is an observable fact that technology has brought in many changes in the field of Education at large and ELT in particular. Although teaching English through technology in India seems to be very ambitious, since majority of the schools belong to rural India, recent initiative taken by the government and private institutions in this direction cannot be overlooked completely. For example, the government of Gujarat has made a commitment to provide computers in each school and it has begun also. However, merely the presence of hardware equipment will not make the surety of its use and benefits with the intention of which the government has made this provision.
CALL is an example of technology which is in prominent use, though limited to urban parts of the country. The large mass of teachers in rural schools can also be equipped with the skills through training.
H.M.Patel Institute of English Training and Research is one of the pioneers in creating and trying out CALL materials. It is high time to take a step further and reach out to the teachers and students at large. Thus, rationale for the project is to prepare sustainable and renewable CALL materials that the teachers could either access at home or could be given access to when they come for training at the institute. The existing instruction materials could be used for the purpose. The idea is not to make the teachers work on the material initially, but to show them the possibilities of CALL. Later on the teachers can be asked for their suggestions as to how they could adapt them to their own particular contexts. The project would also incorporate mechanisms of feedback and contact so that the work done by the teachers could be traced, monitored and possibly published.
Objectives to be achieved by the end of the project:
· To make the teachers of English aware of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) materials
· To train them to use it for effective instruction.
· To create a platform for discussing and sharing best practices in using CALL materials.
· To create a network of teachers and other professionals who could tryout, review and modify the CALL materials.
As mentioned earlier into the article the project involves mainly two states in India, selected group of teachers from Gujarat and West Bengal would be directly benefited by this programme. The project includes CALL materials focusing mainly on ‘the teaching of grammar, reading comprehension and the teaching of poetry’. At the outset, the selected group of teachers will be trained for using those materials. Later on the material will be revised meeting their basic needs, of course with their comments and feedback. This will not only train them in using CALL materials but also instill confidence among them as they will be skilled in using technology for teaching English. What the teachers need is the guidelines and training in making use of this facility for their classroom instructions. In addition to that, the outcome of the project will not be limited to the teachers of Gujarat or West Bengal as it will be published online. Thus the entire mass of teachers in India is likely to benefit if they make use of the available materials.
The Porject is planned to follow the steps given below:
§ Selecting adequate CALL materials
§ Training the group of teachers to use CALL materials
§ Preparing feedback schedule
§ Monitoring and analyzing feedback
§ Conducting workshop: to study and revise the CALL materials
§ Revising the materials to meet the actual needs of the teachers in their context
§ Preparing the final copy of these material and publish it
The project, at present, is at its middle stage. That is, adequate CALL materials have been identified, even the teachers have gone through the training for using CALL materials for teaching purposes and the questionnaire is also distributed among the teachers for their feedback.
Conclusion:
The aim is to bring out awareness and develop skills among the teachers regarding the use of CALL for teaching English. The project is likely to improve the ELT practice in a novel way because at present the use of CALL material is done only in the urban parts of the country. With this project, efforts will be made to extend the use of CALL material to the rural parts of India, specifically in Gujarat and West Bengal. Now we need to provide specific training for language teachers. It’s high time to equip the language teachers with the skills that they haven’t developed so far.
The Project is expected to get end by May 2007. But once the project ends the actual task to utilize the outcome of the project will begin. H.M.Patel Institute of English Training and Research takes the responsibility for the continuous production and tryout of CALL materials.
Background and rationale of the Project:
It is an observable fact that technology has brought in many changes in the field of Education at large and ELT in particular. Although teaching English through technology in India seems to be very ambitious, since majority of the schools belong to rural India, recent initiative taken by the government and private institutions in this direction cannot be overlooked completely. For example, the government of Gujarat has made a commitment to provide computers in each school and it has begun also. However, merely the presence of hardware equipment will not make the surety of its use and benefits with the intention of which the government has made this provision.
CALL is an example of technology which is in prominent use, though limited to urban parts of the country. The large mass of teachers in rural schools can also be equipped with the skills through training.
H.M.Patel Institute of English Training and Research is one of the pioneers in creating and trying out CALL materials. It is high time to take a step further and reach out to the teachers and students at large. Thus, rationale for the project is to prepare sustainable and renewable CALL materials that the teachers could either access at home or could be given access to when they come for training at the institute. The existing instruction materials could be used for the purpose. The idea is not to make the teachers work on the material initially, but to show them the possibilities of CALL. Later on the teachers can be asked for their suggestions as to how they could adapt them to their own particular contexts. The project would also incorporate mechanisms of feedback and contact so that the work done by the teachers could be traced, monitored and possibly published.
Objectives to be achieved by the end of the project:
· To make the teachers of English aware of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) materials
· To train them to use it for effective instruction.
· To create a platform for discussing and sharing best practices in using CALL materials.
· To create a network of teachers and other professionals who could tryout, review and modify the CALL materials.
As mentioned earlier into the article the project involves mainly two states in India, selected group of teachers from Gujarat and West Bengal would be directly benefited by this programme. The project includes CALL materials focusing mainly on ‘the teaching of grammar, reading comprehension and the teaching of poetry’. At the outset, the selected group of teachers will be trained for using those materials. Later on the material will be revised meeting their basic needs, of course with their comments and feedback. This will not only train them in using CALL materials but also instill confidence among them as they will be skilled in using technology for teaching English. What the teachers need is the guidelines and training in making use of this facility for their classroom instructions. In addition to that, the outcome of the project will not be limited to the teachers of Gujarat or West Bengal as it will be published online. Thus the entire mass of teachers in India is likely to benefit if they make use of the available materials.
The Porject is planned to follow the steps given below:
§ Selecting adequate CALL materials
§ Training the group of teachers to use CALL materials
§ Preparing feedback schedule
§ Monitoring and analyzing feedback
§ Conducting workshop: to study and revise the CALL materials
§ Revising the materials to meet the actual needs of the teachers in their context
§ Preparing the final copy of these material and publish it
The project, at present, is at its middle stage. That is, adequate CALL materials have been identified, even the teachers have gone through the training for using CALL materials for teaching purposes and the questionnaire is also distributed among the teachers for their feedback.
Conclusion:
The aim is to bring out awareness and develop skills among the teachers regarding the use of CALL for teaching English. The project is likely to improve the ELT practice in a novel way because at present the use of CALL material is done only in the urban parts of the country. With this project, efforts will be made to extend the use of CALL material to the rural parts of India, specifically in Gujarat and West Bengal. Now we need to provide specific training for language teachers. It’s high time to equip the language teachers with the skills that they haven’t developed so far.
The Project is expected to get end by May 2007. But once the project ends the actual task to utilize the outcome of the project will begin. H.M.Patel Institute of English Training and Research takes the responsibility for the continuous production and tryout of CALL materials.
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