Katarzyna Muszyńska
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Scientific Supervisor: PhD Katarzyna Piątkowska
MASS MEDIA IN TEACHING ENGLISH
The most common method to teach foreign languages is the use of course books. However, the 21st century serves another possibilities to use during learning, such as mass media tools. The use of Internet, newspapers, the radio, or TV might be an alternative to typical English teaching methods.
Keywords: English language teaching, mass media, the Internet, newspapers, radio, TV
- Introduction
Media are omnipresent. We live in times where mass media tools accompany almost everyone in their daily activities, e.g. one can get ready to leave home with the rhythm of the music on the radio, while anotherperson cannot imagine breakfast without reading a newspaper. This illustrates media’s enormous impact on people. However, not only does the use of media have to be limited to morning habits, but it can also be a good teaching tool (Tafani, 2009). It seems to be more enjoyable when knowledge is gained through mass media tools: entertainment, language authenticity, and encouragement to learn more are provided (Tafani, 2009). Consequently, boredom, which sometimes accompanies working with a course book during lessons, might be avoided. Also, as the media “inform, amuse, startle, entertain, thrill, but very seldom leave anyone untouched” (as cited in Tafani, 2009), the lesson is possible to be based on mass media tools. Of course, everything depends on the teacher’s attitude and preparation. What is more convincing, is the fact that all components may be taught with the use of mass media tools. Moreover, they may satisfy all types of learners, which is not always possible during teaching with a course book. This paper compares the usage of mass media, such as newspapers, the radio, TV, and the Internet, to a course book in terms of teaching English, especially grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, and writing. The aim is to illustrate the differences between these teaching tools.
- Teaching Englishthrough mass media
The first analysed teaching issue is grammar and Past Perfect. This tense might be problematic especially for Polish students because there is only one type of past in the Polish language. The lesson may be conducted with the use of a newspaper article and a short movie from a reliable source. Firstly, a fragment of a newspaper article taken from BBC news The Woman Who Gave Her Life to Safe Gorillas (Hogenboom, 2015) contains past forms, including Past Perfect. A teaching procedure in this case is inductive, the best for visual type of learners, and demands reading and identifying tenses in a text. Despite this, a newspaper still seems to be interesting and entertaining. Firstly, students are in a contact with authentic language and a story based on facts. Secondly, learners are used to course books and might be tired and bored with using it, so another form of teaching material may draw their attention and make the lesson pleasant. The only disadvantage might be the fact that a teacher is obliged to prepare materials for practice on their own. Anyway, another skills may be developed during this activity: reading and speaking. Not only can students pay attention to grammar forms, but they can also focus on vocabulary and do reading tasks. Exercises such as true or false, filling in the gaps, or answering the questions based on the article might be prepared by the teacher. After reading students can start discussion on questions connected with the newspaper article. When it comes to writing skills, learners may be given a review of the article, an essay connected with the topic, or a similar story to write. Of course, it is crucial to prepare a task appropriate to students’ level. The possibility to use one source to practise different skills facilitates preparing the lesson and is a time-saving solution. Coming back to grammar, the second form of introducing Past Perfect tense to intermediate learners is the use of short movies from reliable teaching English online sources such as engvid.com (www.engvid.com, n.d.). It is a website created by native English speakers and covers, inter alia, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, TOEFL, and IELTS issues. It is free of charge and one is able to use their materials without signing up. Past Perfect structure and use is explained by a native speaker with the use of a whiteboard (Past Simple and Past Perfect- Tenses in English, n.d.). After the short eight-minute movie students can take a quiz to check their understanding. The advantages of its use are obvious: there is a new teacher on the Internet, the movie is appropriate for visual and auditory learners, the quiz may fulfilkineasthetic learners’ expectations, and the lessons on these websites are often conducted in a humorous way. Moreover, students have the opportunity to listen to native speakers. However, it is crucial to choose a reliable source of teaching on the Internet, since there is a great number of those whichdo not serve educational purposes at all. Also, the teacher should consider whether the materials will be a kind of challenge to their level of knowledge and belong to students’ interest (Tafani, 2009).
Vocabulary is a crucial factor in learning foreign language since words are basic units needed to communicate. There are several ways one can acquire and practice vocabulary, e.g., through checking words in a dictionary, speaking, or writing. However, the way of introducing vocabulary is different in a course book and on the Internet websites created for teaching English. Usually, in a course book the students’ task is to match the words with the objects from the photo. Then, they have to check the answers with the tape. The inductive method applied here is perfect for visual learners but not really suitable for auditory or kineasthetic learners, since they listen to the tape only once and have no opportunity to practice. How does it work with the use of websites? The analysed vocabulary is connected with objects in bedroom. Again, the website engvid.com serves a short lesson with a native speaker talking about the objects and drawing them on a whiteboard. The lesson is addressed to beginners, so they will not have problems to grasp the meaning (English Vocabulary- In the Bedroom, n.d.). Again, students have the chance to do a quiz after watching a video. After introducing vocabulary this way, students may play games on different websites, such as British Council web games (Learn English Kids, n.d.) or ESL Games Plus (ESL Board Game, n.d.). The first one serves a matching words with pictures activity, while the second one has different types of board or memory games with questions concerning the vocabulary items. It is based on matching and listening to the words, and ticking the words they have just heard. Not only is it a good opportunity to practice, but it also entertains students. They acquire the language through fun and may forget that they actually learn. The use of technology items, such as a laptop, an interactive whiteboard, and the Internet in itself might be encouraging and entertaining for students since it is different from a classical course book. Moreover, such games are perfect for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners, because the games activate all senses: sight, hearing, and touch.
Listening is an important skill to develop during learning in order to understand others in real conversations. Course books usually offer tasks such as filling in the gaps, true or false, or answering questions after listening, while the vocabulary is connected with the topic of the lesson. When it comes to the use of mass media, the radio and TV are perfect tools to develop listening skills. Listening to the real podcasts or watching news is a great opportunity to get to know what is happening in the world. They can also learn culture from native speakers. It can be any podcast or TV news which students are able to understand and will be in their interest. For upper intermediate learners’ the BBC radio 1 podcast might work (BBC Radio 1, n.d.). The website contains podcasts about current affairs as well as British culture. Moreover, the language used there is not artificial, as in course books, but the one spoken every day. Another important advantage is the fact that watching increases students’ visual and critical awareness (Tafani, 2009, p. 83). Furthermore, choosing a movie, teachers can draw students’ attention to the language, while watching with subtitles makes the understanding of the language easier (Tafani, 2009, p. 88). After listening to the radio or watching news students may start a discussion based on issues they have just heard to develop speaking skills. Such activity enables them to give their opinions on current affairs, agree or disagree with peers, and look for arguments supporting their views. Speaking, which is an inseparable part of listening skill, can be also conducted through an online chat. It offers a contact with different culture and it is a real communication with a real purpose (Dudeney & Hockly, 2008). Also, it is a good writing practice: students can send messages on chat or even e-mails to their peers.
- Conclusion
Mass media tools such as newspapers, the radio, and the Internet may serve educational purposes. In cases mentioned above they turn out to be even better than traditional course books. Firstly, they perfectly fulfil different types of learners’ needs. Secondly, they encourage students to learn and are a form of entertainment. Those tools make learning more appealing because students may find something of their interest in teaching materials. Also, by watching English news or TV series, and reading newspapers, students can learn English culture. However, the most important advantage of teaching foreign language through mass media is the contact with an authentic language. The ability to listen to native speakers may facilitate own performance and understanding. However, there are also disadvantages of its use. Firstly, there is no curriculum. Consequently, the whole class preparation is in teachers’ hands. Secondly, mass media tools do not always explain rules of the language usage, course books do. For those who prefer deductive way of learning, studying only with mass media might turn out to be problematic. Also, it is not always possible to find a reliable source appropriate to learners’ level. Nevertheless, it is worth introducing at least some of mass media elements to lessons to facilitate both teaching and learning.
List of references:
BBC Radio 1. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1
Dudeney, G., & Hockly, N. (2008). How To Teach English With Technology. Pearson.pp.79-78
English Vocabulary- In the Bedroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.engvid.com/english-vocabulary-bedroom/
ESL Board Game. (n.d.). Retrieved from ESL Games Plus: http://www.eslgamesplus.com/bedroom-vocabulary-interactive-esl-board-game/
Hogenboom, M. (2015, December 26). The Woman Who Gave Her Life to Safe Gorillas . Retrieved from BBC.com: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20151226-the-woman-who-gave-her-life-to-save-the-gorillas
Learn English Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved from British Council: https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/word-games/label-the-picture/bedroom
Past Simple and Past Perfect- Tenses in English. (n.d.). Retrieved from engvid.com: http://www.engvid.com/past-simple-past-perfect/
Tafani, V. (2009). Teaching English Through Mass Media. Acta Didactica Napocensia, pp. 81-87.
www.engvid.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.engvid.com/