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8INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 1 ISSUE 7 UIF-2022: 8.2 | ISSN: 2181-3337
USING ICT AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LANGUAGE
TRAINING OF EFL STUDENTS Zafar Abdusamadov
Scientific supervisor, senior teacher, Department of General Linguistics, UzSWLU
Dilkhumor Oltinbekova
student of UzSWLU https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7217086
Abstract. The challenges and barriers that many EFL teachers and professors encounter while attempting to integrate ICT in their teaching have triggered substantial debates and growing concerns about the real utility of ICT use in the language classroom. So, do perceived benefits of ICT use in the language classroom provide palpable evidence for the improvement and optimisation of English language teaching and learning or are they just ornaments that are beautiful rather than useful? Does the use of ICT in EFL classes bring about positive changes into the classroom and provide an optimal environment for more varied and productive learning?
Keywords: EFL teachers; ICT; technology; foreign languages.
ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ИКТ КАК СРЕДСТВА ПОВЫШЕНИЯ КАЧЕСТВА ЯЗЫКОВОЙ ПОДГОТОВКИ СТУДЕНТОВ EFL
Аннотация. Проблемы и препятствия, с которыми сталкиваются многие преподаватели и преподаватели английского языка, пытающиеся интегрировать ИКТ в свое обучение, вызвали серьезные споры и растущую озабоченность по поводу реальной полезности использования ИКТ в языковых классах. Итак, являются ли предполагаемые преимущества использования ИКТ в языковом классе ощутимыми доказательствами улучшения и оптимизации преподавания и изучения английского языка, или это просто украшения, которые красивы, а не полезны? Приводит ли использование ИКТ в классах EFL к позитивным изменениям в классе и обеспечивает ли оптимальную среду для более разнообразного и продуктивного обучения?
Ключевые слова: преподаватели английского языка; ИКТ; технологии; иностранные языки.
INTRODUCTION
Motivating students in the language classroom is not always an easy function to fulfil because it involves a multiplicity of psycho-sociological and linguistic factors. Most foreign language professionals acknowledge the importance and utility of motivation to optimise language learning and maximise targeted outcomes. So to what extent can information technology increase motivation and involve students more in their learning? Many researchers argue that information technology can influence students' motivation to learn and can increase their interest and attention and ensure more involvement and engagement in the classroom. Students are more likely to display positive attitudes when computers are used in the classroom. They are more motivated and interested to communicate with native speakers from other countries. The use of ICT may provide a learning environment where motivation is maintained and enhanced. The investigation of the impact of technology use in EFL classrooms has shown that EFL effective activities can be enhanced by means of technology.
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 1 ISSUE 7 UIF-2022: 8.2 | ISSN: 2181-3337
Students insisted that their teachers should use technology in the classroom. This has increased and maintained their motivation and engagement and involved them more in the learning process. The use of blogs, podcasts and digital videos as class content increases motivation and engagement in the language classroom. Jay investigated the use of blogs to motivate students to write; and demonstrated the importance of giving students a true audience and the utility of writing for a global audience as well. McMinn from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has chosen to explore the impact of podcasting on students' motivation in the language classroom. He has concluded that podcasting, the publishing of audio or video files via the Internet, helps teachers make maximum benefits of classroom time through the use and integration of authentic material and simulated environments in the foreign language learning curriculum. The use of podcasts provides motivating authentic learning material. Podcasts, he continues to argue, give learners more opportunities to hear speech from the particular social group that they wish to learn about and perhaps identify with.
METHOD AND METHODOLOGY
Educational policies of countries aim at improving learners' skills and competencies in various fields. These skills and competencies generally refer to 21st century skills including a set of knowledge, skills, and characteristics which are believed to be of great importance for today's students' success in the ever-changing technological environment. One of the skills that is expected to be improved is Information and Communication Technology Literacy Skill (ICT). Researchers, educators and teachers have been searching for the ways of how to improve students' ICT literacy in parallel with the recent developments in educational technology. In the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context, it is crucial that prospective EFL teachers' ICT literacy skills should be improved during pre-service teacher education since they will probably encounter lots of digital natives when they start teaching.
ICT is a combination of microelectronics, computers, and telecommunications that allows data, such as text, video, and audiovisual signals, to be sent to any location on the earth that can receive digital signals. They include, fixed, wireless, and satellite telecommunications networks as well as applications and broadcasting networks like the internet, database management systems, and multi-media tools. ICT encompasses all technologies that create, store, process, and use data in various formats to enable, facilitate, and encourage communication. Thus, ICT has had a significant impact on education as well as other areas of life. ICT use in schools generally refers to the use of computing devices such as desktop computers, laptop computers, handheld computers, software, or the internet for educational purposes.
CONCLUSION
It is, however, more specifically concerned with teachers' use of technology for instructional preparation and delivery, as well as technology as a student learning aid. This indicates how ICT has undoubtedly become a critical component of the integration where successful and efficient teaching and learning processes are ensured as it provides essential roles for both teachers and learners, in keeping with the rising digitalization in education.
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 1 ISSUE 7 UIF-2022: 8.2 | ISSN: 2181-3337
REFERENCES
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