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Judul: Comunication Formats Compatible to Multimedia Language Laboratory
Bahan ini cocok untuk Perguruan Tinggi bagian PENDIDIKAN / EDUCATION.
Nama & E-mail (Penulis): Dr. Haryanto, M.Pd.
Saya Dosen di Makassar
Topik: Language Laboratory
Tanggal: 3 April 2008
COMMUNICATION FORMATS COMPATIBLE TO MULTIMEDIA LANGUAGE LABORATORY
By Haryanto
State University of Makassar
Abstract
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) with whatever modification and synonymous label attached to it recommends that the teaching of language should be conducted through communication practice so as the learners use step by step the taught language to communicate their ideas, to express their feelings, and to share information. These communicative functions might be performed through various kinds of communication formats which are possible to be practiced in multimedia language laboratory.
This paper is an attempt to identify and explain about a number of communication formats including monolog, teacher-student dialog, student-student dialog, panel discussion, debate, news reading involving one or more students, and dubbing practice. The explanation covers the definition and the plausible ways of using multimedia language laboratory equipment to facilitate the communication formats in EFL teaching. The presentation comprises two major headings: multimedia language laboratory and communication formats.
Introduction
Current English foreign language (EFL) teaching seems to be dominated by the application of communicative language teaching (CLT). With whatever modification and synonymous label, CLT still recommends that ELT practice be carried out through communication practices. This is in line with the principle of CLT which maintains that students should be given opportunities to express their ideas and opinions (Larsen-Freeman, 1986: 129). Consequently, teachers should design learning activities accommodating this principle.
Observing daily communication activities, I find out that there are many kinds of communication formats which can actually be brought into classroom activities. The formats may involve only one speaker or more with a number of audiences. I would like to describe some of the communication fromats, especially the ones compatible to the use of multimedia language laboratory. However, since the definition of multimedia language laboratory is still vague, I think it necessary to explore an explanation about it before discussing the communication formats.
Multimedia Language Laboratory
The International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary (2003: 835) defines the term ‘multimedia’ as relating to or using two or more media, especially a combination apprehended by different senses, as sight and hearing. Language laboratory is a term referring to a room equipped with electronic appliances such as teacher console, audio casstte player, and headphones. The combination of these two terms is then used to refer to a room equipped with various kinds of electronic media including teacher console, audio casstte player, video player, interactive audio and video player which is commonly covered in a high capacity and dual view-designed computer, web camera, automatic digital audio repeater, electronic bell, room speaker, televison, microphone, student booth, and headphones with microphones. A more advanced technology has provided a possibility of using internet connection to the language laboratory.
A type of multimedia language laboratory (taken from Yayasan Pendidikan ALIAH, Makassar)
With so many kinds of media, this equipment may serve many functions to accommodate communication formats including monolog, teacher-student dialog; student-student dialog; panel discussion, debate, news reading, interactive news reading, and dubbing practice. These functions are quite different from the functions of conventional language laboratory which according to Wello (1987) serves as ficilities to support listening exercises, grammar drills, and repetition.
Monolog
A monolog comprises a speaking-listening activity invoving only one speaker and a number of audiences. This kind of communication might be conducted in several ways when applied in multimedia language laboratory. First, from the teacher console machine the instructor may serve as the source of information. Here, he behaves as the speaker, whereas the students become the listeners. Second, the instructor may use audio cassette or even video cassettte as the source of information. Students are assigned to become listeners. Third, in a multimedia language laboratory equipped with internet connection, the instructor may also open a website and exposes a selected lecture to the audiences on the students booth. The major advantage students may take from the multimedia language laboratory in this context is that students can focus their attention to the lecture delivered through the headphones available on every student booth. However, whatever the way the instructor handle the EFL class with monolog communication format, the emphasis is dealing with the improvement of listening skill.
Dialog
A dialog is a comunication format involving two speakers. In a multimedia language laboratory, dialog may be conducted precisely in two ways: teacher-student dialog and student-student dialog. Using the facilities in multimedia language laboratory, the instructor may talk only with one student with or without involving all other students to monitor it by activating ALL or INDIVIDUAL botton. The headphones with microphone available on the teacher console and students booth will facilitate good quality voices in the communication activity. The teacher may also select any student with whom he wants to speak; or decide two students assigned to perform the dialog activity.
With an automatic digital audio repeater machine set on the teacher console and even on every student booth, the instructor may record the dialog smply without
Teacher Console completed with multimedia computer, instrutor TV monitor, master tape recorder, and DVD player (left) and student booths with electronic bells and audio repeaters (right),
Taken from FBS UNM
using a cassette. Then, he may play the recorded dialog repeatedly without having to rewind a cassette. A dialog activity is very useful to provide speaking-listening practices for EFL students. The emphasis is certainly on the improvement of the students’ sepaking skill.
Panel Discussion
A panel discussion commonly involves two up to four speakers or panelists with one moderator and with a number of audiences. The moderator starts from introducing the panelists and the topic of discussion, and then lets each panelist talk about the topic one by one. The objective of a panel discussion is to view a particular problem from many different perpectives. The audiences may be involved, so as the discussion will be interactive.
When brought to multimedia language laboratory, this kind of communication format can be carried out interestingly to mprove the students’ speaking-listening skill. The insructor who works in the teacher console machine may serve as the moderator, and two up to four sudents democratically appointed by the EFL class may serve as the panelists. The moderator speaks from the teacher console, and the panelists speak from the activated student booths. When an audience wants to give comments, he may press the electronic bell set in the student booth as to give a signal that he wants to speak. The moderator, then, activates the booth and gives chances to the audience to speak in a limited span of time. Having finished the speaking time, the moderator may turn off the booth’s active connection to prevent unnecessary voices.
Debate
A debate is a communication format that is also compatible to the use of multimedia language laboratory. It involves two individuals or groups of speakears with one moderator. The instructor may serve as the moderator; whereas the students can be divided into two oppossing groups: proponents and opponents. A controversial issue should be prepared, then.
A debate seems to be a very interesting technique of developing speaking skill of EFL learners. My collegue Dr. Syarifuddin Dollah, M.Pd. is an instructor that is very familiar with the use of this technique for his Speaking classes. Sitting behind the master conmtrol machine, he starts introducing a new debatable topic. He, then, divides the students into two groups and let them interchangeably speak one by one. Two or three other students may be assigned as the adjudicators just to keep them in touch with the debate activity.
News Reading
In a multimedia language laboratory, students may be assigned to develop their speaking-reading skill through a communication format commonly performed by a radio or even a TV reporter. The microphone available on every booth may be utilized as a device to report a news. The news reading itself can be carried out in two different ways: as a monolog and as an interactive news reading. A monolog reading news involve only one student as the reader; others serve as the listeners. In an interactive news reading, one student is assigned as the news reader; other students may act out as the correspondents who may pretend to report additional details from the locus of the reported insidents. The presence of a web camera will serve an interesting learning activity since the news reader can be “broadcasted” as if he were a real TV reporter.
Dubbing Practice
The other kind of communication format compatible to multimedia language laboratory is dubbing practice. It is actually a kind of a role-play techniques. A dubbing practice may start from exposing a video of a serial movie involving three or four actors. Students are firstly assigned to watch the movie carefully. Secondly, give them the video script in order that they can memorize the words or expressions performed by the actors. When you are sure that the students are ready for dubbing, play the video again without exposing the voices. Using the microphones, ask the students to dub their voice so as to match the movie actions. The instructor may record their voices using the tape recorder available in the teacher console desk.
We will find it interesting when dubbing results a native-like voices. Students will also a very enthusiatic since they learn to express their thought and feeling in proper exprecsion. Sometimes they have to laugh like crazy people; in a nother occasion they have to say in a low voice when acting out a sad role; and even sometimes they have to “cry”. Feeling involvement seems to be an effective way to acquire a foreign language. Some people say that when in a dream you speak English, then you are able to speak it; and that when you’ve been able to express your anger, happiness, or sadness in English, you have mastered.
Closing
Communication formats adapted from daily communication events may serve interesting and challanging techniques of EFL teaching. Some formats are compatible to multimedia language laboratory since the equipment is designed to serve communication practices.
In my previous paper I suggested some other techniques focusing on developing listening comprehension by using language laboratory (Haryanto, 2005) and the management of multimedia language laboratory (2006) These papers may facilitate the readings on the use of language laboratory.
References
Haryanto, 2005. Laboratorium Bahasa Multimedia dan Fungsinya dalam Pembelajaran Bahasa Asing, a paper presented to the Konferensi Linguistik Tahunan Atmajaya 3, Jakarta 16-17 February 2005.
Haryanto, 2006. Manajemen Laboratorium Bahasa Multimedia, a paper presented to Pelatihan Penggunaan Laboratorium Bahasa Multimedia sebagai Media Pembelajaran, Universitas Negeri Makassar 10-25 Juli 2006
Larsen-Freeman, 1986. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
The New International Webster”s Comprehensive Dictionary, 2003. Naples Florida: Trident Press International
Wello, M. Basri, 1987 Fungsi/Pengelolalaan Laboratorium Bahasa sebagai Media Pengajaran Bahasa, a paper presented to the seminar Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris dan Bahasa Jerman FPBS IKIP Ujung Pandang , 17 January 1987.
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