On the Advantages and Disadvantages of Multimedia in Assisting College English Teaching.doc

On the Advantages and Disadvantages of Multimedia in Assisting College English TeachingRao LipingWannian Middle School, Shangrao City, Jiangxi ProvinceAbstract: Nowadays, applying multimedia has become a popular new trend in College English teaching. This paper is based on combining teaching examples which use multimedia in college English teaching to study the advantages and disadvantages of multimedia teaching. And the main purpose of this paper is to remind college English teachers that the technology of multimedia is like a “double-edged sword”, therefore, teachers should develop the strong points and avoid the weak points when apply multimedia in college English teaching.Keywords: multimedia, advantages and disadvantages, college English teaching1. IntroductionAlong with the development of science and technology, the gradual universality of the computer, the multimedia is playing a more and more important role in assisting English teaching. Especially in universities, compared to primary schools or secondary schools, their relatively good economy make it possible to use multimedia widely in English teaching. In addition, the Ministry of Education highlights that each university and college should make good use of multimedia and network technique, adopt new teaching mode to improve the traditional teaching mode which centers on teachers teaching. Consequently, it promotes colleges and universities to use the multimedia extensively. Undoubtedly, the advantages of multimedia are evident, however, it also has its disadvantages which should not be ignored, otherwise it can affect English teaching quality in colleges and universities. The advantages of multimedia in assisting college English can be generalized as follows: it can be beneficial to students listening, speaking, comprehending and memorizing; enhance students interests of learning English; improve teachers teaching efficiency. The disadvantages of it include being disadvantageous to communicating between teachers and students, taking notes for students; being disadvantageous to students thinking and developing students imagination; it can also add more burden to teachers.The main purpose of this paper is to remind college English teachers that the technology of multimedia is like a “double-edged sword”, therefore, teachers should develop the strong points and avoid the weak points when apply multimedia in college English teaching. By doing so, English teachers can create a vivid and efficient learning environment for students. As a result, students who study English in such an interesting and efficient atmosphere will enjoy learning English to a large extent.2. The Advantages of Multimedia in College English TeachingGenerally speaking, the advantages of multimedia in college English teaching mainly include six points. That is, when the multimedia is applied in English teaching, it can be beneficial to students listening, speaking, comprehending, and memorizing. It can also enhance students interests of learning English and improve teaching efficiency.2.1 Being Beneficial to Students ListeningIt is evident that when one begins to learn a new language, the first thing one will contact is listening, such as the sound of each element which consists of one word, the sound of a single word, even the sound of one sentence or one paragraph, etc. And it is very important in language learning because listening is the basis of communication with other people in one language. So in English teaching, teachers and students both take it into account.Now we can take a look at listening in college English teaching. We know that English audiovisual course is one of the courses in college English teaching. And the focus of it is to train the students listening. In this case, multimedia acts a very important role in training learners listening. For example, teachers can select a great many of various original listening materials which have the traits of sociality, practicability, and being interesting. Even teachers can classify these materials according to sound speed, the length of contents, phonetics articulation and so on. Then teachers can build a listening material storage in computer which has diverse listening materials fitting for students of different level to learn. And in audiovisual course, teachers can choose adaptive listening materials for them to learn from the language storage according to students average level. By doing so, students will learn English more easily. Even Students who want to practice listening to some of the teachers audio materials in their spare time can download them and continue studying. In addition, the newest version news of VOA, BBC, NPR, elegant European and American classical or rock music, extract of films, and soundtracks of celebrity speeches are helpful to students practice of listening, and they can make students reduce the influence of learners mother language to a large extent. Whats more, in sound labs, every student has his own audiovisual device. As a result, each one of them can listen more clearly than just listening to the recorder. And it is more convenient for teachers and students to communicate because a student can just press the “call” button, the teacher would know which student has questions, then the teacher can help the student, at the same time, other students would also know how to solve similar questions next time. In reverse, the teacher can easily find what problems the students have in their process of listening and it is more practicable for the teacher to direct a single student listening according to his or her problems.Overall, the multimedia arent refined by time and space, therefore it can offer the vivid original listening materials, making students feel they are in authentic English speaking countries. And the multimedia can help students to tour different countries in the world, so students can hear foreign people speak English who are from different English speaking countries, even communicate with them (Yang Lianrui & Xiao Jianfang, 2003). 2.2 Being Beneficial to Students Speaking In college English course, there are two courses which focus on training students speaking ability. They are English phonetics and English spoken language. And nowadays college English teachers often give English phonetics lessons in language laboratory. At this time, teachers can make use of multimedia to achieve their teaching goals much better. For example, after introducing the rules of pronouncing some phonetic symbols to students, teachers can play the pronunciation of corresponding phonetic symbols and let students read after the standard pronunciation. And in this process, teachers can control how many times the standard pronunciation should read, so the students can follow it. After it, students can record their own pronunciation with small microphone. By doing this, students can compare their pronunciation with the standard pronunciation in order to correct their own pronunciation and finally make their pronunciation standard. Besides, in each lesson, teachers can spare five or ten minutes to let students practice syllable exercises, tone exercises, rhythm exercises, listen and judge exercises and the conversation between person and computer. And in the conversation between person and computer, the exercises are selected from typical foreign conversations with concrete contexts, figure pictures and language materials. In this way, students can learn not only language knowledge but also foreign communicative habits and tragedies. Thus it will help English learners to avoid making mistakes in communicating with foreigners to a large extent. 2.3 Being Beneficial to Students ComprehendingAbout this, here there is a case in point. One college English course called the survey of English countries is a significant course which could help students to know more about English speaking countries, such as some European countries historical development and social systems, their peoples values and beliefs, etc. And through the learning of this course, it is advantageous to students further understanding of English speaking countries culture, which is crucial for students who are majoring in English. But in fact this course is difficult both for teachers to teach and students to learn on account of its content which are abstract and numerous. Nevertheless, since multimedia is being applied to English teaching, it is welcomed greatly by teachers and students. I remembered when I learned this course, teachers often interpret it combing with pictures showed by multimedia. For example, when my teacher introduced us that the United Kingdom consists of Scotland, England, Wales, North Ireland., he also showed the map of Britain for us to make us have more intuitional impression for these countries. Besides, he also introduced the trait of Britains physiognomy and topography combing with the map. Through it, we students could understand the knowledge point much better than just learning it by heart, and we could get more enthusiasm for studying English since English could be studied in such a direct and vivid way too. Another case in point is that when the teacher introduced us American White House, he interpreted it with the picture of American White House. Thus we students could watch its appearance directly which was originally depicted by abstract words. Then in order to make us understand the functions of American house, my teacher also showed us the picture of Britains white hall. Through explaining the comparison of American white house and British white hall by the teacher, we not only knew something about British white hall, but also understood the functions of American white house much better. From the two examples, we see that multimedia can make some abstract and difficult knowledge points become comparatively easy for students to understand by way of showing them in a direct, vivid and interesting way. This kind of new teaching method which applies modern teaching devices such as multimedia can help students comprehend some abstract knowledge better. Moreover, it can arouse students enthusiasm of learning. As a result, students will fully exert their own subjective initiative, making their learning efficiency and quality be improved greatly (Shi Jian, 2004).2.4 Being Beneficial to Memorizing for LearnersIn the last chapter, I have explained that in English learning, multimedia is advantageous to comprehending. And we know that one can remember some knowledge point quickly and store it in mind for a long time after comprehending it. Accordingly, since multimedia is beneficial to comprehending, it is natural that multimedia could make learners memorize efficiently. In addition, one psychological research showed us that one can remember about fifteen percent knowledge which is gained by listening while twenty-five percent if one accepts knowledge only by watching, but the result is sixty-five percent knowledge if one learns with the stimulation of both listening and watching which could be brought by multimedia (Huang Hui & Wang Hai, 2007). In conclusion, multimedia is also beneficial to memorizing for learners.2.5 Being Beneficial to Enhancing Students Interests of Learning EnglishOnes enthusiasm for learning is a vital factor on ones road to seek knowledge. And once students have the enthusiasm, they can study actively. Thereby, enhancing students interests of learning English is a crucial task placed before teachers.Luckily, teachers nowadays can make good use of multimedia to enhance students interests of learning English with little effort. First, multimedia has the feature of combining simultaneous use of data in different media forms such as voice, video, text, animations, etc as for education or entertainment（Chen Jianxia, 2006）. According to this statement, we know that multimedia combines various usage in itself, thus if it is used in English teaching and teachers make good use of it, the teaching effect can reach a better level compared to old-fashioned teaching methods. For instance, in English audiovisual class, after finishing the listening exercises of the textbook and some news, teachers would let students listen to American Voice, some famous figure speeches or European music. Through this, students can relax themselves. Meanwhile, they will prefer English since the additional materials offered to students are so interesting. Thus multimedia is a kind of powerful instrument which can enhance students interests of studying English owing to its combination of word, sound, picture, animation, etc.2.6 Being Beneficial to Improving Teaching EfficiencyThe contents of college English teaching materials are always numerous, however, class hours arranged for teachers are limited. Therefore, if teachers still use old-fashioned teaching methods which reply merely on one mouth, one book and one chalk in teaching process, it is very difficult for teachers to finish teaching tasks, no mention to achieve the teaching goal of cultivating students communicative ability. Consequently, some people who work in the area of education consider that college English teaching means should be improved as much as possible. Moreover, the aim of college English reform is to enlarge students visual field, increase teaching contents in one class, and improve teaching efficiency by taking advantage of all available modern teaching means which could offer students modern audiovisual devices and auxiliary teaching facilities (Sun Min, 2007).Luckily enough, we now have multimedia which is beneficial to improving teaching efficiency. You know, the application of multimedia technology could offer colorful words, voices, pictures, animation, etc that can activate students different physical organs which could make students become interested in learning English and improve teaching efficiency. The reason lies in that the stimulation of multi organs is advantageous to keeping students attention for a relatively long time and accepting knowledge. Also multimedia could create the best learning atmosphere for students, thus achieve the best teaching effects. Moreover, compared to mere language depiction, by virtue of computer, record image and voice of multimedia, it can offer students the most information in the limited time and space of one lesson which is carried on in class. Thus by the using of multimedia, teachers could improve teaching efficiency to a large extent.3. The Disadvantages of Multimedia in College English TeachingApart from advantages brought in by multimedia, when multimedia is applied to English teaching, it also has some disadvantages which couldnt be ignored, or it will affect teaching effects. And On my part, the disadvantages of multimedia in college English teaching are composed of five aspects. That is the multimedia is disadvantageous to communicating between teachers and students, taking notes for students, students thinking, and developing students imagination. Besides, it could add more burdens to teachers.3.1 Being Disadvantageous to Communicating between Teachers and StudentsAccording to todays teaching concepts, communication between teachers and students are significant in teaching process since one viewpoint of todays teaching concepts insists on placing students in center position. And it is not exaggerated to say that a class without communication between a teacher and students is a failure. But in college English teaching, the lack of communication between teachers and students is common, especially in those courses which are given in multimedia classroom. And unfortunately, in most cases, the valuable communication transforms into another kind of communication, that is the communication between students and multimedia. For instance, when college teachers give lessons to students in the course called college English, most teachers rely on multimedia too heavily. They often let students look at screen on which the whole text is typed. Then before analyzing the text, they just click the mouse to make the background information totally showed to students which should have been vividly introduced by teachers in lead-in process. After it, teachers often interpret the text alone without communication between students and themselves partly because they had to sit beside the multimedia to work on it. As a result, the whole class is just like a stage on which multimedia is the leading character which could read and explain while teachers act just as readers who ignore students inward feelings and thinking, students are like mutes who could listen but not speak. Finally, teachers finish explaining the text to students. Then teachers just ask students to do the post-exercises of this text without discussing the main idea of this passage, the authors writing method and technology, and what students feelings are after studying this text. In this sense, multimedia is disadvantageous to communicating between teachers and students.3.2 Being Disadvantageous to Taking Notes for StudentsAs we all know, a good memory is worse than taking notes. Therefore, when students want to remember some knowledge points for a long time, it is necessary for them to take notes. So in this sense, taking notes is a very good habit which would bring students many benefits when they are on the road to seek treasures of knowledge.Nevertheless, on one hand, when students who are majoring in English benefited from a number of advantages brought by multimedia, on the other hand, it also has disadvantages such as not beneficial to taking notes for students. Now we can see some examples. I remember when I had audiovisual class in college, I felt it difficult for me to take notes because my teacher always explained some new words to us which she had typed in the com