The Use of multimedia in English Teaching

The Use of multimedia in English Teaching

The definition of Multimedia

                Multimedia: the use of computers to present text, graphics, video, animation, and sound in an integrated way. Since the media can be integrated by using computer, the multimedia has close relation with CALL. Sometimes people even use CALL to stand for multimedia.

                Although the definition of multimedia is very simple, making it work is very complicated.

Components of Multimedia

                Multimedia is composed of various components: text, graphics, animation, sound, and video. These components can contribute deferentially to the learning of material.

         Text : It is fundamental element in all multimedia application, so teacher can use different font size, color, and style to present information for emphasize a certain word or phrase.

Graphics : Graphics plays a very important role in language teaching process because it can stimulate interesting and motivation, improve understanding ability of language that refers to images and pictures, such as chart, diagram, and photograph, which contain no movement.

          Animation : Animation is the rapid display of sequence of image of 2D or 3D artwork. Assisted by the use of animation, teacher can highlight key knowledge points and heighten students' motivation.

Sound : It can use more vivid and fruitful sound to help students’ English learning .

          Video : It is the visible part of a television transmission and broadcasts visual image of stationary or moving objects. Compared with animation, video can offer more vivid information. But it will consume more storage space than animation.

The Setting of Multimedia Classroom

                To ensure that readers can obtain a better understanding of multimedia English teaching, an illustration of a typical one-multimedia-PC classroom setting is vital and necessary

1.       MPC – multimedia personal computer;

2.       VCD/DVD player – video compound disk/digital video disk;

3.       Amplifier and Hi-Fi acoustic system;

4.       Overhead/slide projector;

5.       Screen/curtain;

6.       Projecting apparatus;

7.       The Internet access;

8.       Cassette tape recorder;

9.       Camera recorder.

The Necessity of Multimedia in English Teaching

The Necessity of Development of Modern Educational Technology

                The development of modern educational technology not only promotes the development of educational methods and means, but also promotes the development of educational thinking and model.

The Needs of Quality Education

                Multimedia English teaching provides a good educational platform and adds vigor for quality education, enabling students to change and update their thinking from the traditional teaching, thereby enhancing the quality of all aspects.

The multimedia Teaching

                Many studies have shown that many students are tied of traditional English classes, and are interested in new style learning.

Advantages

                Arousing the students, interest.

                Improving students’ self-learning ability.

                Improving students’ innovative ability.

                Cultivating students’ communication skills.

                Increasing classroom capacity.

Problems

                Confusion.

It is the problem that teachers have directly brought at a CD-ROM couseware for student's lesson and just completely ignore the "teaching - centered" teaching thinking, completely change into a multimedia - centered thinking.

                Performance on behalf of the lead

          The teaching process is that teachers arouse students' enthusiasm and guide students to active learning. Multimedia just only provides a supporting role in the process.

                Lack of Special Skills

         The unskilled operation on computer would affect the instruction flow, which in turn would de-motive students if it happened frequently in class.

                Over-use of multimedia

         Multimedia have many benefits that can help to teach students but teachers over use multimedia. The teachers act as sole information giver to the students.

                Lack of interaction between teachers and students.

Strategies for Using Multimedia

Combining Modern Teaching Methods With Traditional Teaching Methods

     Teachers should combine their strong points with modern teaching methods, which not only raise classroom teaching quality and efficiency, but also improve teaching and learning environment between teachers and students.

Viewing Multimedia as the Assistance to Teaching

     Application of multimedia technology aims to improve teaching, but teaching is not intended for multimedia. There is no doubt that teaching needs multimedia, but using multimedia, but using multimedia does not mean enhancing teaching efficiency.Multimedia can only be used as a supplement to classroom English teaching.

Building the Ideal Relationship Between Teachers and Students.

Strengthening Teachers Training.

   Multimedia assisted English teaching requires teachers with multimedia computer operating experience. 

The Principles of Multimedia-Assisted Teaching.

   1.Scientific principle. Namely, courseware design cannot appear any errors.

  2.Subsidiary principle. It is only a supplementary means, and does not substitute for the role of people.

  3.Interactivity principle. More interactivity between teachers and students, students and multimedia, more effective results we will have.

   4.Combination principle. Combine the advantages of modern teaching and the traditional teaching organically.