English Language Teaching (ELT) and Integration of Media Technology

Dr Jameel Ahmad
This journal article reports significant research supporting the view that in order to
improve learners motivation, integrated language skills and self-learning environment, the
teachers of English should undertake the steps to integrate media technology in ELT
classroom so that it can give positive impact on students learning process. It succeeded to
prove that media technology improved learners writing skills through the use of internet and
explored EFL learners responses towards media technology in general.
This journal article is a primary source of research exploring three statistical surveys
that were undertaken at JCC, King Abdul Aziz University and KSA explored by Dr. Jameel
Ahmad, Associate Professor of English. The study was supported by a well elaborated
literature on how technology has become a significant influence in the teaching of learning
English all over the world.
In the literature review section, the researcher cited 8 different studies in the area of
using media technology and the Internet to enhance the learning of English. He wraps up the
studies that revealed significant changes that the Internet changes the interaction between
learners and teachers in which there is less teacher and more students talk in computer classes
(Kern, 1995). In another study, Dr Jameel revealed that it is important for English educators
to model effective practices of teaching through technology, especially in the two dominant
senses which are vision and hearing and through his research, Dr Jameel proved that media
technology can provide to the students and present greater opportunities for learning
linguistic inputs (Linforts, 1987). Next, in the literature, it is also mentioned about how
multimedia has becomes a more powerful tool for language learning, whereby it provides
learners with a more authentic learning environment for example listening and seeing at the
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same time. He also cited a research by Chandrasegaran and Kong, 2006 that focused on how
the Internet can harness learners argumentation skills. However, Dr Jameel failed to provide
evidence from any research that supported the idea on how the media and technology can
help to improve the learners academic writing. He only cited a study by Plester et.all 2009 on
how technologies (messaging) improve spelling abilities.
This study comprises both survey and experiment methods. To find out the impact of
media technology in ELT classes in general and in improving listening and writing skills in
particular on EFL learners at JCC, King Abdul Aziz University, KSA, three types of statistical
survey were conducted. The first survey was undertaken to explore the general response of
the 100 students at the graduate level on the integration of media technology. The students
were asked to check highly agree, agree, I cant say and disagree against six statements on
media technology. The second survey is based on the impact of media technology in
improving pronunciation of individual words. This test was based on a pre and post-test that
required the students to pronounce 100 English words. Their pronunciations were recorded.
After that the students were given 10 days to practice the words using the help of Internet. In
the post-test, the students were asked to pronounce the words without the help from the media
technology. The third test was based on writing skill which incorporated pre-test, post-test
and the final test. The pre-test for writing skill was given at random to 100 students at the
same college and were asked informal letter to their parents informing them about their
progress in studies. After 5 days the post test was conducted in which the students were
motivated to browse the Internet in order to find many samples of informal letters. The final
test was conducted after the teacher explained how to write formal letter to parents. The result
was found excellent. The teachers role is crucial when the teacher explained. The
methodology of this research are very good and the design really addressed the hypothesis

and objectives of the study, in which to explore learners response on media technology and
improve learners writing and pronunciation skills.
The research used research journals and academic books to as proved to support his
research. The evidence given in the study in order to support the objectives of study were
statistical in nature. The result of the first survey on integration of media technology in ELT
gave positive feedback in which 90% of the students highly agree with the integration of
media technology in class. The second pre-test and post-test were conducted to demonstrate
the performance level of 100 students in pronunciation test. The post-test scores of the
students were very high as a result after the use of internet in guiding the students on the
pronunciations of the words. The scores of the students in the post-test were high, beginning
from 70% of marks onwards whereas the scores of the students in pre-test began from 10% of
marks onwards. The third test was a pre, post and final test on the impact of media
technology in writing. Only 10% of the students in the pre-test ( conducted before the use of
media technology) have shown best performance but in the post-test (conducted after the use
of media technology) 40 of the students have shown best performance. And in the final test,
after the help of the teacher, the performance is significant in which 40% of the students
scored best performance after the teachers help. In the final test, bad performance completely
disappeared and the performance in all the categories has significantly improved.
Dr Jameel data adequately supported his conclusion that the result of the three
statistical surveys carried in this study supported his claim that the integration of media
technology plays big impact in English language teaching. His study supported the objectives
that almost all the students and the teachers strongly supported the use of technological
devices for teaching English. This study proves that the use of Internet and media technology
increased learners enthusiastic participation and hence turn the whole learning process to be
learners centered and exciting. Although the role of technology and the Internet is the
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primary concerned of this study, Dr. Jameel did not put aside the importance role of the
teacher in improving the learners performance in the language classroom. He acknowledge
the teachers roles when he states that the teachers role in learning process is still central. He
continued by supporting the role of the teacher who gives proper guidelines as how to make
the best use of media technology for acquiring language skills. Although this article offer
well-supported arguments, it also has weaknesses for example in the literature section, there
is no supporting studies on how technology has improve writing skills. Since one of the pre
and post- test is meant to assess the role of media technology in improving writing skill, some
literature need to be presented so as to support and give some evidence in the writing area.
The work of this researcher contributed a positive impact on the teaching and learning
of English language. The advantages of using new technologies in the language classroom
can only be interpreted in light of the changing goals of language education and the changing
conditions in post-industrial society. Language educators now seek not only (or even
principally) to teach students the rules of grammar, but rather to help them gain
apprenticeship into new discourse communities. This is accomplished through creating
opportunities for authentic and meaningful interaction both within and outside the classroom,
and providing students the tools for their own social, cultural, and linguistic exploration. The
computer is a powerful tool for this process as it allows students access to online
environments of international communication. By using new technologies in the language
classroom, we can better prepare students for the kinds of international cross-cultural
interactions which are increasingly required for success in academic, vocational, or personal
life.