Addressing the digital divide : using CALL material to teach grammar to learners of English First Additional Language in classrooms with limited computer and multimedia resources

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Because English is the most widely-spoken second language in South Africa, it isbecoming increasingly important for learners to be able to master the English language,including English grammatical structures; not only to do well at their internal andexternal school examinations, but also to communicate effectively in a progressivelyanglicised educational, occupational and commercial society. Educators of English FirstAdditional Language (FAL) often have to augment existing textbook material, especiallyin the field of grammar teaching and learning, as many of the more recent textbookpublications do not make sufficient provision for the communicative teaching andlearning of grammatical structures. One way in which textbook material could beaugmented would be to develop interactive multimedia learning material for the teachingof grammar. However, many South African English FAL classrooms are underresourcedin terms of computers and other technological tools needed to use suchinteractive computer assisted language learning (CALL) material. The learners beingtaught in these technologically barren classrooms may fall far behind their peers interms of exposure to interactive educational technology, i.e. they may become victims ofthe digital divide.The objective of this study was to investigate whether the digital divide could beaddressed with the development and use of computer assisted language learningmaterial that makes provision for learner interactivity and could be used in classroomswith minimal access to technological tools. To determine the attitudes of educators withregard to grammar instruction in general, as well as the use of technology in theteaching and learning of grammar and the general accessibility of technology in EnglishFAL classrooms, educators of English FAL at nine rural, Afrikaans-medium schoolssituated in low-income communities in the Western and Northern Cape were asked tocomplete a questionnaire. The results of this survey were used to ascertain what kindof multimedia learning material would be suitable for use in technologically challengedEnglish FAL classrooms. As part of this study, exemplar material has been developedto make a recommendation regarding the type of multimedia material that could be usedin technologically under-resourced classrooms.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University