The Importance Of Modern Technology In Teaching English As A Communicative Language In Saudi Arabia

Background

Question:

Write a research essay on “English Language and Linguistics”.
 

Today English is a universal language and at the same time, English is a commercial language as well, therefore, this language is required everywhere, especially to have a job. In Saudi Arabia, although the English language is treated as a second language and the way the language is taught to the pupils is completely teacher-centric, where the teacher is the active player and the students are the passive listener (Almalki, 2014). The teachers, who are there in the schools of Saudi Arabia, are not well trained and not competent enough to provide good lectures and notes to the people. Moreover, in case of teaching Grammar-Translation, the teachers in the schools of Saudi Arabia, especially, teachers in the public schools of Saudi Arabia, use the Arabic language to save time and to finish the curriculum within a particular time. The things that are there in the curriculum are not at all related in any way to the deductive topics and thus the ability to think critically and the skill of thinking critically is not developed among the individuals.

According to many critics and scholars in Saudi Arabia, English is not being treated as a language of communication, and the scholars believe that there should be a change in this way of thinking and the teachers should develop contemporary method of teaching the English today, as a means of communication. The teachers in Saudi Arabia, should use the modern technology for teach the students and therefore, teachers should be well trained and should have all the knowledge about modern day communication that will help in teaching the language to the students. Apart from this particular thing, the teachers should try to bring in a change in the curriculum and should try to redesign the textbooks at the same time, to make sure that the way English language is taught to the people in Saudi Arabia, is effective for them in their employment sector.

The research here deals with the problem that the students in Saudi Arabia are facing because English there is not taught as a communicative language, and whether the use technology and multimedia is effective to teach student English in a perfect communicative way.     

The research aim at designing model lesson plan that would aim at using modern technologies, for teaching effective communicative English language to the students of Saudi Arabia, and at the same time it would help in developing those skills among the students that will help them to critically think about the certain problem. The modern technology that could be use for the purpose of teaching communicative English language to the people include, using movies and songs for the purpose of teaching and at the same time the graphical novels could be used as well. The modern technologies would help the teachers in building their own lesson plan, which would help the students to learn language effectively without any problem (Mahboob & Elyas, 2014).

Research Questions

The research here proposed to come up with significant results that would help the teachers to introduce the English language in a proper way to the students, with the help of the modern technology. The research would be significant because it would guide the teachers to come up with such lesson plans that are not teacher centric, rather with such plans, that are, student centric. The research outcome will be significant for the students, because it will help them to acquire the language both for the academics and at the same time for the purpose conversation as well.

The following research here, tries to answer the following questions:

RQ1: How the modern technology would help in providing effective Communicative Language Teaching or CLT?

RQ2: Does the modern language helps in developing the reading and writing skills in foreign language?

RQ3: Does the modern technology helps in eliminating the drawbacks, which were there in the traditional teaching methods?

RQ4: What are the problems that are associated with the implementation of the modern technology in the classrooms of Saudi Arabia?

RQ5: Is the method of using modern technology for CLT appealing to all the students and the teachers of Saudi Arabia?

RQ 6: What are the impact of the parental values and the beliefs on the learning outcome of the student?

RQ 7: How the increased class time of the English language teaching helps in developing the skills of the students in the school?

The descriptive research process is being used in this particular research because the particular type of research design would help in analyzing the participants in the research in an accurate way. The particular research method, according to “The Office of Human Research Protections”, not totally an experimental method, rather it is a method that is being used to define the correlation between a particular thing and the world around it (Gray, 2013).

The Descriptive design, include unique number of variables, and while in other kinds of research design there is the need of multiple variable in case of analysis, in case of descriptive research design it can be either multiple variable or it can be done with the help of a single variable as well. In case reporting on the percentage summary the use of the single variable could be used as well, and it could be easily done with the help of the single variable. The particular research design is not restricted within the quantitative and the qualitative analysis but at the same time, it includes the method of data collection and data analysis as well. The descriptive research design mainly aims at answering the question “what is”; therefore, it frequently uses the survey and at the same times the observation method (Wiek, Withycombe, Redman, & Mills, 2011). 

The methodology that is being used in this particular research is the following:

• Literature Review: The particular research has the in-depth study of the literature that is obtained from various sources. The sources that has helped in this in-depth study include; the books and the journals, that are bought or being assessed from the library. It includes the online articles, journals and other web resources as well. The resources helped in having knowledge about the type of teaching that is being practiced in schools of Saudi Arabia, and how the use of the modern technology in countries, such as Australia, has turned to be effective in case of teaching foreign language (University, 2016). 
• Data Collection: The data for this particular research has been collected in two different ways and those two are the following ways:
• Quantitative Data Collection: The quantitative data is being collected from the focus group in a tabulated form that includes both the numerical and the scores. The quantitative data should include questions like whether the multimedia is effective, for the students to learn the English for the purpose of academics and career development, or whether it is creating a pressure on the students.
• Qualitative Data Collection: The qualitative data would include the interviews of both the students and the teachers who are the part of the learning process. The qualitative way of data collection would help in knowing why the teachers are not adopting such a CLT method that would be helpful for the students to learn the language even for the communication as well. The qualitative data collection includes the interview transcript of the students as well. The students try to answer whether the way the language is being taught is effect for their career development or not.
• Mapping: Mapping comes at the beginning of the research and it focuses on the four key elements. The four key elements on which mapping focuses include, aims strategies, data collection and lastly on data analysis. The method of “mapping” is included in the qualitative method of data collection. The method of mapping includes three most important kind of mapping and those are the mind mapping, concept and the cognitive mapping.
• Focus Group: Focus group forms an important part of the qualitative data because focus group consists of those people, who would interview for the data collection. The data collection method, include that focus group that is not fully structured but rather the focus group is a semi-structured group where there can be a leader and they try to answer the questions on a particular topic. In this particular research the focus group would consists not only the students, who are studying English language in the schools of Saudi Arabia, rather it would consists both the student and the teachers. The teachers’ experience, and what they think about this particular topic and whether multimedia education and technology should be used for teaching English or not, are those questions that the teachers should answer. The point of the view of the students and the teachers both are important in this particular research and therefore, both of them would form the focus group. At the time of the focus group session there will be not only the audio recording of the people in the group but at the same time there would be certain amount of video recording as well, and both will be required for later data analysis section. Along with the audio and the video recordings there should be transcript of the whole interview and at the same time there should be two or three fellow researchers during the session, all of whom will be engaged in the process of note taking that will be later required for the purpose of data analysis. The notes that the researcher will take will take into account the non-verbal behavior of the focus group.
• Narrative Analysis: Narrative analysis is the part of the qualitative analysis where the researcher focuses on the making and using of the stories of the people to interpret the world around them. In this particular scenario also, the researcher would try to analyze the things that are being said both by the student and the teachers of Saudi Arabia is true or not. Narrative analysis is not about collecting sets of fact; rather it is about finding whether the stories that are narrated by the people who are interviewed are true or not.
• Archival materials: Archival data collection again is a part of the qualitative data collection method. It is one of the secondary method of data collection and this particular method of data collection, which include wide range of empirical materials, which the individual use for their own use or could even prepare to help the organization. The empirical materials include things like weblog, diaries, letters, and photographs on one hand and on the other hand, it could include things like, press releases, magazine articles, and things such as these. Archival data refers both to the interviews and to the field notes, therefore, it contribute a great deal on the theoretical part of the research that is being carried out. In this particular research, the diaries of the students and annual reports that would be collected from the schools, along with other things, and this would help in finding whether the traditional method of teaching the English language to the student effecting the students or not.
• Drawing: Drawing methodologies is an art-based or a visual methodology that will help in knowing the cognitive psychology of those who are being interviewed. The particular research methodology helps, especially in those researches that are being used to know the voice of the children. Therefore, in this particular research also the voice of the children studying in the schools of Saudi Arabia and is the part of the English language that is being taught in the schools. Thus, the drawings are used in the methodology part, and it helps in having a clear view of the cognitive development of the interviewer, it is to some extent, reflective in nature.
• Reflective Diaries: The qualitative data at times can be bias and therefore, there is an influence of the researchers on the participants (Ortlipp, 2016). The influence that is there on the participants could affect the findings of the research and therefore, to avoid such a thing it is important to maintain a reflective diary, which would record all the experiences and the feelings, and it would actually contribute to the findings and analysis of the research. The diary would at least help in maintaining the transparency in the research process (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2016). .
• Data Analysis: The data that is being collected could be analyzed in the following ways:
• Quantitative Data Analysis: The quantitative data that is being collected could be analyzed with the method of statistical and graphical analysis (Mertens, 2014). 
• Qualitative Data Analysis: Documentation is a process of analyzing the qualitative data, as it will keep the record of the data that was collected during the fieldwork. The documentation analysis includes all the data that is collected in the form of notes, interview scripts and tapes and volume of notes.

The research philosophy that is being used in this particular research is the research is the interpretive philosophy. The research here tries to find out the truth about the CLT in Saudi Arabia, and the research wants to grab that truth even from a simple fact, therefore, this particular research philosophy has been chosen. The researcher here, will not only, interacts with the environment but also at the same time the researcher here will interpret the events and the meanings that are drawn from this particular environment.

Methodology

The English is treated as a second language in Saudi Arabia and that is why most of the time the knowledge that is being provided to the students do not support them in their academic career or in their employment career. The various and different kind of approaches that could be used in the classroom to improve the way of teaching English include:

Discourse Approach: In this particular approach emphasis is given t the language and the linguistic component of the English language. Therefore, there is the enhancement of the students pragmatic and the linguistic competencies. In case of learning, a foreign language one think should made sure that the foreign language fits perfectly with the culture and the context of the country. Apart from ensuring this, the teacher should ensure that the grammar, vocabulary, the translation, and all other things are given importance. Discourse approach help in developing the language skills in a student, especially this particular theory or approach is helpful for those students who are using the language for the purpose of communication

Multiple Intelligence: The multiple intelligence would help in developing such a technique that would be helpful for everyone, or rather it can be said that it would be helpful for the people of all types of intelligence. The particular theory, if it is being applied properly then it have the tendency to outperform and could provide the best of the student in the classroom teaching.

Multimedia Classroom: The multimedia classroom approach is an approach that is being adopted by the teachers, and this includes the implementation of the modern technology in the classroom. The modern technology includes those technologies that would help in conveying message both through the audio and the visual medium (Ushioda, 2013). 

The ethical guidelines in this particular study will be followed to answer the questions that are related to the relativity of the context about the issues such as the participation of the participants and the impact the particular research outcome would have and it is based on the confidentiality of the research at the same time. Therefore, while making the research proposal and during the time of the study and the research the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, should be followed, to ensure that none of the code of conduct is actually broken (Punch, 2009).

The research should be conducted in such an environment where there is intellectual honesty and integrity and at the same time, there is scientific and social rigor. The researcher should go by the ethical principles and at the same time, and the same time justice and beneficence would be maintain during the time of conducting the research. The particular research has also given respect to the person as well as to the animals at the same time. The research should also go by the professional standards, as well as the contractual agreement and should go by the legal agreement at the same time. Therefore, at the time of conducting this particular research, it has been ensured that all the guidelines are being followed properly, and there is not deviation, of any kind, anywhere.  

References

Almalki, M. M. (2014). Teacher Perception of a New English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Curriculum in Saudi Arabia (Doctoral dissertation, State University of New York at Fredonia).

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2016). Research Methods in Education: 7th Edition (Paperback) – Routledge. Routledge.com. Retrieved 29 May 2016, from

Gray, D. E. (2013). Doing research in the real world. Sage.

Mahboob, A., & Elyas, T. (2014). English in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.World Englishes, 33(1), 128-142.

Mertens, D. M. (2014). Research and Evaluation in Education and Psychology: Integrating Diversity With Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods: Integrating Diversity With Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods. Sage Publications.

Ortlipp, M. (2016). Keeping and Using Reflective Journals in the Qualitative Research Process (1st ed.). Albury, Australia: Charles Sturt University,

Punch, K. F. (2009). Introduction to research methods in education. Sage.

University, L. (2016). edu5rme research methods in ed. Latrobe.edu.au. Retrieved 29 May 2016.

Ushioda, E. (Ed.). (2013). International perspectives on motivation: Language learning and professional challenges. Palgrave Macmillan.

Wiek, A., Withycombe, L., Redman, C., & Mills, S. B. (2011). Moving forward on competence in sustainability research and problem solving.Environment, 53(2), 3-13.