Oz et Virgo

I have just finished reading an article from Dr. Dietmar Rösler Professor in German as a foreign or second language in diverse European Universities. His article, Foreign language learning with the new media: between the sanctuary of the classroom and the open terrain of natural language acquisition, highlights different media that can be used today to teach languages in a more natural approach.

It surprised me to find emails being introduced as a way to teach languages. For Dr Dietmar Rösler, emails reintroduced a 1:1 quality teaching that has been lost for centuries.

Not that I am against the idea, but after reading so many articles about the use of new media in education, it never occurred to me that emails could be one of those. And, why not?

As Dr Dietmar Rösler mentioned writing an email is an informal act, which stands between oral expression and written expression. In addition, it allows a close contact between the student and the teacher. However, it seems logical that emails are only one way to learn a new language. It is without seeing that students will still have to reinforce their 4 micro skills which include listening and speaking. I believe that sending podcasts via emails can be a possibility but what about the interaction?

We cannot forget that language is a tool to communicate with real people in a real world. The more students will be in contact with this real world, the better they will improve.

~ by virgo on 30 octobre 2008. Tagged: emails, languages