A Study on the Usefulness of Audio-Visual Aids in EFL Classroom: Implications for Effective Instruction

An eclectic approach is desirable in English as a foreign language in classroom for a teacher. Actually for language teachers must be use variety of teaching aids to make classroom activities interesting and more interactive by using audio visual aids. At this time, we will focus on teacher instruction. As we know that one of roles as a teacher is an instructor. According to Ranasinghe and Leisher (2009), integrating technology into the classroom begins when a teacher prepare lessons that use technology in meaningful and relevant ways. Technology assist a teacher to support facilities and infrastructure in classroom such Electronics stuff like projector, laptop, android, etc. Whole of these things are only for creating a collaborative learning in the classroom. Capper says that some of teachers who have access to technologies do not use them properly. Its mean they leave the technology, for instance they have a laptop and a projector to use them in the class. Its happen cause of some problem like they do not have technical knowledge and they satisfied with their current approach to teach, then they have no sufficient time in teaching a lesson related to electronic aid, and other problems which make them lazy for use it.

Using have technologies also have technic. By using technic and not use the technic aids will affected to the classroom. In Korea, based on Park and Bae Son research, they argue that if quality of education does not depend on the use of technologies but depends exclusively on the quality of teachers. For those teachers who have positive attitude and continue to introduce innovative technologies and materials in the class will enhance effective learning language instruction. In other hands a study from India by Jada (2011), she found that many English teachers were unable to use audio-visual equipments and materials. These teachers were not fully aware of the various projected aids to be used in the classroom. So that there is difference basic for teachers who have technics and for those who have not in using technology aids.

In the end, using audio-visuals as a teaching method stimulates thinking and improves learning environment for students and teachers also in a classroom. Students will understand how useful and relevant in this method when it has some direct relation to the course content. So teachers have big responsible to guide and to give good instruction in the class. If the teacher know how to manage the class, it will be more interactive and more interesting.         

Reference :

Mathew.N.G & Alidmat.A.O.H (2013) International Journal of Higher Education  A Study on the Usefulness of Audio-Visual Aids in EFL Classroom: Implications for Effective Instruction

THE USE OF VIDEO AS AN AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIAL IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING CLASSROOM  

Learning language is one of the complex process for a beginner especially for foreign language as English. In different era, it would be different the way how to teach a language which including methods and techniques are entered in the field of education and teacher use different kind of help to make effective teaching. For instance, in present day, this is a modern era so people are aware with the name of technology. Therefore teachers need relevant technologies to the teaching and learning situation. The teachers can not avoid that if technology is a great help in stimulating and facilitating the learning of a foreign language such as audio visual media. Video material is one of the most appreciated materials applied to language learning and teaching.  A recent survey by Canning-Wilson (2000) reveals that the students like learning language through the use of video, which is often used to mean quite different things in language teaching. It mean to lead students in class face with a real world that can be happened in practically.

Definitely there is advantages and dis advantages. The advantages of using audio visual media are provides authentic language input. Its mean the videos give the students a real imagination such as the learners contain with certain focuses in the video like facial expressions, dress, gesture, posture and others details in practical learning. Then to interpret attitude, its mean the learners try to think about the new knowledge that they acquire including messages from the video that they watch and It may be enjoyable for the learners to have something different for language learning. Maybe they only learn about culture of a country through the book, journal or kind of written. But through the videos they can see a real thing which is will have any own perspective from them.

The disadvantages from audio visual media are cost, may be the media is expensive to purchase. Then, inconvenience, when teaching -learning is ongoing may be will there some noises of sound from the videos which is it can disturb other classes. And fear of technology, this might be cause of rejection of the progress from the times .Another important issue in this case is that the teacher should be well-trained on using and exploiting the video. Otherwise, it becomes boring and purposeless for students.

Finally, not all of methods and techniques for language teaching is perfect for teaching –learning process. Cause all of that there is advantages and disadvantages so there is no relevant technique can be used to achieve purpose study. Actually a teacher has an important role which is mastering on technology. Because if the teacher can not use the technology such as notebook very well, it will make the class being monotonous.   

Reference :

1. Çakir, İsmail (2006) The Use of Video as an Audio-Visual Material in Foreign Language Teaching Classroom, pg. 67-68. Kırıkkale Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi