THE USE OF COMPUTER-BASED MEANS TO DEVELOP LISTENING AND SPEAKING SKILLS TO BUSINESS STUDENTS

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze how business students can achieve communication skills, namely listening and speaking, through computer-based interactive simulations. In today’s foreign language teaching, methods using computer applications and multimedia environments are more and more gaining territory to the detriment of traditional methods. These applications are used successfully in reading, writing, listening and speaking practices both by foreign language teachers and by students throughout the world. Moreover, these means are helpful in practising the four skills of a language: reading, writing, listening and speaking. With the advance of Internet, the computer has been transformed from a tool for information processing and display into a tool for information processing and communication. The instant worldwide connections enabled by the Internet have changed the way teachers and learners work in their teaching and learning of second/foreign language. The Internet provides the opportunity for business students to interact with native speakers and, in the same time, to listen to business people around the world, in this way getting acquainted with different accents and speeches. When students listen to a native speaker, they are automatically emerged in the latter’s world. There are many idioms and phrases used by native speakers of the language but they hardly are included in the traditional lesson materials. Through specific Internet sites, the students become familiar with these idioms and phrases and most important is that they learn how to use them in a context. From a cultural point of view, the students become familiar with the turn taking habits, addressing different people, greetings, invitations and many cultural related issues. What is important to keep in mind is that the teacher must create an appropriate learning environment to suit the situation and conform to the needs of the class. A learning environment for the training of communicative competence has to take into consideration the complexity of human experience and the semantic flexibility that allows speakers to use meanings according to their communicative purposes.

Keywords

• computer, skills, listening, speaking, business students