Developing communicative competence in ESL adult learners through the implementation of A computer-mediated learning tool
Artur Urbaniak
Centre of Languages and Communication
Poznań University of Technology, Poland
Abstract
The aim of the article is to discuss current issues concerning adult learning theories in ESL and to emphasize the importance of adapting curricula to the actual needs of grown up people in increasingly more complex societies. Although cutting-edge technologies offer a number of possibilities that can facilitate the process of foreign language acquisition, it remains doubtful whether computer-mediated learning tools can really contribute to developing true communicative competence as opposed to simple linguistic competence. It seems that forming a Transcultural Learning Environment (TLE) would be most suitable for developing communicative competence in adult learners.
Keywords: Adult learners; Andragogy; Heutagogy; Computer-based learning; Communicative competence.
References
Baitinger K. (2005). Engaging adult learners in the writing/ESL classroom. College Quarterly, 8(1). Retrieved September 22, 2015, from http://www.senecac.on.ca/quarterly/2005-vol08-num01-winter/baitinger.html
Boraie, D. (2013). 8 current trends in teaching and learning EFL/ESL. Retrieved September 22, 2015, from http://blog.tesol.org/8-current-trends-in-teaching-and-learning-eflesl/#sthash.Ful6KC7J.dpuf
Crace, A., & Acklam, R. (2013). New total English: Pre-intermediate. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Hall, D., & Foley, M. (2011). New total English: Elementary. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Hansman, C. A., & Mott, V. W. (2010). Adult learners. In C. E. Kasworm, A. D. Rose & J. M. Ross-Gordon (Eds.), Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 13-23). Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.
Hansman, C. A. (2001). Context based adult learning. In S. B. Merriam (Ed.), An update on adult learning theory: New directions for adult and continuing education, 89 (pp. 43–51). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Hase, S., & Kenyon, C. (2001). From andragogy to heutagogy. Southern Cross University. Retrieved September 22, 2015, from http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/~steve/pr/Heutagogy.html
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Knowles, M. (1973). The adult learner: A neglected species. Houston: Gulf Publishing.
Knowles, M. (1970). The modern practice of adult education: Andragogy versus pedagogy. New York: Associated Press.
Laufer, B. (1998). The development of passive and active vocabulary in a second language: Same or different? Applied Linguistics, 19(2), 255–271. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4156/b8d6922cf61ddb05f70476d5a465478e1505.pdf
Pappas, C. (2013). The adult learning theory. Andragogy of Malcolm Knowles. Retrieved September 22, 2015, from http://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-malcolm-knowles
Popescu, T., & Iordachescu, G.-D. (2015). Raising students’ intercultural competence through the process of language learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 197, 2315–2319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.259
Popescu, T. (2013). New paradigms for English language teacher training programmes. Annales Univesitatis Apulensis, Series Philologica, 14(2), 601–610.
Prasad, M., Rajendra, B., & Sundaram, S. (2006). Strategies for learning centred education: Moving from pedagogy to heutagogy. In P. Adinarayana Reddy, & D. Uma Devi (Eds.). Current Trends in Adult Education (pp. 75–84). New Delhi: Sarup and Sons.
Puppel, S. (2007). Interlingwalizm czy translingwalizm? Interkomunikacja czy transkomunikacja? Uwagi w kontekście współistnienia języków naturalnych w ramach globalnej wspólnoty kulturowo-językowo-komunikacyjnej. In S. Puppel (Ed.), Społeczeństwo-kultura-język. W stronę interakcyjnej architektury komunikacji (pp. 79–94). Poznań: Department of Ecocommunication at Adam Mickiewicz University.
Puppel S. (2004). An outline of domain-resource-agent-access-management (DRAAM) model of human communication: Towards an ecology of human communication. The Electronic Journal Oikeios Logos, 1, 1–26.
Sousa, A. (2012). Overcoming boundaries towards EFLit education in the digital era: EFL undergraduates’ reading habits in retrospect (Madeira, 1998-2008). Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 5, 157–190. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2012.5.9
Ur, P. (2009). English as a Lingua Franca and some implications for English teachers. TESOL France Colloquium 2009. Retrieved September 24, from http://www.tesol-france.org/uploaded_files/files/Coll09-Ur_Plenary_Handouts
Urbaniak, A. (2015). Developing communicative competence in digital natives. A weblog as a tool for teaching writing skills in tertiary education. (Manuscript submitted for publication).
Urbaniak, A. (2010a). E-learning: The role of new technologies in the process of foreign language teaching and learning. Innovative Management Journal 3, 1(5), 39–43.
Urbaniak, A. (2010b). Pozytywne aspekty zastosowania e-learningu w nauczaniu języka obcego osób dorosłych. In M. Sokołowski (Ed.), Nowe media: Nowe interpretacje (pp. 133–147). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Wyższej Szkoły Pedagogicznej TWP w Warszawie.
Urbaniak, A. (2007). Teaching foreign language to adults: An andragogical approach. In D. Werbińska, & B. Widawska (Eds.), Wschód-Zachód. Dialog kultur (pp. 208–213). Słupsk: Akademia Pomorska w Słupsku.
Whiteman, J. A. M. (2002). Interpersonal communication in computer mediated learning. Orlando: University of Central Florida. Retrieved September 24, 2015, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED465997.pdf
How to cite this article: Urbaniak, A. (2015). Developing communicative competence in ESL adult learners through the implementation of a computer-mediated learning tool. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 8, 225–238. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2015.8.15
For details on subscription, go to:http://jolie.uab.ro/index.php?pagina=-&id=19&l=en