Semantics and the Three Stages of CALL

           This post concerns about the development of our blog's theme in an Islamization of Semantics. As one of the core courses in English Linguistics and Literature component, our particular field of linguistics in Semantics correlates directly to the THREE STAGES of CALL. We attained several relations of experiences in CALL collectively. Thus, as this being the first post, we describe how CALL implementation existed through our academic Semantics experiences with the usage of a computer in the class. 


1. Did the course incorporate the use of computer in the teaching and learning?

Yes, in semantics, computer has been chosen as a tool in finding limitless number of data from myriad articles available on the internet. By using computer as assistance, it somehow increases the student’s motivation and interest in acquiring knowledge as it is accessible at any time as long as there is an internet connection.  It somehow develops the student’s process of thinking critically and creates opportunity for students to be active in class and not stay passive. Opportunities are given by teachers for students to conduct their assignment by using Microsoft Word to construct tables so they can work collaboratively with electronic knowledge that they have and at the same time enhancing their learning method. Though it may have some negative effects such as the computer application might not work properly or they might result to incorrect data but they will eventually absorb the information rapidly and improve to a better state as long as they have the will to learn.


2. Are the computer- based activities related to any of the 3 stages of call?

Semantics uses task-based teaching where it concerns with all three essential elements which are language data, information and opportunities for practice. As far as each of us can remember, computer-based activities were confined and implied among the students through everyday classes. The usage of the computer was mainly served as a tool where the lecturer copied the slides and word documents to the computer in facilitating the overall computer-based task throughout the class. Activities relating to a computer usage were also carried out communicatively between the lecturer and the students. As for my understanding, the lecturer handled his talk with the slides or documents shown on the monitor screen(projected to a canvas) at first hand. He then asked feedbacks and questions from the students to further elaborate the words which were not shown in the slides or documents. As the documents were served only to provide us informations, we provide ourselves informations and thorough understandings of various syllabus discussions. The computer was regarded as an important assistant nevertheless. Knowledge of Semantics was also presented in frames of concept representations. The third stage of CALL was also presented throughout the class as the lecturer incorporated the use of feedbacks and questions through e-mail. All in all, our Semantics class was focused in organizing actions upon informations as a mediary sources through structure, context, and value.


3. What are the important concepts in the 3 stages related to the activities?

In order to achieve an outcome, a target language is used by the learner for a communicative purpose (goal). The role of the student is to either work individually or with a group and they must gather and organize information gained into a report and present results to instructor as he or she analyzes the students’ performance.