Prompt # 10

RICHARDSON Ch. 7. Fun with Flickr: Creating, Publishing, and Using Images Online
*BLACKBOARD - Kern, R. (2006). Perspectives on technology in learning and teaching languages. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), 183-210.

After reading Richardson, what ideas do you have for using images and programs such as Flickr in the language learning classroom?

Kern gives a broad overview of issues in CALL, with specific examples from three areas and implications for teaching and research. Select and share your own thoughts and opinions on one or more issues that Kern raises.


Richardson presents a package of the fun uses of Flicker in a classroom. The annotation feature is impressively useful to add details to different parts of the chosen image. When I was preparing for my quick share presentation”Planning a Trip to a National Park”, I noticed how wonderful that is the information of each park on the map popped up with its photo. That undoubtedly will help a lot during oral class discussion with more visual illustrations.
For English language classes, I find it significant in teaching writing skills in which the learners describe the pictures and paraphrase or elaborate the given details. Also, I may use Flicker annotation features in developing the students reading strategies as a raising prediction stage before showing them the accompanied caption for more critical thinking practicing. Innovation of the adult students will increase when they merge any literature piece and a photo together to create another story.

Regarding to Kern’s article, he demonstrates how CALL technology integration is remarkably tied to language learning and use as a part of daily life interaction. Moreover, he raises the issue of how to ground CALL in a theoretical frame in SLA field. Any activity and tool introduced to the learners should be looked at through social and cultural dimension in learning process. Another issue is the effectiveness measurement of the computer practice in language learning. Assumingly, no one would ignore the great jump of CMC technologies contributions in teaching and learning process. However, there is still a complexity in determining the adequate effectiveness of CMC feedback to improve ELL in certain language aspect [syntax, semantic, phonology] applied in language domains [writing, reading, listening, speaking] . The complexity is, in somehow, explained by the means of three angles reflecting the learner position among the revolution of technologies. The first one is the type of the activity conducted by the user [teacher, learner]. The second is the method/way adapted for the receptive and productive, and eventually the psychological feedback and reaction of the user.

Kern brings CMC as an example to show one of the issues attached to CALL. The incredible variety of CMC forms increase the problematic of their uses. Pedagogically, the teacher may encounter a difficulty to decide which appropriate and reliable form is for the students and the lesson requirements. Concerns are highly combined with the standard form of CMC and the quality of learner productions.

To conclude, educators have to recalculate their steps beyond the simple comprehension of a technology use in language teaching, and give more consideration to the critical analysis in their practices.