Exploring learning in a computer-based environment in a Malaysian secondary ESL classroom

Abstract

Learning English language is important in the Malaysian educational context. The search for new and effective approaches to teaching ESL is widely discussed and debated. New guidelines for English instruction promote the use of information technology as a tool to enhance language learning. Researchers suggest that the use of technology increases students' motivation and language proficiency outcomes. So far quantitative studies have describe students' practices in a computer- based ESL teaching environment.

This paper reports on an investigation into Malaysian students' use of computers for the study of ESL. The study uses an ethnographic method that incorporates classroom observations, interviews, field notes and documents. The study documents students' use of English when working with computers. It reveals how computers are used for the development of communication skills. The study has implications for educational programs in Malaysia, in particular for the design of learning tasks using computers and the creation of effective ecologies for the study of English.