Using information technology in teaching and learning reading skill of english for biology for 2nd-year students

INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
Since computers were invented, they have increasingly been used for multi purposes
to assist people all over the world. As a result, information technology (IT) has become an
essential part in all aspects of our life. Thanks to IT, everything is now becoming faster,
more convenient, more comfortable and more effective. Vietnam has recently integrated
itself into the whole world in applying IT in all walks of life, including education. When
Vietnam joined WTO in 2006, our opportunities to push the total development of education
have been increasing with IT.
IT has, in fact, contributed greatly to the renovation of teaching and learning in
Vietnam. Teachers and students are now encouraged to update the information of their
interests by searching on the Internet. Their knowledge, thus, is much broader. For the past
years, schools and universities have launched the movement of renovating the methods of
teaching and learning. IT, then, has proved its role.
The teachers and students in the field of foreign languages also take part in the
movement of renovating the methods of teaching and learning in Vietnam. The Faculty of
English at Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE) have lately renovated the
methods of teaching and learning by using IT. However, the effect remains limited.
As a lecturer at the Faculty of English, the author has been studying an aspect in
teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) for non-English-major students with the
assistance of IT: Using IT in teaching and learning Reading English for Biology for 2
nd
-
year students at HNUE.
2. Aims of the study
The thesis focuses on studying the extent to which IT can facilitate teaching and
learning reading English for Biology at HNUE. In details, it aims at:
 Discovering how IT influences foreign language teaching and learning (generally)
and reading English for Biology teaching and learning (particularly) and the extent to
which IT can assist reading English for Biology teaching and learning;
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 Synthesizing the real situation of teaching and learning reading English for Biology
using IT at HNUE by analyzing students’ questionnaire, teacher interview; and
 Investigating certain recommendations for administrators and teachers for applying
IT to improve the quality of reading English for Biology teaching and learning at
HNUE.
3. Scope of the study
Due to the limited time, the researcher only focuses on using computers to promote
2
nd
-year students’ reading English for Biology at HNUE because of some reasons.
Firstly, there are many means of IT in Vietnam now. Nevertheless, the computer is
definitely by far the most popular IT means in Vietnam.
Secondly, English for Biology, to some extent, is comparatively difficult to teach and
learn because it is ESP. The trained teacher is the teacher of just English, not a teacher of
Biology, so he/she is in lack of Biology knowledge. The students possess the knowledge of
Biology, but they don’t know Biological terms in English. Computers are used to make the
lessons easier to understand by showing the difficult structures and terms popularly used in
Biology with the assistance of Projector and searching information on the Internet.
Thirdly, the Faculty of English at HNUE have taught ESP for non-English-major
students in order that they are able to read the professional materials in English and translate
them into Vietnamese for study.
4. Research questions
This thesis is accomplished for finding the answer to the question: How effectively is
IT exploited to improve reading English for Biology teaching and learning at HNUE?
More specifically, it deals with the following smaller questions:
i. How has IT been used in teaching and learning foreign languages at HNUE?
ii. To what extent have lecturers of The Faculty of English and students of The Faculty
of Agro-biology raised the quality of teaching and learning reading English for
Biology with IT recently?
5. Methods of the study

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The author has used the following main methods to do the research:
 Consulting books, journals and newspapers on applying IT in teaching and learning
foreign languages or ESP;
 Searching information on the Internet ;
 Doing a survey on 2
nd
-year students of the Faculty of Agro-biology;
 Interviewing lecturers of the Faculty of English who have taught English for
Biology; and
 Analyzing the data collected quantitatively and qualitatively to find out the real
situation of teaching and learning reading English for Biology at HNUE with IT.
6. Significance of the study
As I have mentioned above, the movement of methods of teaching and learning
renovation has been launched in HNUE, including the Faculty of English. The lecturers of
English have often used IT to teach English-major students. However, they only sometimes
teach non-English-major students with IT. Last year, they started to teach ESP for 2
nd
-year
non-English-major students. Therefore, the idea of using IT to teach ESP is fairly fresh.
The author, who has taught English for Biology at HNUE, have thought of how to
apply IT to raise the quality of teaching and learning English for Biology and the idea has, in
fact, worked well. Students were fascinated in learning reading English for Biology with IT
in class. However, due to certain reasons, such lessons with IT cannot be done frequently.
The researcher has acted her mind about the situation in order that IT will be applied
more often and more efficiently for teaching and learning reading English for Biology
promotion in the coming time. If that comes true, ESP in general and English for Biology in
particular will definitely interest non-English-major students and lecturers of English.
7. Organization of the study
This brief study is divided into three main parts: Introduction, Development and

Conclusion.
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The first part, INTRODUCTION consists of seven subparts: Rationale, Aims of
the study, Scope of the study, Research questions, Methods of the study, Significance of
the study and Organization of the study.
The second part, DEVELOPMENT has three chapters: Literature Review, The
study and Recommendations.
The second part is by far the most important of the whole thesis. It contains the real
fact and data synthesis and analysis to answer the research questions with specific
techniques, different types of exercises designed for drill as vivid illustrations.
The final part, CONCLUSION summarizes all the ideas expressed throughout the
research, analyzes limitation of the paper and suggests further research orientations.
DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER ONE. LITERATURE REVIEW
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This chapter gives an overview of the literature on computers in English as a foreign
language (EFL) teaching and learning and computers in ESP teaching and learning.
I.1. Theoretical backgrounds of computers and EFL teaching and learning
I.1.1. Introduction
This section starts with the introduction about the educational technology in foreign
language teaching and learning to create a portrait of the field. Next, we look into a specific
branch of technology, computer technology. To provide a deeper view, history of computer-
assisted language teaching and learning and computer uses in EFL teaching learning are
investigated.
I.1.2. Educational Technology and EFL teaching and learning
Thanks to the achievements of international science and technology, the methods of
teaching and learning have undeniably been changing year by year. Now it is time for us to
make up the general scenery of technology in foreign language classroom or “educational
technology” (Harmer 2001, p.134).
The grammar-translation method has usually been the most popular method of

teaching with chalk, blackboards, pens, paper and textbooks. These go with educational
technologies. Warschauer, M & Carla Meskill (2000) said nearly every type of foreign
language classroom teaching is supported by its own technologies. The blackboard can be
considered a perfect tool for grammar-translation method. The teacher uses the board for a
lot of purposes, such as note pad, explanation aid, picture frame and so on. However, all the
educational technologies above sometimes do not work well.
In Vietnam and in the world, the traditional educational technologies are currently
used by teachers or educators. To make the matter better, such modern media as radios,
cassette players, recorders, movies, televisions, computers, projectors, etc have contributed
to the renovation in teaching and learning. According to Nguyen Lan Trung (2002), they
have changed classroom structures and have assisted learners’ acquisition of knowledge.
Foreign language classroom activities have been much more fascinating and understandable
to both teachers and learners, which is due to the usage of modern media. Learners learn
foreign languages when they listen to CDs/tapes, watch films/programmes, or see images
projected from computers’ screen.
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Of all the means of modern media, undeniably, computer is now quite a useful multi-
purpose tool for foreign language education. A newly established branch called Information
Technology (IT) started the actual revolution of innovating methods in foreign language
education. Within this thesis, the researcher would like to discuss a central component of IT,
computers.
I.1.3. Computers and EFL teaching and learning
I.1.3.1. Definition of CALL (Computer-assisted Language Instruction)
To start this research, it is necessary to mention and explain the term CALL
(Computer-assisted Language Instruction). CALL is a comparatively new way to acquire
foreign languages. Hence, not many people have given adequate definitions of CALL.
Having collected and consulted relevant materials, the author would like to discuss
the definition of CALL on the website Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
( />Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is an approach to language teaching
and learning in which computer technology is used to aid to the presentation, reinforcement

and assessment of material to be learned, usually including substantial interactive element.
Computer is the key for successful CALL. Teachers and learners discover the
language with the assistance of computer technology. The teachers use computers to show
their lectures on the computer screen; the learners look at the lectures during their listening
to the teachers and take note.
Then, learners do not have to write too much. As well, they tend to be fond of the
lectures. They can both study foreign language and improve their computer experience.
I.1.3.2. History of CALL
Up to now, CALL has already had a history of approximately fifty years. So many
changes in CALL are due to the achievements of science and technology revolution.
CALL began in the 1960s, but only on big mainframe computers. CALL became
more widely available in 1976 with the appearance of a Prime 300 “minicomputer”. The
microcomputer was invented in late 1970s. The seminal work “The mighty micro”
published in 1979 clarified how to use a microcomputer. The 1980s marked the
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microcomputer boom. In 1980 schools in the UK embraced the BBC Micro. Then, BBC
began to reach the masses. During the 1980s, the professional associations CALICO (1983)
and EUROCALL (1986) were established. IALL (International Association for Learning
Labs) goes back to 1965, initially focusing on language labs. IALL is now known as IALLT
(International Association for Language Learning Technology) and focuses on language
learning technology in general. The 1990s witnessed the advent of the Web which became
available in 1993. EUROCALL became a recognised professional association (1993). The
First World CALL conference took place in Melbourn, Australia in 1998. From 2000 to
now, Broadband has become more widely available, opening up new possibilities for
delivering audio and video materials via the Web. Blogs and podcasts have appeared.
Since CALL was applied by learners or teachers, learning and teaching foreign
languages have been much more fascinating, vivid and efficient. The writer has usually used
CALL in her daily acquiring and teaching English, which has brought about surprisingly
good results.
I.1.3.3. Computer uses for language teaching and learning

Over the past few years, people have exploited the uses of computers for teaching
and learning (in general) and teaching and learning FL (in particular). As far as this study is
concerned, certain applications of computers in teaching and learning FL are going to be
listed.
 Firstly, computers are widely used for reference. Teachers and students can
easily search for any information of language teaching and learning with the help
of CD/DVD-ROMs and Internet. CDs/DVDs of FL have continuously been
programmed and produced to meet the enormous needs of FL teaching and
learning. The two most distinguishing programmes to count are Encyclopedia
and FL Dictionaries. The Encyclopedia such as Encarta, Grollier, Hutchinson
contains knowledge of all fields, including maps, photos and films. To those who
teach and learn FL, FL Dictionaries can be used as a perfect tool for reference.
They are available on CD-ROM or Internet. Undeniably, Internet is now the
most convenient source of materials. “As a vast virtual library the Internet offers
a seemingly endless range of topics to choose from, all in one handy location.”
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(Dede Teeler and Peta Gray, 2001, p.36). Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista, etc have
been the most popular searching engines. Only with a key word, a teacher or
student can find a vast amount of information related.
 The second use of computers is for Computer-mediated communication
(CMC). People use computers to exchange information through Internet. E-mail,
electronic bulletin boards or electronic newsgroups facilitate their online
communication. The trend of applying IT in education encourages using CMC
for FL teaching and learning. The researcher now would like to quote the two
most common CMC forms used for FL teaching and learning, e-mail exchanging
and instant
messaging.
 E-mail
exchanging is
currently of

great use. E-
mail is more
widely
known as a
method of
sending
messages from one computer to another. “The most obvious benefit of using
e-mail is speed.” (Dede Teeler and Peta Gray, 2001) Additionally, e-mail is
cheap, simple, efficient and versatile. Messages can be sent anywhere in an
instant. Transmission can cost nothing or very little. It is easy to use after
initial set-up. Sending to a group can be done in one action. Pictures or other
files can be attached to the notes typed and sent.
( Thus, the teacher and
students can share necessary materials for study. However, e-mail users are
able to encounter some risks like Spam or Virus.
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 Instant messaging (IM) is the most popular means of talking online with such
websites as Yahoo Instant Messenger, Skype, etc. According to Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia ( _messaging),
“IM is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based
on typed text. The text is conveyed via computers connected over a network
such as the Internet.”





A screenshot of PowWow, one of the first instant messengers with a graphical user interface
IM applications began to appear in the 1970s on multi-user operating system such as
UNIX. Since then, IM has always been made use of by people from all walks of life. For FL

teaching and learning, the teacher and students exchange information online at any time
without meeting face to face.
 Web sites. People surf web sites every hour all over the world. “The Web has
become both a widespread and legitimate source of information retrieved”
(Paul Stapleton, ELT Journal, volume 59/2, April 2005). Importantly, FL
students and FL teachers make great use of web sites in FL as authentic
materials for research or reference. Each Web page is identified by a unique
address called URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Lina Lee from University of
New Hampshire (http://www/unh.edu/spanish/lina/internet1.html) wrote:
“Most of Web pages contain both text and images. Some browsers also have
access to sounds and videos.” A variety of web sites are designed specifically
for FL students and FL teachers to search information, exchange emails, do
exercises, play games, etc. Here is an example of this kind of web sites:
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. Articles on ELT teaching and learning are
available on the Web page. Information is various on the Web sites, so the
problem is how to select suitable information to search. If we can do that, web
sites are beneficial enough for us to learn and teach FL.
 Word-processor. Nowadays, computers have been exploited in a lot of ways;
however word-processor is by far the most common computer software in FL
teaching and learning. Without it, we are not able to have materials for learning
and teaching FL. Alison Piper (1987, cited in Harmer, J., 200, p.150) said that
“the most successful educational use of computer at that time was a word-
processor”. Word-processor is typically useful for teachers to prepare materials
for their lectures in advance in the current age of IT. It is possible that a lecture
with IT cannot be done without word-processor.
I.1.4. Summary
The above section of this chapter is an overview of IT and computer, the common
application of IT and the way it has been exploited in FL teaching and learning. The
following section will focus on theoretical backgrounds of computers in ESP teaching and

learning.
I.2. Theoretical backgrounds of computers in ESP teaching and learning
I.2.1. Introduction
In FL teaching and learning, computers have been used efficiently for educators,
teachers and students’ numerous purposes. Moreover, people can teach and learn ESP with
computers in the world and in Vietnam. So far as this section is concerned, the writer would
like to discuss such main ideas as (1) computers in academic setting, (2) computers and ESP.
I.2.2. Computers in academic setting
Computers with Internet and word processing programmes have been used for
searching, selecting and preparing materials in teaching and learning reading ESP. Both
teachers and students need to equip themselves with basic computer skills. In Vietnam,
students are taught basic computer skills during their 1
st
-year studying at university, which
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facilitates them when they study ESP. As a result, they can use word processing or access the
Internet for ESP course.
However, because some students do not possess computers, they find it rather
difficult to use computers. Thus, teachers should spend some periods instructing them how
to use word processing and Internet to search and prepare materials for their coming ESP
lessons.
Nowadays, students easily get used to surfing the Internet for chatting, e-mail
exchanging, seeing web pages, playing games or listening to music. They often use Internet
as a means of entertainment, not for study. Some do not know how to search and select the
information of a topic.
Although they are taught basic computer skills such as using word processing, they
do not frequently practice typing and dealing with documents. Consequently, their computer
skills are relatively not good enough to type long and complicated documents.
All in all, teachers and students have to improve their computer skills if reading ESP
is taught with IT.

I.2.3. Computers and reading ESP
I.2.3.1. Possible applications and advantages of using computer in reading ESP
teaching and learning
Three ideas will be mentioned and discussed: (1) model of teaching ESP reading
with computers, (2) programmes used in reading ESP teaching and learning and (3)
advantages of using computers in reading ESP teaching and learning.
I.2.3.1.1.Model of teaching ESP reading with computers
Some models of using computers in teaching FL can be applied for the past few
years. They are one-computer classroom, several-computer classroom and networked
classroom. The author only mentions one of them for teaching ESP reading within this
thesis, one-computer classroom model.
For this model of classroom, only one computer is used while teaching. In Vietnam,
most teachers use their laptop connected with a LCD Projector to show their lectures on a
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big white screen in front of all the students in the classroom. This model of teaching is quite
common in Vietnam recently.
LCD Projector
For teaching ESP reading, teachers use the above model so that all their prepared
materials and lectures can be seen by the students clearly and vividly on the big white screen.
They read words and see pictures or films, then do reading ESP exercises without looking in
the textbooks. Hereinafter is the photo of the combination of a computer and a LCD
Projector in a classroom.
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A classroom with a computer and a LCD Projector
I.2.3.1.2. Programmes used in reading ESP teaching and learning
There have been a lot of computer programmes designed for FL education; For
example, word-processing, email exchanging, Web pages, Microsoft Powerpoint, Microsoft
Encarta. These programmes were designed for multi-purposes. FL teachers and learners have
taken advantage of their good points in order to make the study and teaching more
interesting and effective. Some useful programmes are going to be introduced below.

* The Internet
The Internet can be used in the forms of email exchanging or Web pages in teaching
and learning reading ESP.
First of all, we mention Web pages. The teachers and students are able to search web
pages for specific information in English of an ESP topic. After that, they select the most
appropriate pieces of information for designing reading exercises. The Internet provides
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information of all topics for them to search and select. Frequently, the information is the
latest.
Second, we talk about email exchanging. Teachers email their requirements for
reading exercises beforehand for
students to prepare and collect
materials. For instant, the teacher
requires groups of students to
collect short texts of certain ESP
topics and assigns the task for
each group through email. The
students, responding the teacher’s
requirements, email her/ him the
texts they have collected so that
she/ he checks whether their texts
are appropriate or not for the
coming lesson. Email exchanging
is, indeed, an effective tool of
information exchanging between
ESP teachers and students.
* Microsoft Encarta
Microsoft Encarta 2006
This software is updated yearly so that the information is the latest and varied. It is
considered as an encyclopedia since it contains information (in some languages) of all fields.

The information is in the form of articles, photos, maps, exercises and games. A teacher or
student only needs to type some key words to search the information they want. The
information is simplified for all readers to understand easily. Thus, ESP teachers and
students can copy quite a vast amount of information from Microsoft Encarta if they know
how to exploit it. Then, the information can be used as extra reading texts or designed with
reading exercises.
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* Word processor
The uses of word processor have been discussed by Scott (1996), Cunningham
(2000), Harmer (2001), Jones, C and Sue Fortescue (1991), Keiser (1999), Morgan (1997),
Johnson (2004), etc. This software helps us show our thoughts on the screen with words and
documents. We can easily move around the document, edit, change and add as thoughts
occur. These things seem impossible with pen and paper or even with a typewriter.
For ESP teachers and students, they can use word processor to type texts, exercises
and answers for required tasks. This software is especially useful to the teachers who teach
ESP reading. To prepare for their lectures, they type reading texts and accompanied
exercises on Microsoft Word or Microsoft Powerpoint documents. In class, they show the
lectures on a big screen with a LCD projector. Importantly, they can edit the documents
anytime they want.
* Microsoft Powerpoint.
This is the most common software used in teaching and studying nowadays in
Vietnam. The teachers who are good at IT often use the software to prepare their lectures.
Instead of writing on the blackboard, teachers type what they want the students read and note
down on the screen of Microsoft Powerpoint, then show it with a LCD projector. If the
teacher knows IT well, his/ her lecture on Microsoft Powerpoint is vivid, colourful, realistic
and informative. He/ she can type words of all types and colours, insert pictures, add films to
make the lecture easily understood. Students, therefore, find the lecture extremely
fascinating and understandable.
ESP teachers can do the same as other teachers with Microsoft Powerpoint. If they
take time to search pictures and films, their lectures naturally interest students. They have

such a vast source of materials – ESP texts, photos, films from the Internet, Microsoft
Encarta, etc.
I.2.3.1.3. Advantages of using computers in reading ESP teaching and learning
Using a computer with a LCD projector brings about a lot of advantages for those
who teach and learn ESP reading. It has continually proved to be advantageous for the past
few years.
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Teachers do not have to write a lot on the blackboard while teaching. Instead, they
show their lectures for students to look and note down important points. Their main job is to
explain about the points appearing on the screen. As a result, they have much more time to
explain because they do not waste time writing a lot on the blackboard anymore.
Apart from this, teachers’ computer skills are much better when they often use
computers to prepare their lectures. The skills are word processing, searching information,
pictures and films, displaying ideas in the documents (Microsoft Word or Microsoft
Powerpoint). For example, they change the font face, font style, font colour, highlight key
words, etc for the documents.
Additionally, exercises for ESP reading are designed variedly and fascinatingly on
the computer. A task is the combination of words, pictures, sounds or even films. The
exercise, thus, looks more attracting and understandable.
Last but not least, students tend to be especially interested in the lectures. Instead of
looking at the blackboard, they look at the screen of a computer with colour, vivid pictures
and films. They will become more hard-working and understand the lectures easily and
positively.
I.2.3.2. Variables that can affect computer-aided ESP reading
In order that a lesson of computer-aided ESP reading is done effectively, some
factors should be noticed. Pennington (1993) said there are three variables affecting the
effectiveness of computer-aided writing. I have read and found that these factors also affect
ESP reading. The factors are the students, the teacher and the setting.
Firstly, it is the student. The students need to get used to the new method of teaching:
Instead of looking at the board, they now look at the computer screen shown in front of them

with a LCD projector. If they want to take note, they need to be very quick because the
words on the screen can run very fast.
Secondly, the teacher is the most important variable. The teacher can only have a
computer-aided ESP reading lesson with a LCD when he/she owns good knowledge and
skills of computers. He/she has to apply a new method of teaching, too. He/she not only
shows their prepared lecture on the computer screen but also explains for the points to make
students interested in the lesson and understand the lecture more quickly and easily.
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Thirdly, the setting contributes to the success of a computer-aided ESP reading
lesson. The computer and LCD projector needs to work well during the lesson. All the
softwares used for the lesson have to be checked in advance in case there are sudden
mistakes.
I.2.3.3. Considerations of computer-aided ESP reading teaching and learning
There are some considerations to be borne in mind for teaching and learning ESP
reading with a computer.
For teaching, the teacher should be dynamic, flexible and knowledgeable of
computer skills so that he/she can deal with all the unexpected incidents during the lesson. A
common incident is the technical errors with the computer or the LCD projector.
Moreover, the teacher should know how to interest students to cooperate with the
teacher properly and effectively. The teacher can instruct them how to learn with IT in class
in advance.
For learning outside the class, the teacher should guide students about working with
the Internet, searching information and assign them tasks to do. Then, students know what
they have to do outside the class.
The students should ask the teacher questions if they do not know how to do the tasks
at home. They should also improve their computer skills to be able to accomplish at-home
tasks with computers.
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