matter more easil y so that it will save the teacher‘s time from a long explanation.
Moreover, teaching aid can provide students with direct experience or real-world application which enables students to learn higher order thinking. It is because by
using teaching aid, teacher can create a possible direct interaction between students and their environment as well as present everything outside the
classroom by means of aid. In short, the use of teaching aid in language teaching is so important and
useful to give students motivation, clarification, retention, direct experience or real-world application, and a chance to learn higher order thinking.
c. Types of Teaching Aids
Actually, aids in language teaching are so many. To make it simple, Alduais divided them into five categories as follows.
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1 Visual aids
This aid emphasizes on the use of vision sense. It is like realia, model, picture, drawing, poster, map, board, card, graph, menu, film strip, comic book,
facial diagram, calendar, table, and so on
2 Audio aids
This aid involves the use of hearing sense. It is like tape recorder, phonograph, radio, and so on.
3 Audio-visual aids
This aid combines the use of both vision and hearing sense. It is like TV, Video tapes, DVDs, Video CDs and so on.
30
Ahmed Mohammed Saleh Alduais, Integration of Language Learning Theories and Aids Used for Language Teaching and Learning: A Psycholinguistic Perspective, Journal of Studies in
Education, Vol. 2, No. 4, November 2012, p. 111.
4 Action aids
This aid encourages the use of physical movement. It is like dramatization, physical response, pantomiming, charade game, party games, rumor game, role-
playing, conversations, physical response, and so on.
5 Multimedia aids
This aid involves the use of many senses vision, hearing, etc.. It is like computer, laptop, internet, and so on.
Further, Anderson,
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provided another category of teaching aids. He divided the teaching aids into ten categories i.e. printed aids, audio-printed aids, silent
visual aids, silent visual aids with audio, visual movement aids with audio, things aids, human and environment aids, and computer.
From all of the teaching aids in each category above, the one that is considered as the most sophisticated is computer. It is because computer can
present students not only, picture but also sound, video, animation, and graphic that can make learning interesting. In addition, it enables teacher to create context
in which teaching grammar is meaningful for students.
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Consequently, in this study, computer is preferred to be chosen as a teaching aid to help students learn
grammar effectively. The purpose of choosing this aid is merely to examine the effectiveness of computer in teaching past tense.
C. Computer-Assisted Language Learning CALL
1. Definition of CALL
Definition of CALL is so many because there are so many ways of how the authors see and understand CALL. One of its ways is by considering its
abbreviation, acronyms, and also concepts.
31
Sadiman, et.al, op. cit., p. 95.
32
Dalia Omar Abu Shagga, The Effectiveness of Using Computerized Educational Games on Developing Aspects of English Grammar for Deaf Ninth Graders in Gaza Governorates a thesis
Published in Al-Azhar University Gaza, 2012, p. 4.
The abbreviation of CALL stands for Computer-Assisted Language Learning. It is a term used to describe the use of computer as a vehicle for delivering
instruction. As stated by Fotos Browne
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, CALL is not a method but a tool for learning using computer. Further, Young
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added that CALL is an aid for teacher to present, reinforce and assess materials to be learned using computer and usually
includes substantial interactive elements. In brief, CALL is a term which is used to describe the use of computers as a part of language course.
The term of CALL has many acronyms such as computer-assisted language instruction CAI, intelligent computer-assisted language learning ICALL,
computer enhanced language learning CELL, technology enhanced language learning TELL, and web enhanced language learning WELL. The main
difference between the acronyms is the focus given to the computer as a part of the language learning process. For instance, CAI refers to the use of the computer
for instruction, regardless of what is being taught. ICALL refers to the integration of techniques from the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Computational
Linguistics to enhance CALL applications. CELL effectively means the same thing as CALL. TELL is an acronym that is mainly used in North America that
covers the same domain as CALL. WELL refers specifically to the use of the web or Internet in the language learning process. Then, CALL in this study is used as
a general term to cover all of the acronyms.
CALL has two concepts i.e. CALL as a tutor versus CALL as a tool
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. CALL as tutor refers to the use of computer as a substitute for teacher in presenting and
evaluating students‘ work. It may replace the function of teacher or textbook in the language teaching. The concern of this instructional strategy is the students
learn in isolation, with less rapport and less personal teaching from the teacher.
33
S. Fotos and C. Browne, ―New Perspectives on CALL for second language classrooms,‖ in Toni Yuliyanto Ed,
Developing Students’ grammar through Computer-Assissted Language Learning CALL a research published in UNJ University, 2010, p. 16.
34
B. Young, ―Exergaming Definitions‖, in Dalia Omar Abu Shagga Ed., The Effectiveness of Using Computerized Educational Games on Developing Aspects of English Grammar for Deaf
Ninth Graders in Gaza Governorates a thesis Published in Al-Azhar University Gaza, 2012, p. 19.
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M. Levy, ―Computer-assisted language learning: Context and conceptualization‖, in Sue E. K. Otto and James P. Pusack Eds., Computer-Assisted Language Learning Authoring Issues The
Modern Language Journal, Vol. 93, p. 784.
