Instant Messaging
Children spend hours everyday sitting in front of the computer. Is it an entirely wasted time? Surely not!
Today I want to focus on the value of instant messaging programs such as Skype, MSN, ICQ, etc.
What do those programs do? This can be answered with a few simple words - they connect me with my friends. (Preconditions are of course: they use the same program, our computers are switched on, they are online and we are signed in to the instant messaging software.)
In the world before we had to meet up with our friends, arrange dates/times/schedules, had to bother with traveling forwards and backwards or writing letters, in more modern times take the telephone receiver to make a call and so on - it all included a certain amount of effort in order to stay in contact.
How easy is this now! Just signing in to the program and we see our friends straight away. We know whether they sit in front of the computer or not - most of the time they do! And they are only one teeny weeny mouse click away.
Not only our children dedicate hours to connect to friends, a lot of adults do too.
I see those programs as a blessing. It is fantastic. I only click and I can have a quick chat with my friend ANYWHERE in this world. It is so effortless and I am able to show my friend that I have not forgotten him...
Yes, I know those concerns about children not leaving the house anymore, not playing in the fields but deteriorating to couch potatoes. This is certainly the responsibility of the parents and the educational guardians and there is no doubt, this issue needs to be addressed!
On the other hand, new technologies should not be damned just because we are not able to deal with them. As future language teachers we should not forget that the ratio for spoken language to written language is still 95% to 5%. So, the benefit of instant messaging programs must not be underestimated. Just think about - Which occasion do you know where children actually produce written text voluntarily en masse?!?!? And they are very creative too! They design new words, signs and phrases in order to create meaning. We can be sure that quite a few of those will appear in dictionaries in the future...
Would I use it in the classroom? Probably not. Our pupils need their own space. Although I would include the internet, computer programs and games into my classroom work I would leave some means to the kids to explore. And we can be sure that they use those instant messaging programs and produce a lot of written communication :-)
Barbara MEd. 2.FS, HU-Berlin
4 comments:
Yes, I agree especially skype is a very cheap blessing;-)! Although I have never used ICQ and MSN, I am a big fan of skype. When a family member or really good friends stay abroad it helps so much to stay in touch and up to date.You don't have to wait for mails and hit the refresh button every 10 seconds.
Lena
I agree that there are not a lot of occasions when learners voluntarily write in English! Skype/IM does provide a great space! But I do wonder when do people go beyond greeting, particularly when chatting with strangers.
I agree with you, Alice. When I meet friends personally, we have proper conversations about important matters....when I use Skype or ICQ, it's very superficial. I only greet them and ask how they are. It even happens quite often that I or my friend leave and do others things online without saying bye, which I would never do in real life. So it is very different from personal contact. However, I'm glad I've got my instant messaging programmes because it's so easy to stay in touch with friends from abroad.
Linda
I do not talk to strangers via skype. I only talk to friends and family members. Sometimes some friends and I watch a terrible show (such as Germany's Next Topmodel for example)and comment on it via skype, which is really funny. We have to express sarcasm and irony in our writing, because we usually don't call each other but write messages all the time. The fact that there is no voice changes the way we communicate. So, I agree with you Linda. It is different from personal contact.
Iulia
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