THE ROLE OF SEARCHING INTERNET IN LEARNING ENGLISH
By
Mohammad Agus Salim El Bahri
ABSTRACT
English as international language has been realized by people as a vital medium of communication. In international congress and gatherings, English is more often used than any other languages. Globalization era and revolution in communication are now on the way. What is now happening at one place in this world will be heard and known by the people in far a way of place.
The development of technology has given advantages for human life, such as – internet, television, radio, and hand phone, etc. Everyone can use the technology and take and give information.
Nowadays, Globalization era has been in our surrounding, we must be brave to face it. The role of foreign language has been important at the time, especially English language as international language. We are encountered with condition that force us to be more transparent in understanding what is taking place on the other side of the earth. We are competing with the fast growing technology, while the distance among the countries is practically gone. There is nearly boundless relationship between two countries, what is happening now at one place in this world will be heard and known in seconds by the other people in far a way place. It means that we are facing hard competition and we may be not left behind.
Internet as one of proves of modern technology has given many advantages for human life. By searching internet, people can know everything about news, entertainments, etc, in far away place. And internet has also become an effective medium to transfer knowledge, information, and culture, habit even life style.
Most people in our environment think that development technology has brought more negative effect than the positive one, such as – television, internet, and VCD/DVD player. Through this paper the writer wants to tell the readers to see the positive side of internet in learning English
The technology development has been on its way right now. It can influence on human life at all sectors. Information of technology has been used from education sector to business, much information intellectual, practical, technical, and entertainment, are available in websites.
There are many benefits that can be achieved through searching internet. The first, searching is something enjoyable, moreover if we understand about it. By searching internet people know the current things. Nowadays, searching internet are developed a lot and known in Indonesia because of the effect of globalization era on information sector.
The second, searching internet is very advantageous for English students, not only as something enjoyable but also as motivation to learn English. Finally, the students can also learn a lot of things from searching internet such as – grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, style, intonation even culture, habit, etc from the sources directly.
Definition
Habit
As human being, we always get in touch with other people such as- our parents, friends, teachers and any body else wherever and whenever even foreigners. We will find diversity of culture, habit, character, behavior and even language. Diversity makes us know how to adapt and to make relationship with other people. The important thing in diversity is how to respect each other and mutual understanding.
Everyone has different habit. It is easy to make social conflict, if there are not mutual understanding and tolerance each other. One of the ways to get mutual understanding and tolerance is learning a habit in environment, such as - daily language which is used as tool of communication. Habit can be caused by environment, life style, etc. In this chapter there are many definitions of habit:
According to Professor Sir Randolph (1987; 469) in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English said that:
“Habit is a tendency to behave in particular way or particular thing, especially regularly and repeatedly over a long period “.
While in http://www.bartleby.com/61/habit (120107)
A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.
An established disposition of mind or character.
According to As Hornby (1995; 533) in Oxford Advanced learner’s Dictionary said that:
“Habit is a thing that person does often and almost without thinking”
While in http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/habit (120107)
“A prevailing disposition or character of person’s thought and feeling: mental make up”
Based on the definitions, it can be concluded that habit is all activities that done repeatedly for a long time without thinking.
According to J.D.O.Connor (1967; 01) in Better English Pronunciation said that:
“Language starts with the ear. When a baby stars to talk he does it by hearing the sound his mother makes and imitating them “.
So, it can be concluded that Language is habit:
Speaking is mouth-action: so, you must use your mouth.
Reading is mouth and eye-action: so, you must use your mouth.
Listening is ear-action: so, you must use your ear.
Writing is hand-action: so, must use your action.
Someone can speak depend on hearing, but just hearing, it is not enough, she or he must listen to it, and it is not for the meaning but for the sound of it. It means that language is habit. Make it habit, she or he will get it. If she or he wants to speak fluently she or he must have habit in speaking. Speaking is mouth-action, being fussy will make better in speaking.
It is also needed more practice and a great deal of patience in learning English as foreign language. Environment has important role to be success in learning language, because a good environment is not a luxury, but a necessity. It means that learning language needs a habit in environment. So, to be successful in learning language, we must live in area in which the language is used.
Internet
Internet as electronic communications has many benefits for human life, because communication is a systematic attempt to formulate in rigorous fashion, the principles by which information is transmitted and opinions and attitudes are formed.
By searching internet people can take and give information, on the internet all information can be found. People can look for all information through the web sites in which they are searching such as – yahoo (www.yahoo.com), Google (www.google.com) and others. Even people can watch movie through internet. So, the function of internet as information sources or electronic book, because on the internet there are many reference books that are not available in book stores or libraries.
On the internet information is not only national but also international information. So, people can enjoy the information by searching internet and they can communicate in far away place. All people know about internet, but actually what is the meaning of internet:
http://www.webopedia.com./TERM/I/internet.htm
“A global network connecting million of computers, more than 100 countries is liked into exchanges of data, news and opinions”.
“A system architecture that has revolutionized communications and method of commerce by allowing various computer networks around the world to interconnect.”(Encyclopedia Britannica)
“A computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange”
Based on those definitions, it can be concluded that Internet is a tool of communication and information sources that use computer facilities as network to global connection.
By internet, people will get much information, such as - news, business, science, technology, entertainment, etc. By using the facilities of websites through internet, information can be known fast, people also get job vacancy, partner, even pair of couple, because many web sites offer them. On the internet there are facilities which can be used or offered, such as e-mail, chatting and also web sites. So everyone can do transaction and communication through the facilities in internet.
According to Helen S. Solórzano (2006:10) in North Star: Building Skill for The TOEFL IBT, High Intermediate said:
“Due to the development of technology such as satellite communication and internet, people in 21st century are better informed about world events than ever before. We no longer have to wait until the evening news hour or publication of the daily newspaper to find out about current events. Instead, we can get updates on the latest breaking news stories as soon as they happen via 24 – hour cable TV broadcasts and internet news sources. You can even subscribe to services the send news directly to your email address or cell phone. As a result, we can always be informed about important events. In additions, news coverage is no longer limited by geography and distance. Modern internet and satellite technology allows broadcasters to send video and audio reports around the world, so event that were once local now have global audience, and we can learn about breaking news in every corner of the world “.
In this era, internet has been mass media, because in sort time, the role of internet has influence on the way of people’s thinking; include public opinion to interest industrial products. Since the facilities on internet are more interesting, so many people spend their time to search it and use it as tool of communication. Finally, internet will influence on people’s attitude, behavior, and the way of thinking.
The functions of mass media according to Dr. Harold D. Laswell (2007; 32-33) in Televisi Sebagai Media Pendidikan said there are many main functions of mass media:
The surveillance of the environment.
The correlation of the parts of society in responding to the environment.
The transmission of the social heritage from one generation to the next. (Harold, D. Laswell, 1948; 38)
Based on Dr. Harold D. Laswell, it can be concluded that the function of mass media are:
Mass media as giving information about something unusual on public.
Mass media to do selection, evaluation and interpretation from information.
Mass media as media to convey moral value and heritage from one generation to the next generation. It means mass media as educational function.
While according to Charles R. Wright (2007; 33) in Televisi Sebagai Media Pendidikan said:
“Communicative act primarily intended for amusement irrespective of any instrumental effects the might have “(Charles R. Wright, 1959; 38 in Mass Communication A Sociological Perspective)
According to Wilbur Schramm (2007; 33) in Televisi Sebagai Media Pendidikan said mass media as promotion media:
“To sell goods for us”
Based on those opinion above, Drs. Darwanto, S.S (2007; 34) in Televisi Sebagai Media Pendidikan, concluded that mass media has functions. As follows:
As news and providing information media
As educational media
As entertainment media
As promotion media
Internet as entertainment, educational and information media has influenced on society life. They get many things such as – habit, culture, knowledge, and style, etc
Many universities or institution use the facilities of websites online to access data and to offer or to promote to students to study in their university online (internet). The students can register without going to campus (face to face), either national universities or international universities.
Internet as an educational media has many advantages to students to learn any things such as – English, biology, physic, mathematic, and etc, beside that the students use it as reference to get more complete information.
Searching internet is very advantageous for English students. It is not only as something enjoyable in getting a lot of information but also as motivation to learn English
According to Dwi Heriyanto (2005:57 – 58) in Belajar dan Mengajar Bahasa Inggris Dengan Menggunakan Teknologi Modern Audio dan Multimedia said, there are many facilities internet to offer for students in learning English online such as:
Learning English through internet makes students understand easily whatever they learn like grammars, structures, or pronunciation, because the students are taught by sources directly. They can download the websites or surfing the address such as – http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/. This website learns grammar through internet which is guided from College London University.
Newspaper and English magazine are needed to help students or costumers in reading ability and improving knowledge about the problems of world. We need newspaper and magazine as learning media. But we must pay attention, if we are students, we need the kinds of magazine which sort contains, so besides getting knowledge, it is also useful to make the readers are not bored, because the problematic in learning language is being bored.
Newspaper has equal function with magazine, but the language of newspaper is more complete. Beside that, the contents of newspaper are up to date. In internet there are many newspapers and English magazines. According to Dwi Heriyanto (2005:66 – 68) in Belajar dan Mengajar Bahasa Inggris Dengan Menggunakan Teknologi Modern Audio dan Multimedia said, there are many newspapers and English magazines offered online such as :
: http://www.washingtonpost.com
: http://www.harvard-magazine.com
On the internet there are also many online dictionaries. Online dictionary is needed to get many dictionaries easily for costumers, because online dictionary gives the meaning and explanation of words easily, it is more complete than book dictionaries.
According to Dwi Heriyanto (2005:61 – 62) in Belajar dan Mengajar Bahasa Inggris Dengan Menggunakan Teknologi Modern Audio dan Multimedia said, there are many online dictionaries offering for students in learning English online such as:
: http://www.onlinedictionary.datasegment.com
: http://foldoc.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/
: http://www.lowcomdom.com/dictionary/index.shtml
: http://www.global-language.com/century/
B. Function
Language is very important for human life. English language is one of the tools of communication in international community. Therefore, English is needed here because not only English is used to communicate in international community, but also the fact that this language is mostly needed in transferring the knowledge of modern technology, scientific publications, books, newspapers and magazines.
Learning English needs some good ways to understand more easily. There are many ways to study English language; one of the ways is by searching internet. Through internet the students or costumers are guided directly by the sources and internet as sources of information will give easy way to learn English. Guided by native speaker or sources, we get used to with pronunciation, vocabulary and also grammatical structure of sentences. So, the students or costumers are expected to imitate what the native speaker taught.
The web sites of learning English online (Internet).
Internet as a source of information has many websites which will help people who want to take and to give information.
According to Dwi Heriyanto, (2005; 57-69) in Belajar dan Mengajar Bahasa inggris dengan technolgi modern audio, video dan multimedia, there are many websites in internet which help in learning English well, they are:
English education
The British Institute Indonesia.
This institute gives international English course and has been built 1984, the located in Indonesia now at Bandung.
American Language Center
(http://www.indo.net.id/acl/acl.htm)
One of English course which serve to practice English online
Effective English Conversation Course
This institution gives English course, at Pare Kediri, east java.
English In Oxford For Professionals
(http://www.english-in-oxford.com)
This website serves English practice for individual and group
English Faculty at Birmingham University, UK.
(http://www.english.bham.ac.uk/)
f. Language and Literature Faculty at Oxford University
(http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/)
ELS Studies
This web site serves online course.
Literature faculty at Sheffield University, UK
(http://www.shef.ac.uk/english/literature/)
Englishtown.Com
English learning centre and completed with native speaker.
English language faculty at Liverpool University.
(http://www.liv.ac.uk/english/)
BBC English
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.shtm)
Learning English from BBC
PeakEnglish.Com
(http://www.peakenglish.com/index.jsp)
English learning web sites which give additional knowledge about English such as – slang in English.
m. Internet Grammar
(http://www.ucl.ac.uk/intenet-grammar/)
Learning grammar online, this is guided by University of College London.
n. English-Express.Com
(http://www.english-express.com/english/home.htm)
This website serves in learning English online.
EnglishPage.Com
English language for learning ESL/EFL
p. English-At-Home.Com
(http://www.english-at-home.com)
It is learning English grammar, vocabulary, verbs, and speaking with several games.
Online Dictionary
a. Datasegment.Com
(http://www.onlinedictionary.datasegment.com)
It is not only dictionary, but also bible from old and new agreement
b. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language
It is a complete dictionary which presented online.
c. Merriam-Webster Online
There are games of words which easy to add vocabulary.
d. Foldoc Dictionary Online
(http://foldoc.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/)
e. The LowComDom Online Dictionary
(http://www.lowcomdom.com/dictionary/index.shtml)
f. Wordsmyth
It is dictionary and thesaurus for education.
g. Computer Dictionary
(http://www.computerhope.com/jargon.htm)
The websites contents computer word or language.
h. Online Dictionary
(http://www.online-dictionary.net)
The websites give serve about kinds of dictionary.
i. The Century Dictionary
(http://www.global-language.com/century/)
The website serves dictionary with picture and explanation.
j. Kamus. Web
The website gives serve dictionary facilities for Indonesian – English and English – Indonesian.
3. Newspaper and English Magazines
a. The Washington Post
(http://www.washingtonpost.com)
It is a newspaper from Washington DC. United state, which can be read online
b. Los Angeles Times
The online newspaper from one of famous city in united state of American, Los Angeles
c. The New York Times
d. The Washington Times
e. The Sydney Morning Herald
It is a famous newspaper from Australian country.
f. Times Online
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk)
One of newspaper from British
g. The Herald
The biggest newspaper in British which can find the factual news
h. TV Guide Magazine
English magazine which relationship with program and films on television
i. ESL Magazine Online
It is online magazine for English education.
j. C’n S Magazine
English magazine of Indonesia country
k. Harvard Magazine
(http://www.harvard-magazine.com)
It is English magazine of Harvard University.
4. Literature of English - America
a. An Online Library of Literature
The website serves the biography and famous authors such as – Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Mary Shelley, etc.
b. Great Authors of 19th Century Literature
(http://www.2020site.org/literature/)
The website gives information about biography of the authors at 19th century such as – Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and etc.
c. 16th Century Renaissance English Literature (1485-1603)
(http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/)
The website gives information about the biography of the authors at 16th century.
Using modern technology as educational media will get many advantages and will make students enjoy studying. Radio, television and internet as products of modern technology have given easy ways to teachers and English students. By using the technology, learning methods and English lessons are not boring
Reference lists:
Azwar Saifuddin, MA, 2005” Metode Penelitian” Pustaka Pelajar, Yogyakarta
Connor J.D.O, 1967 “Better English Pronunciation” Cambridge at the University Press
Darwanto, SS, Drs, 2007 “Televisi Sebagai Media Pendidikan “Pustaka Pelajar, Yogyakarta
Harnby As, 1995 “Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English “Oxford University press
Heriyanto Dwi, 2005 “Belajar Dan Mengajar Bahasa Inggris Dengan Menggunakan Teknologi Modern Audio, Video Dan Multimedia “Pustaka Widyatama, Yogyakarta
Sir Randolph Quirk Professor, 1987 “Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English “Longman Group UK Limited
Solórzano Helen S, 2006 “North Star: Building Skills for the TOEFL IBT, High Intermediate “Pearson Education, Icn, Pearson Longman
Presented by MOHAMMAD AGUS SALIM EL BAHRI
Now, he is studying at Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University of Yogyakarta Indonesia. He comes from Madura Island East Java Indonesia
