Websites: an effective tool for learning/teaching, listening and speaking skills

With the development of new technologies, sweeping changes occurred even in the arena of educational technology. The researchers started looking at using the technology in the language teaching arena. The origins of the educational technology can be traced to the 1940’s. The computers become valuable assets in the second language teaching/learning situation as they possess tremendous capacity to retain and retrieve information and when required and also have facility to store voluminous material. In order to teach any aspect of English language one usually needs to talk about like hobbies, the latest news, etc., which one needs content. Unfortunately, the content provided by the textbook is not always of interest to students and no matter how new the textbook: any information it contains which is times-sensitive eg. News, Stories, Fashion, etc. will be at least 1–2 years out of date, this being the minimum time required to publish a textbook.

English language teaching (ELT) is a constantly evolving field adding innovative input into past, the change in a language used to be felt in about a decade, but the gap is reduced in this technological/scientific age. This change can be seen a great deal on English, because of new innovation and inventions. As, English teaching in India followed a one way approach, where the language is expected to flow from the teacher to the taught. In this process, the learner is always at the receiving end, playing the role of a passive listener and a silent observer. The job of a teacher has been confined to some discourse delivery to the learner with similar objective without any kind of interaction of the learners. And the students are able to mug up and pass out the examination but not in a position to exhibit spoken skills, which are of more importance in real life situation.

The fast occurring changes in English, that is, giving more importance to spoken skills, makes teaching very challenging and creating a myriad practical problems. Teaching a new language to non native speakers may be one of the most challenging educational jobs.

Solution to this problem is one of the most valuable things a teachers can do is to help the students for lifelong learning. Improved learning skills-concentrating on language skills, using time and more-are immediately useful and will continue paying dividends for a long time. One of the important and immediate solutions is online learning through websites. And can be used in the classroom teaching also.

There are many changes in classroom environment, when one compares age old teaching/learning methods. But still teachers face the challenges of large population who do not speak English and have high transient rates.

For this large population, becoming proficient in a new language is a very difficult transition. This new process can be frustrating and sometimes painful. Situation of fulfilling communicative needs in the employment market do not match the traditional patter of teaching English in India. Because teaching of English language needs a variety of language experiences. One needs to hear, speak, write and read language.

According to Indian context, learners can be classified as limited English Proficient (LEP) because of vernacular media. So, teaching English language requires much more than the proficiency of teacher. Becoming skilled in a new language is a very intricate transition. This course can be frustrating and sometimes painful. Students learning a new language require as much language support as possible for the language acquisition. English language learner (ELL) students need an array of language knowledge. The learners need to hear language to understand. So that one could speak, read and write meaning fully.