Developing University Students' English reading and listening skills through online language learning

Abstract

The panoply of technological applications in diverse educational contexts signals a necessity for continued inquiry into online language learning (OLL), especially in relation to its impact on different learner populations whose perception and acceptance of OLL can vary across settings. This pilot study involved over 200 Chinese students in a Hong Kong university and examined their OLL experience with respect to online activities that provided reading and listening skills practice. Results of the study suggest the easy availability of internet resources can greatly amplify students’ OLL experience, while raising four challenges in the areas of online materials development, student motivation, pedagogy-technology interface, and intercultural communicative competence. Possible ways of tackling such challenges are outlined. The article concludes with a view that successful OLL needs to be predicated on a tripartite framework of hardware, software and humanware. Key words: Online language learning. Technology-enhanced language learning. English reading and listening skills.