Globalization and Language Education:
How Internet Changes the Way We Teach and Learn Languages?
Dr. Tim Xie
California State University, Long Beach
June 2008
Email: txie@csulb.edu
Virtual office: http://xietianwei.net
Globalization
Globalization – a process by which the people of the world are unified into a single society and
functioning together (Chomsky, 2006). This process is a combination of economic,
technological, sociocultural and political forces (Sheila L. Croucher, 2004) (see Wikipedia)
The development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade,
free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets
Localization (Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary)
Need of common language(s) – lingua franca and language localization
English is not only a system communication but the preeminent language of science,
technology and medicine. It has become the lingua franca of the 21st century, much as Latin
was the common tongue of the Roman Empire. By 2010 there could be around 2 billion people
learning English, according to a new report commissioned by the British Council. (Asian
Economic News, Feb 20, 2006).
China - the globalization caused rapid development of TESL in China. ESL students currently
reach 300 million.
On the other hand, the rapid economic development in China attracted about 400 thousand
overseas students learning Chinese on the mainland (Deng, 2006)
Chinese may become a most popular foreign language to learn in Asia.
Language localization: The process of translating a product into different languages or
adapting a language for a specific country or region.
Number of other speakers: Currently, 1 billion speak Chinese and 372 million speak English as
their mother tongue, respectively. According to the English Company (UK), in 2050 the world
will hold 1.4 billion native speakers of Chinese, 556 million of Hindi and Urdu, 508 million of
English, 486 million Spanish and 482 million Arabic. (Yang, 2006)
1 of 6
Arabic Thai
Chile
Japan
China
Conclusion: The need of language learning is greater than ever
How Internet Impacts Language Education?
World Internet Users (as of December 2007): 1,319,872,109
2 of 6
Growth between 2000-2007 average 265.6%, the fasted growth is in the middle east 920.2%
Source: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
3 of 6
Singhal (1997) discussed the potential benefits of the Internet and how it can be used in the
second or foreign language classroom. She indicates that Internet is not only a new tool of
communication, but also a teaching and learning tool.
What is used for language teaching and learning?
LeLoup and Ponterio (2001) listed a number of Internet applications that can be used
to enrich the foreign language classroom. These applications include email, mailing list,
e-journals, World Wide Web, streaming audio and video, search engines, remote access
to libraries and database, chat, audio and video conferencing and messaging, web
course management, etc.
Categorization of applications:





Information resources - Web directories, searchable database (general - Eric, Google,
Informaworld. Language education pecific - Merlot), online textbooks and learning
materials (including audio and video – Podcasting, YouTube)
Communication – asynchronous email, discussion forum and blog (including voice
email like Wimba and YackPack); synchronous instant messengers (MSN, Yahoo)
Internet telephony programs (Skype, Voipstunt)
Collaborative learning – Document sharing, editing and publishing (writeboard.com,
docs.google.com)
Learning tools - online dictionary, glossing engine, character animation, text-to-speech,
concordancer, etc
Virtual classroom and office for online learning and long distance education
(Elluminate, WizIq, webex, etc)
What changes are taking place?

The way of class preparation and presentation changed (including testing) – from pen
and paper (textbook, handouts, tests) to keyboard and screen (media) PPT, ePlan, eText,
AP Chinese

The way of teaching and learning changed from one way delivery to two way
interaction/communication (transnational). Not only between teachers and students
(Blogs, discussions, email), but also between the students and native speakers of the
target languages or learners elsewhere (Laowai Blog)
http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/1237912290 - a blog by a French

The place of teaching and learning changed – from fixed classrooms and time to
anywhere and anytime. Classrooms, labs, online exercises and tests, virtual classroom
teaching, virtual office hours and tutoring.
What are the advantages?
Aydin (2001) summarized the research results on advantages of using the Internet in language
teaching and learning.

Helping learners to gain more input (Kitao, 1998).
4 of 6



Increase of synchronous and asynchronous communication (Kern, 1995; Warschauer
and Healey, 1998).
Giving the opportunity to construct knowledge together by expressing themselves in
print and then assessing, evaluating, comparing, and reflecting on their own views and
those of others (Warschauer, 1997).
Communication with native speakers allows learners to practice specific skills such as
negotiating, persuading, clarifying meaning, requesting information, and engaging in
true-life, authentic discussion (Aydin, 2001).
What are the problems?




Accessibility and inequity – the internet is not always accessible by all learners and
teachers.. 75.6% in Sweden vs 4.5% in Kenya (The Word Bank, 2004)
Internet unfamiliarity – some teachers and students are not familiar with the Internet.
Not all topics are suitable for school children. (Aydin, 2001)
Information explosion – The increasing amount of information generally makes
learners confused while they try to reach specific information (Chafe, 1999).
What will be in the future?

Technological development – unpredictable

Normalization – Bax (2003) proposed three stages of CALL: restricted, open and
integrated CALL. At the final stage everything in “normalized”. The technology is
invisible, hardly even recognized as a technology, taken for granted in everyday life.

Very important quote: “CALL will reach this state when computers (probably very
different in shape and size from their current manifestation) are used every day by
language students and teachers as an integral part of every lesson, like a pen or a book.
Teachers and students will use them without fear or inhibition, and equally without an
exaggerated respect for what they can do. They will not be the centre or any lesson, but
they will play a part in almost all. They will be completely integrated into all other
aspects of classroom life, alongside coursebooks, teachers and notepads. They will go
almost unnoticed.” “Most importantly, CALL will be normalized when computers are
treated as always secondary to learning itself, when the needs of learners will be
carefully analysed first of all, and then the computer used to serve those needs.” (Bax,
2003)

Think globally and act locally -
Reference
Aydin, Selami. (2001). The Use of the Internet in ESL Learning: Problems, Advantages and
Disadvantages. Humanising Language Teaching. Year 9; Issue 1. Retrieved February 3,
2008 from http://www.hltmag.co.uk/jan07/sart02.htm.
Bax, S. (2003). CALL — past, present and future. System, Vol. 31. pp.13–28.
5 of 6
Chafe, Allison. (1999). Effective use of the Internet in Second Language Education: Benefits,
Challenges and Guidelines for Teachers. Retrieved February 3, 2008 from
http://www.cdli.ca/~achafe/Internetinclassroom.html
Chomsky, Noam. (2006). Chats with Washington Post readers, The Washington Post, March
24. Retrieved March 24, 2008 from http://www.chomsky.info/debates/20060324.htm
Croucher, Sheila L (2004). Globalization and Belonging: The Politics of Identity a Changing
World. Rowman & Littlefield.p.10
Deng, Shizhong. (2006). TCSL and TESL in China. US-China Education Review, Volume 3,
No.8. ISSN1548-6613, USA. Retrieved March 12, 2008 from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/
2b/5e/6a.pdf
Kern, R. (1995). Restructuring classroom interaction with networked computers: Effects on
quantity and quality of language production. Modern Language Journal, 79(4), 457476.
Kitao, S. K. (1998). Interaction and on-line synchronous communication in English language
learning, CALL-EJ. Retrieved February 3, 2008 from
http://www.lerc.ritsumei.ac.jp/callej/3-1/kkitao.html.
LeLoup, Jean W. and Ponterio, Robert. (2001). Enhancing Authentic Language Learning
Experiences through Internet Technology. ERIC Digest 2/6 ED442277. Retrieved
February 3, 2008 from http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-1/internet.html.
Singhal, Meena. (1997). The Internet and Foreign Language Education: Benefits and
Challenges. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. 3, No. 6. Retrieved February 3, 2008 from
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Singhal-Internet.html.
Warschauer, M. (1997). Computer-Mediated Collaborative Learning: Theory and Practice.
Modern Language Journal, 81(3), 470-481.
Warschauer, M., & Healey, D. (1998). Computers and language learning: An overview.
Language Teaching, 31, 57-71.
Yang, Sung Chul . (2006). English Language and Globalization. Talk at new faculty members’
orientation workshop, sponsored by the Korea University’s Center for Teaching &
Learning , Sheraton Grand Walker Hill Hotel on February 24, 2006. Retrieved March 5,
2008 from
http://www.koreadis.ac.kr/bbs/pds/EnglishLanguageandGlobalization1_2.doc
6 of 6