Using the Live ABC Program Makes My ESP Class Come Alive

Abstract

One important goal for studying English is the development of communication skills in order to communicate freely with foreigners. Unfortunately, many Asian students study English for years and never develop this level of communication in their second language. The Live ABC multimedia tool simulates English dialogue via computer, so that students may practice listening and speaking with as much repetition as they wish. The computer may select the role and offer corrections. If words are pronounced incorrectly, a window pops up with the correction. It is claimed that this software catches mistakes and corrects them before they become habitual. Furthermore, as confidence increases, fear of communicating in English is said to dissipate, while general communication needs are addressed and confidence develops. Students gain experience in using English through meeting foreigners at the airport, discussing business, bargaining, and communicating by telephone, all within a non-threatening virtual environment. It has been shown (Beauvois, 1994; John, 1995) that through carefully adapting learner activities to multimedia teaching, teachers can achieve the goal of flexibly meeting individual language learner needs. This article further examines whether multimedia teaching (specifically, using the ”Live ABC” method) makes the study of English as a second language lively enough so as to raise students' level of interest and English-speaking performance.