Overviewing The Programs in Four Different CDs

It is a fact that the application of Information and Technology (IT) has widely developed these days. It is being applied in many fields, like bussiness, transportation and also education. The application of IT in education can be seen through the variety of teaching aids which is no longer depend on books and blackboard like it used to be in the past. Basically, teaching aid is considered as a teaching media that helps teacher to conduct lessons in teaching and learning process. Therefore, it is very important for teacher to recognize the variety of teaching aids, understand the application of the teaching aids and of course, realize which teaching aid is suitable to be used in his/her class. One of the most common teaching aids that is being used in recent classroom activity is Compact Disc (CD) interactive. In this case, the writer has four CDs which contain different programs used in a language classrom. Further, the writer will overview the four CDs based on each strengths and weaknesses as follows.

A. English Word CD

The strengths are;

1. It is really entertaining for the students since it consists of variety of games.
2. It encourages students to learn English better because they are being challenged to win the games.
3. It offers students lots of topic that the students need to learn so that, they can improve their English competency.
4. It will help students to be more foccus in doing every tasks provided in the program.

So, what are the weaknesses?

1. The instruction of how to play the games is quite difficult for students to understand.
2. Some of the games are using the time-based mode which make some students feel uneasy to learn since they already think that they are going to loose in the very beginning.
3. The game “Rescue” is too difficult for students since it is hard to control the mouse.

B. Vocabulary CD

These are the strengths which are;

1. It offers students with several games completed with good sounds and pictures.
2. It provides students with variety of topics to improve their English language.

And the weaknesses are;

1. The language and the topic are being given in every tasks are too difficult for the students.
2. It looks a like with the previous CD which makes students feel boring.
3. The instruction is also confusing so that, the students prefer to do the trial and error.

C. Learn English Beginners CD

There are some strengths which are;

1. The program is really colorful for having many great pictures.
2. It is definitely entertaining the students because it offers different type of visualization from the two previous CDs.
3. It entertains the students through the games which are in easy and hard level.
4. It has a plus point to let the students choose their profil pictures for both speakers.
5. It gives the students real context of English language by providing two native speakers.
6. It develops students’ ability in understanding words and how to pronounce the words that can help them to develop students’ ability in English language.
7. It teaches the students how to pronounce the words in British and American style.

What about the weaknesses?

1. The game is all about memorizing things. It is better to give various games that can develop other skills in learning English for the students.
2. It seems like the program is too easy for the students. That’s why, it is better if the program is completed with challenging tasks and games in order to encourage the students to learn English better.

D. Speak English “Intermediate” CD

Here are the strengths;

1. It helps students to develop their speaking skill through phrases practice and dialogue practice.
2. It offers students with a chance to record their ability in speaking English and practice those phrases and dialogue.
3. It is representing British as well as American English style so that the students can enrich their language ability.
4. It teaches students not only to spell the words, to find pictures, but also to give appropriate response based on the speaker’s question or sentence.

And these are the weaknesses;

1. It is a bit confusing for the students to have different way of speaking in American and british style.
2. It is also difficult for students to follow the tasks since they are all based on the speaker’s instruction, not the written instruction like they used to have in the other CDs.

From those four CDs, the most favorite one is the English Word CD. Why? Because it introduces students to English in simple way so that they can easily undestand the lessons being taught in the CD. It really entertains students for those who are affraid to learn English for they no longer feel the same way. Furthermore, having discussed the strength and weaknesses of CD interactive, it is important for teacher to consider which CD interctive is suitable for his/her students in the class. Thus, let’s improve our teaching by providing suitable and developed teaching aids for our students and let’s create better education for them.