NARAKEET : Combining Picture and Audio in CALL Class

Combining pictures and audio in a CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) class creates a rich, multimodal learning environment that enhances both comprehension and engagement. This approach leverages two sensory channels—visual and auditory—making it easier for learners to understand and retain new information. By integrating these elements, learners can better associate spoken language with its visual representation, improving vocabulary retention, listening comprehension, and pronunciation.

Correlation with CALL:

1. Multimodal Learning: CALL supports using multiple formats (images, audio, text, and video) to cater to diverse learning styles. By combining pictures with audio, students engage in both visual and auditory learning, reinforcing the connection between spoken and written language. This approach helps address different learning preferences, such as visual learners who benefit from pictures and auditory learners who benefit from sound.

2. Interactive Learning: CALL facilitates the creation of interactive activities where learners can listen to audio while viewing related pictures. For instance, students might match pictures to spoken words or phrases, helping them connect images with their correct pronunciation and meaning.

3. Cultural and Contextual Understanding: Using pictures alongside audio provides context and cultural cues. For example, showing images of cultural practices while playing audio explanations helps learners better understand both the language and its social context.

Designing CALL Lessons with Narakeet:

Narakeet is a tool that allows you to create audio-visual lessons by combining images, voiceovers, and text. This platform is especially useful in CALL because it simplifies the process of producing interactive language lessons. Here’s how you can use Narakeet for combining pictures and audio:

1. Creating Slides with Audio: In Narakeet, you can create slides that feature images and add accompanying audio narration. This setup is perfect for language learning tasks such as describing a picture, teaching vocabulary, or explaining grammar concepts. For example, you might have a slide with an image of a marketplace while the audio narrates a dialogue between two people shopping.

2. Picture-Audio Matching: You can design activities where students hear a word or phrase and match it to the correct picture. Using Narakeet, create a sequence of slides, each showing different images, while playing audio clips that describe or pronounce specific items or actions.

3. Listening Comprehension: You can use Narakeet to create listening comprehension exercises where students first listen to an audio description and then choose the correct picture that matches the description.

4. Interactive Pronunciation Practice: Pairing images with audio in CALL using Narakeet can enhance pronunciation practice. For example, you might show an image of an object, play its correct pronunciation, and ask students to repeat it, helping them connect the visual with the auditory aspects of language.

Example : I designed the task that is "Listening and Observation: Describing and Drawing a Busy City Scene" this task combines both visual and auditory elements to help students improve their listening, observation, and drawing skills. The activity begins by having students closely observe a detailed city street scene while listening to a conversation between George and Daisy describing various objects and actions within the scene. The purpose of this initial step is to sharpen students' ability to identify and remember key details in a busy environment by focusing on both visual and auditory cues.

See more : COMBINING PICTURE AND AUDIO IN CALL CLASS