MALL and CALL technologies as means to enhance learning English in Higher Learning Institutions: challenges and strategies to develop students’ speaking skills.

Abstract

Many graduates leave Higher Learning Institutions incompetent in communication skills in English and, thus, fail to successfully compete on the labor market. This thesis aims to examine the contribution of MALL and CALL as new technologies to teach English speaking skills in Rwanda Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs). The research was conducted in seven HLIs. The HLIs located in Kigali city were chosen using simple random sampling while HLIs from provinces were selected using purposive sampling. Questionnaire and interviews were used to sound out views of informants about the issue. One hundred and forty (140) informant students and ten (10) Lecturers gave their views. The results of the study reveal that the methodology used currently in HLIs leads to the traditional approach focusing on grammar and vocabulary, because of a large number of students and a short time allocated to the English programmes. Consequently, students lack opportunities to practise speaking skills. All interviewees (100%) stated that MALL and CALL may improve speaking skills. Thus, students should be given tasks that involve speaking to upgrade their accuracy and fluency even outside the classroom. In this regard, the classroom will not be the only source of learning. However, the impact of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) on speaking skills will be felt if the strategies proposed in this thesis to overcome the challenges have been adopted. Those strategies include, among others, closely monitoring tasks given to students, training lecturers in ICT, financial assistance to students, well equipped language laboratories and commitment of lecturers and students. Stakeholders of HLI should also work together to facilitate the use of MALL and CALL to promote the English speaking skill in HLIs.