COMPARING CD PROGRAMS

TASK of ICT
ANALYZING THE ADVANTAGES AND THE WEAKNESSES OF FOUR
CD PROGRAMS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH INTERACTIVELY
By Jasmansyah


I. INTRODUCTION
In the last few years, IT (Information and Technology) had influenced in whole aspect of human life. It influenced the education field too. Further, the implementation of IT in education is the developing of many kinds of media in teaching and learning activity. Many programs had been offered to the teacher for helping them along the teaching and learning process.
However, not the entire program that had been offered is appropriate in applying in the class. Sometimes, it needs many adjustments. So, in this paper, the writer will explain the strengths and weaknesses for each program in order to discover the best program for teaching and learning activity.

II. THE RESULT OF COMPARING FOUR CD
1. EASY TO SING
a. The Strengths:
1. This program is interesting because the students can sing together. It happens because the song was completed by the text.
2. It can diminish the boringness along the teaching learning activities
3. It can melt the frozen situation between teacher and student
4. It is not only fun but also the students get some vocabularies from the song indirectly.
5. They can learn new concept (structure and vocabularies) unconsciously
6. It is easy to remember because of fun
7. It can drill the students’ pronunciation unconsciously.

b. The weaknesses:
1. It will be boring if the song was played more than three times;
2. Sometimes, not all the songs are using a good structure and vocabularies. So, the teacher should be careful in choosing the good song;
3. It is rather difficult to adjust between the materials that had learned in class with the song. Sometimes, not only the material but the meaning of the song should be more paid attention by the teacher.

2. SPEAK ENGLISH
a. The Strengths:
1. This program is interesting, simple and easy to operate;
2. It gives a good example by using the illustration of the native speaker;
3. There is a students’ record so it gives a chance to the students to measure their ability in speaking;
4. It gives the differentiations of two cultures (British and American style), so it will enrich the students’ language. It happens because of various style of language;
5. It is a good media for teaching speaking;
6. This program is good in designing the material because it uses the contextualized situation;

b. The weaknesses:
1. It is less written instruction so at the first time, it will make the users confuse to use it;
2. It makes the students confuse because of the using of two styles of languages;
3. LEARN ENGLISH
a. The Strengths:
1. By using this program, the students will be asked to learn by playing. This program is using the concept learning by playing indirectly;
2. The program is using the good steps in giving material because it is started with the example, speaking practice then the follow up giving the games;
3. Interesting, full of color, simple to use;
4. Good in organizing material because based on one topic

b. The weaknesses:
1. Too focus on speaking meanwhile the topic of CD is about learning English;
2. There is no written instruction;
3. It is too fast in speaking practice so it does not give a chance to repeat;
4. It is better to include four skills in that CD not only for speaking and listening nut also for reading and writing;
5. It is too much game, so it will be afraid if the students directly to play games rather than learn the material first.
4. ISSUE IN ENGLISH
a. The Strengths:
1. This CD was completed with the syllabus of teaching so it will make the teacher and learner easier in searching the appropriate material;
2. This program is created to measure four skills in language – listening, speaking, reading and writing;
3. The program is interesting and stimulating the learner to try it. It happens because the program was arranged per topic;
4. The program is good in giving the feed-back or reward to the students who give the right answer.

b. The weaknesses:
1. It will easy for students to guess the right answer because the program was set up by giving many changes to the students in picking up the right answer;
2. In the end of program, there is no total score for each competence;
3. It is rather complicated to run this program;
4. The program does not appropriate for using in a big class. It can be used if only the students have their own personal computer

III. THE CONCLUSION
In teaching English as foreign language, media is an important role in achieve a target of teaching English for learners. The availability of CD programs in English learning, will bring new atmosphere in the process of learning, and will make the learning process become more useful, fun, and attractive. By using media (for example: CD program) will gives big chance for the students to practice and also knowledge about all of the competence in English includes listening, speaking, reading and writing in many types of test. It also gives reinforcement and reward for the students who give the right answer. Dealing with some CD programs in teaching and learning English, they have some advantages and also weaknesses. The advantages and the weaknesses of four CD programs that had been discussed before, could be seen as a field to learn and improve it become better and better, by creating new programs that help students in learning English.