Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Arts and Letters

Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Linguistics

ENGL 3373 Language and Technology

CD-ROM (Subject-Specific Software)

A Written Report

Submitted to:

Professor Mary Grace L. Ferrer

Submitted by:

Mary Joyce Z. Bautista

Bachelor of Arts in English IV-2

CD-ROMs (Subject-Specific Software)

Compact Disc Read-Only Memory, or simply CD-ROM is a type

of computer memory in the form of a compact disc that is read by
optical means. A CD-ROM drive uses a low-power laser beam to read
digitized (binary) data that has been encoded in the form of tiny pits
on an optical disk. The drive then feeds the data to a computer for
processing.
Computer disks read only memory (CDROM) combines speech, text,
graphics, sound, video, animation, and special effects.
Computer disk read only memory (CDROM) provides instant access to
a diversity of multimedia materials that may be used to facilitate
language and literacy learning.
Subject-Specific Software is a reference used to any computer
catalogue which provides evidence to the plethora of software
designed directly to support literacy (Grainger and Tod, 2000)

History
The standard compact disc was introduced in 1982 for digital audio
reproduction. But, because any type of information can be represented
digitally, the standard CD was adapted by the computer industry, beginning
in the mid-1980s, as a low-cost storage-and-distribution medium for large
computer programs, graphics, and databases. With a storage capacity of 680
megabytes, the CD-ROM found rapid commercial acceptance as an
alternative to so-called floppy disks (with a maximum capacity of 1.4
megabytes).

Unlike conventional magnetic storage technologies (e.g., tapes, floppy

disks, and hard disks), CDs and CD-ROMs are not recordablehence the tag
read only. In the early 1990s a new type of CD became available: CDRecordable, or CD-R. A rewritable version based on excitable crystals and
known as CD-RW was introduced in the mid-1990s. Because both CD-R and
CD-RW recorders originally required a computer to operate, they had limited
acceptance outside of use as computer software and data backup devices.

To handle the proliferation of ever-larger multimedia files (audio,

graphic, and video) in computer games, educational software, and electronic
encyclopaediasas

well

as

high-definition

movies

for

television

entertainment systemsan expanded storage medium, digital videodisc

(DVD), was introduced in 1995 (Encyclopdia Britannica, n.d.)

Technological Development by
Year

1982 Audio CDs was introduced

1982 Book on Audio CDs was

introduced by Sony and
Phillips--beginning of the
Compact Disk

Approaches to Language
Teaching
Humanistic Approach

Focus on Communicative
Language Teaching:

Focus on meaning.

1982 MIDI, Musical Instrument

Digital Interface was
introduced.

CD-ROM, invented by Phillips,

produced by Sony

Use of authentic, meaningful

and contextualized materials.

1989 CD-I released by Phillips

and Sony.

Fluency in language is a
primary goal.

1989 Release of Sound Blaster

Card, by Creative Labs

1990 Introduction of Windows

3.0 by Bill Gates & Microsoft.

Focus on interactive language

learning.

1990 - MPC (Multimedia PC)

Consider learners factors such

as age, interest, learning

was introduced.

styles, motivation.

1991 - 80486 DX was released.

A sound card and triple speed
CD-ROM were added.

Tasks relevant to students real

life interests and experiences
(Felix, 1998)

1992 Introduction of CD-I

launched by Phillips.

Shift away from language

usage to language use (Felix,
1998)

1993 Pentium released

1993 a CD-ROM drive capable

of 300KB/sec (double speed)
was introduced.

The teacher became a

facilitator rather than the
person who gives out
information.

Integrative CALL and CD-ROM

Integrative CALL, which aims at teaching language skills in an integrated
fashion, is the valid form of computer use for language teaching purposes
(Torat, n.d.).
The main characteristics of classrooms with Integrative CALL and CDROMs are as follows:
1. Use advantages of multimedia CD-ROM in teaching language for
communicative purposes.

Allow computer to incorporate a variety of media (text, graphics,

sound, animation, and video) by Hypermedia.

Emerge of friendly-user, powerful authoring software such as

ToolBook, Authorware, and Director.

Based on communicative language teaching approach

Built on student's intrinsic motivation

Foster the interactivity between the learner and the learner, and
learner and computer.

Multimedia resources are linked together.

Learners can navigate their own path and set their own pace by
pointing and clicking mouse.

More authentic language learning environment is created.

The four language skills are integrated.

Focus on content and language skills.

2. Allow learners to link to a variety of sources such as grammatical

explanations, glossaries, pronunciation, exercises, etc.
Examples of CD-ROM Softwares (Hallett, 1999)
1. Virtual Adventures

 Students are guided through interactive, electronic field trips via

visual images, animation, text, sound, and special effects (Algava,
1999)

Stimulate interest and invite student involvement in a childcentered rather than a teacher-controlled environment.

The programs promote critical thinking skills as students construct

knowledge in social interactive learning experiences (Moutray and
Ennis, 1998)

e.g.

Richard Scarry's Busy town (Simon and Schuster Interacative,

1993)

Offer innovative language lessons by automatically

prompting students to follow step-by-step methods as they
serve food in a deli, build a house, care for a sick patient, and
engage in other activities within 12 interactive environments.

2. Electronic Storybooks
Short clauses of highlighted words are displayed on the computer
screen and simultaneously spoken by a narrator providing a visual
focus for at risk students.
Users control the pace at which the story pages are turned as they
attend to word-by-word or line-by-line reading cue.
In addition, animation and special effects may improve the quality
of the story model by providing multi-sensory cues to children with
language and literacy disorders who might otherwise ignore
important contextual information
e.g. Living Books

Electronic versions of either narrative or expository texts that

combine high quality animations and graphics with speech,
sound, music, and special effects.

Packaged with both the traditional hard copy and the electronic
CD-ROM.

References:
Books
Grainger, Teresa & Tod, Janet. (2000) Inclusive Educational Practice-Literacy.
London: David
Fulton Publishers.
Journals
Hallett, Terry L. (1999). Multimedia Materials for Language and Literacy
Learning. Reading
Horizons. 40, 2.
Online Resources
Encyclopdia Britannica. (n.d.). CD-ROM. Encyclopdia Britannica Website.
Retrieved from
http://www.britannica.com/technology/CD-ROM
Torat, Bamrung. (n.d.). Compute-Assisted Language Learning: An Overview.
Retrieved from
http://web.warwick.ac.uk/CELTE/tr/ovCALL/booklet1.htm