Using Technology in the
English Language
Classroom
Introductions
• Let’s introduce ourselves
• Please share
• Your name
• Where you teach and who you teach (age/grade level)
• One good thing that has recently happened to you
Think for a minute…
• “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, then we rob
our children of tomorrow” –John Dewey (1916)
• Is it important to integrate technology into the language
classroom?
• Explain why or why not?
Discussion
• What are the benefits of integrating technology into the
English classroom?
• What are the disadvantages of integrating technology
into the English classroom?
• Are there ways to overcome these disadvantages?
Principles of Technology
Integration
• According to Specter (2012), teachers should consider
the following when designing learning activities involving
technology
• Learning goals and objectives are met
• The learning environment is useful and reliable, with
meaningful activities aligned with goals
• The learning experience is appealing and attractive
• The program/technology is sustainable
• No harm is done
Workshop Goals
• We will
• Review some interesting and appealing technology
applications, websites and practices involving language
learning
• Discuss ways that your students can benefit from using
technology in the classroom
• Reflect on current learning goals and your use of technology
• Create a plan that integrates language learning goals with
using technology
Principles of Technology
Integration
• Learning Goals and Objectives are met
• What are some of the overall learning goals for your students?
• Choose 1-2
• How do you measure them?
• Tests? Presentations? Essays? Dialogues and role plays?
• How do you know that students have met these goals or
objectives?
• What will students be able to do?
• In what ways can technology be used to help students meet
these goals or to measure students’ performance of these goals?
Think, Pair, Share– spend 5-7 minutes discussing this with a
partner, and then share with the class.
Discussion
• In what ways can technology be used to help students meet
these goals or to measure students’ performance of these
goals?
Principles of Technology
Integration
• The learning environment is useful and reliable, with
meaningful activities aligned with goals
• How do you create a useful and reliable learning
environment?
• Is this environment within the classroom? Are students able
to take their learning out of the classroom?
• In what ways could technology enable students to
extend/transfer their learning outside the classroom’s walls?
• What are some ways you currently use technology to teach
English?
Think, Pair, Share– spend 5-7 minutes discussing this with a
partner, and then share with the class.
Principles of Technology
Integration
• The learning experience is appealing and attractive
• What learning experiences and activities do your students
enjoy?
• Do they enjoy active learning? Collaboration? Writing?
Creative? Research?
• Do your students enjoy using technology?
• What websites do they visit? What chat/texting/social media
do they use?
• How can you create enjoyable experiences using
technology?
Digital Divide
• Sometimes, we implement instructional technology
without thinking about the potential disadvantages for
some students and learners.
• We call these disadvantages part of the digital divide.
• Are there ways to avoid the digital divide for your
students?
• Do all of your students have access to technology at home or
outside of school?
Using Technology for Language
Learning
• Input (reading, listening) =
• input (i) + 1 (Krashen)
• Learned vs. Acquired
• Output (writing, speaking)
• BICS (basic interpersonal communicative skills)
• CALP (cognitive academic language proficiency)
Using Technology
• Output
• Writing
• Wikis, blogs, discussion boards
• Wikispaces
• Edublogs
• Prezi
Using Technology
• Output
• Speaking
• Voice boards, recordings, audacity, Jing
•
•
•
•
Slide Share
Rich Internet Applications
Voxopop
Jing
Using Technology
• Input
• Listening
• Recordings of conversations, videos, commercials,
movies, podcasts
• Youtube
• Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
• ESL Podcast
• Voice of America
Using Technology
• Input
• Reading
• Articles (magazines, newspapers), blogs, literature
(poems, short stories), informational sites
• NY Times
• Magatopia
• Strategies for Critical Reading (For advanced students)
Other uses of Technology
• Using images
• Random Image Generator
• Cell Phone Cameras (Wang, Chen, & Fang, 2011)
For next week…
• Think of 1 specific language goal/outcome that your
students have difficulty achieving.
• Verbs (tense), Sentence punctuation,
• Identify 1 learning technology, and create a plan to
address this difficulty using one of the learning
technologies we discussed.
• Bring these to the next meeting. We will review the plans.
You may work with a partner if you feel more
comfortable.
References
• Schütz, R. (2007)."Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second
Language Acquisition." English Made in
Brazil <http://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html>.
• Shoebottom, P. (2014). Second language acquisition: Essential
information. Frankfurt International School.
http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/cummin.htm
• Spector, J. M. (2012). Foundations of Educational
Technology: Integrative Approaches and
Interdisciplinary Perspectives. New York: Routledge.
Wang, F., Chen, X., & Fang, W. (2011). Integrating
smartphones into a Chinese EFL classroom:
Students’ attitudes, technological readiness, and
perceived learning. Journal of Educational
Technology Development and Exchange, 4(1), 91102.
Stay Engaged
@TempleTLC
Post about your experience today using the hashtag
#custom