Saturday, May 14, 2011

Communication Technology in ESL/EFL classroom


Technology in classrooms could really help the education.


First we have to know the different between EFL and ESL. The main different between  EFL and ESL  are the student and the location where the English is being taught to speakers of other  languages  for the English teacher.


When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. Technology use allows many more students to be actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills than is typical in teacher-led lessons. Moreover, when technology is used as a tool to support students in performing authentic tasks, the students are in the position of defining their goals, making design decisions, and evaluating their progress.



Technologies are developing almost daily and can be very useful for teaching students. They should be combined with traditional teaching methods and lessons to make lessons comprehensive, engaging and interactive. Technology can contribute to almost any lesson, and make learning more fun and engaging for students. It can also help them make connections to their own world and open their eyes to different ideas and cultures. In short, technology is an invaluable classroom tool.



The teacher's role changes as well. The teacher is no longer the center of attention as the dispenser of information, but rather plays the role of facilitator, setting project goals and providing guidelines and resources, moving from student to student or group to group, providing suggestions and support for student activity. As students work on their technology-supported products, the teacher rotates through the room, looking over shoulders, asking about the reasons for various design choices, and suggesting resources that might be used.


But as always this kind of tool have advantages and disadvantages.


Advantages. 
Increases student motivation
Minimizes pressure and fear
Used as a tool for recycling content
Students work t their own pace
Directed to different learning styles
Social development depending on the tool 



Disadvantages
Teachers role competition for their students attention
Access to equipment/ connection
Technology skills/ training
Time
Knowledge of material





Technology for technology is not a cure in the classroom. But technology can be a part of the solution for our schools, provided it is implemented correctly


Technology plays an important role in student learning in the classrooms of today 


Technology has a very important role in the classroom today and can be used to teach important concepts in almost every subject area. It is important that teachers become comfortable with many forms of technology so that they can use it in the classroom for learning and assessment to increase student knowledge and proficiency.



teachers will not be replaced by technology but teachers who don’t use technology will be replaced by those who  do


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