Enhancing language learning through technology:

teaching in the 21st Century:

Pete Sharma

LinguaramaCheney CourtNovember 2011

www.farmgirlfollies.com

Knowledge – Skills - Attitude

K S

A3 numbers

(1) New era!

• Blended learning• Digital immigrants vs digital natives

(Prensky)

• Web 1.0 – Web 2.0 – user content / collaborative

(2) Controversial:Multiple perspectives

Multiple perspectivesTeacher

Student

Trainer

DOS

$$$

School

PublisherAuthor

Designer

Developer

Theory

Corpus linguistics

(3)Technology - changed language teaching forever

(4) Range of course types

(5) Importance of attitude

(6) CALL is situation-specific

(7) Centralicity of pedagogy

• What is it?• So what?• How to use it?

Critical analysis of technologies1) Interactive whiteboards2) Blogs3) Wikis4) Virtual Learning Environments5) M-learning

Interactive whiteboards

Interactive whiteboards

Upside Downside• Memorable presentations• Better review – flipcharts• ‘Saveability’• Range of digital materials• ‘Always on internet’ – JIT

teaching• ‘Heads-up’• Select answer

• ‘cost’• need to calibrate• ‘interactivity’• Promote teacher-centred

approach• Pedagogical value?

Blogs

Upside Downside• Easy to set up / free• Encourage global audience

for learner work• Wash-back on accuracy

• Does everyone contribute?• Does the teacher correct

student work?

Wikis

Upside Downside• collaborative• process writing• ‘history’ to see changes

• not intuitive• not everyone wishes for

peer correction

Focus on appropriacy

Synchronous

Asynchronous

Virtual Learning Environments

Upside Downside• information on demand• appropriacy e.g. critical

thinking• pre / post course tasks

• time-consuming to learn• empty at first• ‘blended courses’ pleasing

no-one

M-learning

“learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_learning

On the moveIn-class

PullPush

Scales / dimensions

Class-set Own devices

Rich content Discrete content

Resource tool One-off

Hardware

• Mobile-phone / Smart-phone• iPod / iPod touch / mp3 player• Laptop / Notebook - Netbook• Tablet PC / iPad / Samsung Galaxy• E-book readers• Learner response devices• Electronic translator

Software plus

Dictionaries Grammar practice Services ELT material Apps

M-learning

Upside Downside• buzz-term• add value• ‘just enough, just in time,

just for me’• exciting apps

• Range of interpretations• Over-reference to ‘apps’• ELT or authentic?

Five controversies• Will ELT course books disappear?• Should schools buy an IWB?• Should students have mobile phones switched off in

class?• Should classroom learners be supported with VLE’s?• Should teachers use YouTube in their lessons?

Practical teaching ideas1) Grammar2) Vocabulary3) Language skills

Receptive: L & RProductive: S & W

4) Phonology5) Games

(1) Grammar - Infinite clone tool

Right or wrong?

“I am born in Poona”“I have seen Mark yesterday”“I am in London for two days”“If I will see James, I will give him the message”

Unlikely-likely language• 40 persons / 40 people.• We're at Stockholm / We're in Stockholm• If we would have done that…….• Did you do that already? / Have you done it yet?• If I was you / If I were you• Charles, you're not understanding me

(2) Vocabulary - Word frequency

Sentences out of sequence

3.1 Receptive skills - Listening

3.2 Receptive skills - Reading

3.3 Productive skills -Speaking“Students should turn off their mobile phones in class”

Vote now:1 – Yes2 - Unsure3 – No

Speaking: Flip-video

3.4 Productive skills - Writing

Wikis

(4) Phonology

(5) Games

New technologies – new pedagogies?• Beyond the ‘wow’ factor• Pedagogy, pedagogy, pedagogy• No ‘magic bullet’• Digital divide – attitude• Technology can be inexpensive &

liberating