REFLECTIONS

BLOGGING FOR ELT

The variety of educational tools that make part of our daily teaching must be close to the technological world that we, teachers, and our “millennial” students are experiencing in this century. Apps, websites, and different technological devices are now included in our lesson plans as resources that will help us to develop students’ knowledge and to promote that autonomous learning we expect our learners to achieve. Blogging websites belong to these series of up-to-date resources in our English class.

A blog, or weblog, is a type of website often used as a journal where students, an even a teacher, can publish regular entries, comments, observations, graphics or videos regarding a current topic of discussion or event. For an English class, three types of blogs are suggested (Campbell, 2003): tutor blog (run by the teacher); class blog (shared by teacher and students), and learner blog (the individual blog for each student). These blogs lead students to reflection and analysis and contextualization of learning via hyperlinks (Ferdig and Trammel as in Williams & Jacobs, 2004). As educational tools, weblogs decrease feelings of isolation for distance students (Dickey, 2004) since they raise the sense of community in a class and help to bring students together (as in www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/blogging-elt). In other studies, researchers have found that blogs allow a more creative response from students (Oravec, 2003), for they stimulate out-of-class discussion when journals are read by their peers, and shy students are encouraged to participate in the discussion (as in www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/blogging-elt).

Written works made students must be revised previous to posting it in a blog. In this way, errors or unwanted comments are prevented when using a blog. These activities that are traditionally developed in pages (compositions, opinions, reflections, journal entries) can also be shared to a larger audience when students use blogs properly; as a result, an expanded interaction with their peers via online will promote language exchanges and meaningful written communication skills.

Although it is necessary an internet accessibility in order to use blogs in English teaching, these tools have become important options to keep learners engaged and integrated positively while experiencing language learning effectively.

INTEGRATING THE INTERNET INTO ELT ( by G.Chinnery)

Access to the internet is a key element to incorporate in today’s English language class, as a pedagogical strategy “that influences methods of teaching and learning for students even with emotional and behavioral disabilities by serving as an effective motivator, providing opportunities, and enhancing students’ abilities to engage in self-monitoring activities” (Fitzgerald, 1990).

Computer-assisted language learning is an innovative tendency that, as teachers of the twentieth century, must implement in our educational programs in order to share information and foster communication. In the same way, internet is also a great aid for language learners when it is used as:

-information technology (to develop and inform speeches)

-communication technology (to enhance oral communication skills)

-social and mobile technology (to develop writing skills)

Internet access provides teachers with additional sources that, when it is properly used, can greatly support our teaching methodology; for example, internet can be used as a tutor to offer advice, facilitate analysis, or conduct activities (Chinnery, 2014).

It’s important to remember that our “millennial” students are in close contact with every type of technology, from the most fashionable cell phone to the latest “apps.” Having the opportunity to work in private and public educational systems, I have realized that our students, without considering their socio-economical conditions, use internet service constantly. This situation must lead us teachers to reflect on the technological knowledge we must manage in class, and on how updated we must be with the most recent information that is provided by the World Wide Web. So, we must keep looking forward to those tools and resources that can support our teaching methodology by means of new ideas, techniques, and experiences that other teachers around the world share every day. And, as I tell my group of students, internet is the main gate to a world filled with social and cultural realities that they may use also to understand and to interact with many other people as a way to practice and improve their English language skills.

On Thouësny , Second Language Teaching with Technology,  Graham-Stanley booklet

After reading these two documents related to the use of technology in the English classroom as a resource to promote language learning in EFL and ESL’s students, I have become more expectant on the modern pedagogical changes both students and we, teachers, will live in the forthcoming years.

Setting up the appropriate environment for the use of technology in language learning is a key factor to be considered by teachers. First, I must exactly define the true purpose(s) to use technology: to learn from it, which implies a passive activity in the learner; or to learn with technology, where the interaction between computer-assisted instruction (also known as CALL), and the learner is more active. This last approach is being adopted today by many teachers as an aid for language teaching and learning since it contributes for the reinforcement and assessment of the material to be learned inside and outside the classroom.

Along with this approach, I must also consider other resources, tools, people, and services that will make part of the learning process. A Personal Learning Environment (PLE) will help me create that pathway toward the achievement of language learning effectively for it provides students with the resources, assignments, and even people with whom learners can interact to answer their questions, support ideas, and clarify doubts regarding concepts or ideas developed in class. This will later become meaningful experiences.

            Today, with internet access almost in the hands of every teacher and student, my PLE can increase more efficiently as I integrate more technological devices or resources to my teaching time; for example, apps, websites, blogs, and games. When I include any of these elements in my lesson plans, I must first review the way to be used in the class period, the time it will take during this period, and my expectations on what I want my learners to achieve at the end of the activity. Let’s consider the use of games in my language class. Choosing the right option (educational, or even video games) will enhance the enthusiasm and interaction in collaborative work among my students. After its use, whatever feedback I get from students, or any information from successful research I can find on the matter, will allow me to either keep the game option as part of my PLE, or replace it by a more effective tool that can lead to a successful learning in my students. 

On the use of videogames for language teaching, I will share some statistics before I express my viewpoint regarding this topic. Although it is registered that 97% of kids in America play computer and videogames, only 18% of teachers do use games for education on a daily basis (as retrieved from Sanders, J. By the Numbers: 10 Stats on the Growth of Gamification, Apr. 27 2015.) Besides, minimal access to computers is the reason that 56% of teachers say they can’t use digital gaming in the classroom. Having stated this, I can say I am still reluctant to the use of videogames in my English class. Though the level of enthusiasm could easily rise among my students, I am not sure if they will seriously take this tool as a means to develop their own learning, or just to have fun in class. Furthermore, the American Pediatric Association recommends no more than one to two hours of screen time per day (retrieved from Bhaskar, S. Video Games in School: Pros and Cons, Sept. 30, 2013 in www. edtechreview.in); this means that if I decide to implement this tool in my class, I must think on strategies that include the use of videogames for a 45-minutes class. The activity would probably last almost a whole week. Thus, my options on websites or educational tools such as Quizlet, Kahoot, and even Youtube have helped me not only to achieve some of my course’s plan, but also to work the critical thinking and motivation on my students than what videogames could do.

Finally, it is unavoidable to escape from this technological world we are all living today. The time when electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, IPads will replace traditional textbooks, dictionaries, and even English teachers in schools is closer every day. So, as teachers we must prepare ourselves and reflect on the significance of accepting these digital changes within our teaching environment. More to the point, we must improve our PLE with the most effective resources for our daily practice, get familiar with their management, and find the way to apply them in our students’ activities whenever is needed.