english language teachers and their use of digital technology

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Of course, technology is not necessarily 'the answer':
Technology can sometimes be wasted on English language teaching | Education | Guardian Weekly

But there are some excellent ideas on how to use digital technology:

The benefits of new technology in language learning

by Gary Motteram
September 18, 2013



Current word processors allow us to create and re-create our texts until they are fully comprehensible to others. Photo by Arielle Fragassi under Creative Commons licence

Gary Motteram, editor of Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching, explains how the arrival of digital technologies in the classroom has helped learning.

In my recent book for the British Council, Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching, I argue that digital technologies are ideally placed to help teachers working with learners, and learners working independently, to do the necessary ‘languaging’ (M. Swain) that makes their language development possible. We are talking here about doing things with language rather than just learning about language. Swain argues that learners can’t simply develop based on input. We must engage with other people using that language, and try to make meaning together. Whenever I speak or write something, if I don’t produce language with someone else in mind, I have no way of knowing whether others can understand what I say or write. Of course, I need to read and listen as well, but unless I progress to this further stage, I can’t complete the process.

Another area that technology supports very effectively is project work. We have always tried to encourage learners to learn about things through language. Getting learners to do work about topics that are of interest to them, or topics that are taught in other parts of the curriculum (sometimes called Content and Language Integrated Learning or CLIL) is a great way to improve their skills. Technology makes this possible wherever you are in the world. Teachers and learners can go online to read or listen to material about different areas of interest, and can then write or speak about what they have discovered, telling others in the class or other classes elsewhere in the world.

The publication, Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching, was presented at a British Council seminar for English language teachers in the UK yesterday. You can find more publications and book your seat at our next seminar in the UK via the English Agenda website.

Read more: Teaching English online: opportunities and pitfalls.
Technology in language learning | British Council Voices
Teaching English through New Digital Media Topic/Sub-theme: Teaching materials and media | Venny Meidasari - Academia.edu
Computer-assisted language learning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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