week 7: The use of technology for Writing and Reading

This week I read the articles called "Using Internet-Based Children's Literature to Teach EFL" by Larry J. Mikulecky and "Using the Internet in ESL Writing Instruction" by Jarek Krajka. They explain the importance of writing and reading.

  

Something I really learn from this article is that talks about the benefits of using internet to teach writing. One of the benefits mentioned here and that I think every teacher should know is that thanks to internet students can be exposed to real usage of the language. By using internet they can communicate by writing e-mails to other people, including people from other countries in which their target language is the native tongue. 

The second article talks about that internet can provide a big amount of material that we as teachers can use with our students to practice their skills. The article mentioned that there are some websites that allow students to get literature in English to practice their reading skill, and at the same time it allows them to overcome some barriers that were common in the past, like problems of access, and expense. 

As a conclusion, it is our responsibility take advantage of these resources because with internet we have a lot of sources to enhance writing and reading skills

week 6: online skills

Something I learned from this article and that every teacher should know is that we as teachers need to distinguish the World Wide Web from the Internet because Internet is networks connecting computers all over the world; on the other hand, World Wide Web is a section of the Internet.
 

Besides, there are a lot of benefits using receptive communications on the Internet with language learners. Moreover,  these  materials are  available  at  any  time  and  from  anywhere, if students have a computer with internet they can access without any This access provides a virtually endless and free supply of current and authentic materials

Also, CALL is useful to teach speaking to second or foreign language learners. As we know, we can use computers to improve students’ skills. We can see how the use of CALL in a second/foreign language classroom creates situations that stimulate interest, allows dialogue and communication, enhances reactivity, etc. these situations made a perfect environment to develop in a good way the speaking skills of our students, because sometimes students are afraid to make mistakes in front of others when there are practicing with someone else; in that way when their practice speaking with a computer they leave their fears behind and develop in a better way their skills.

In conclusion, we as teachers have the tools to make our classes more comfortable and entertaining for our students using the technology, in order to every student, develops in a good way every skill.

week 5: Technology is a problem or an advantage?

The articles Critical Thinking and Technology by Ken Bain, and Is Technology Producing A Decline In Critical Thinking And Analysis? Give us relevant and useful information about how and when to use technology. From these articles I really learned that we cannot perceive technology as totally good or totally bad. Depending on the way we use it, it can help or harm our students’ learning process.Also, technology could affect the learning process of some students, we have to know that not everybody learn in the same way and it is our responsibility as teachers identify the learning personalities of our students.

Besides, we as teachers, need the technological resources for our classes, for example to project a video about the topic of the class or make a forum to discuss some doubts of the class, but we as teachers should not have to depend of technology, because it does not “cover” all the necessities of our students.

 There is one point mentioned in one of the articles that I consider that every teacher should know, and it is that when we as teachers think about using technology, we should not think about how it will make our work easier, but we must think how it will help our students acquire the knowledge we are transmitting or teaching to them.

week 4: Integrated Internet in ELT

The article CALL Me … Maybe:  A Framework for Integrating the Internet into ELT by George M. Introduces a whole new level of CALL: the use of the internet in language teaching. I found this article informative and useful for many reasons. The main reason is that I realized what a great tool internet can be in order to support our lessons.

Something I learned from this article is that, internet has been used as an information technology, as a communication technology, and as a social and mobile technology. In addition, I learned that internet can help to increase learner motivation and reduce learner anxiety and it is an excellent idea reduces learner anxiety, engage learners, promote learner autonomy, and help in retention, that they remember what they have learned previously. Furthermore, something that every teacher should know is that depending on the level of access, internet can be used as a medium of instruction, or as a source of content.

As a conclusion, this article results helpful because it shows many different ways in which internet can become the best instrument while teaching a new language, the article also provides many examples of websites that can be useful for teachers and students, and it also introduces Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), providing some examples in which mobile devices can be properly used to support a lesson.

 

week 3 Podcasts

As future teachers, we have to know how technology works. Also, we have to know, the hardware and software that we have available for our classes and how to apply them in our daily life. After, reading the two articles. I have learned incredible things about the use of post casting that I will keep it in mind.

I learned that there are some devices that can be used to teach and practice some specific skills. Both articles mentioned podcasts as an example, with podcasts students can discuss topics, share ideas, and learn new topic, at the same time they practice their listening skill.

Also, the article studies the pros and cons of using technological devices as a tool for teaching languages. I estimate the fact that the articles state certain disadvantages of using technology to teach because it is evident that not everybody has access to technological devices, or feel comfortable using them. Therefore, it will be our responsibility as a teacher to find a way to overcome those barriers.

As a conclusion, as futures teachers we need to be conscious that technology is important and useful in order to develop some skills, and we can use in order to teach classes, but at the same time, as teachers, we need to be prepared to give it a correct use.