Modern Technology is for sure a big part of today’s teaching. The technology has definitely changed the way we teachers teach our pupils. You have so many possibilities! You can find loads of pedagogical programs and applications to use in the classroom.
But which advantages and challenges does modern technology give us in the EFL classroom?
Some advantages:
- Modern technology can be motivating. I think this advantage is very important when the young learners are going to learn a second language. Learning a new language can be difficult and challenging, but if the teachers use modern technology in their teaching, it might take away some pressure and fear. The pupils might not even think about the learning process when we use modern technology as a part of the teaching.
- It is easier for teachers to reach several pupils with different learning styles. In my 3rd grade the pupils have many various skills, and I have to vary my teaching a lot in every subject. To make sure that everyone in my class understand what I am teaching in the English subject, I have to make sure that I use visual and auditory support. When we are going to read English stories or texts from their textbook, I always have the text with pictures at the SMART board so that everybody can watch it. We listen to the text and work with the text and glossary at the SMART board so that everybody in the classroom has the same chance to understand the contain of the text and learn some new words.
- It is easier to vary the teaching when we have access to modern technology. I often use different kinds of picture books at OxfordOwl.com, where the pupils in the EFL classroom can get to know English literature and culture. YouTube is also a big hit in my classroom. I use it to show series as «Muzzy in Gondoland» and «Bean Cartoon», and the pupils enjoy it a lot. I also use the teaching book`s learning resources with funny and pedagogical tasks and games to vary my teaching.
Some challenges:
- It requires a lot of knowledge of the teachers. They have to know how to use the technological equipment and their programs and apps before they can use it in a meaningful way.
- The modern technology is not always reliable. Suddenly the equipment needs an update or it doesn`t work. When such unpredicted things happen in the classroom, the teacher has to be able to change their plans in a hurry.
- It can be difficult to differentiate the learning material with modern technology.
Yes, modern technology can really be motivating. At my school, each student has iPad. When I say they will work with it, they’ll find the iPad quick! I have used a lot of Google Classroom when working with text. They are going to share the document they are writing with me. Then I can look into what they are writing as they write. It’s easy to come with tips and advice for change without the others students noticing that now get «X» help .. again.
It also makes it easier to customize tasks. They can get the tasks in the Classroom app and they get tasks that I have customized each one. They do not see the tasks the other students got.
A challenge with iPad is if they go into apps or websites I did not allowed. Difficult to catch the attention of the students then ..
There may be an app to «lock» the iPad so students work with what I want them to work with?
I like that you have pictures and text on Smartboard. I’m also trying to make this available so that they can see and read themselves on their iPad. If the text is also recorded, they can hear it again and again. If they do not know how to pronounce, they can hear it.