Technology surrounds us. It is ubiquitous. Almost everything
that is done nowadays implies technology.
We might resist its use in the classroom for various reasons.
For example some researchers say that technology helps us to simplify things
and in this way it robs us of the ability to think and act spontaneously. Take
the use of calculators at the maths lesson. In this case I agree that there is no
substitute for sustained cognitive thinking, inductive and deductive reasoning,
or detailed analysis and problem solving. But in the case of language
teaching it might not be so deleterious instead I think it can be quite useful.
John Dewey said that “If we teach today as we taught
yesterday, we rob our students of tomorrow”. Think about this. All the areas of
human knowledge have “updated” their equipment, methods. We are preparing
students for life, a life that is impregnated with technology.
How can we, teachers resist this all too powerful wave of
technology when all our students are computer/i-pad users, smart/android phones
owners and they are on friendly terms with various gadgets.
Since technology makes its way everywhere it is not long
before it will come in our classrooms too. And our classrooms will switch from
this to this.
Technology in the classroom has become indispensable. In schools in Japan, North Korea, USA and many other
countries teachers work with digitized textbooks, there are computer equipped
classrooms, and interactive white boards have already become a common thing. Of
course, all of these sound all but familiar to us. We can only dream about
that. Moldovan schools are hardly equipped with computers and very often we are
stuck in traditional methods not out of choice but out of necessity.
It would be great if every classroom would have an
interactive white board. That is an amazing tool that would really make our job
easier. Some of the schools have projectors and they are good too.
Even though in most of the schools we don’t have either and
we still found a way out. How many of
you use the computer to show PPTs, Slide Shows, videos? We use our own or
students’ laptops/i-pads for showing the PPTs, Slide Shows and videos. I think
we are doing a great job.
Our students have smart phones, tablets,
and computers. Almost all our students are good to proficient computer users,
with personal computers at home and owners of mobile phones from smart to
android. That means that we have an ace up our sleeve and we can be using that
to improve our teaching and to make the learning of language process fun.
They use them in classroom, but not for
learning purposes, unfortunately. We can teach
them how to use their own devices to learn English. What I want today is to share with you how to use the little
technology that we have available for our teaching optimization.
"TRY IT OUT" TASK SHEET
Task 1. Mobile Study
Take a look
at a Sample Quiz: Travelling to the world
of Stars (8th Form, Unit 8 Lesson 1) made using the quiz
generator on the site http://mobilestudy.org/u/49750/
(and http://mobilestudy.org/u/49750/m/
for mobile devices)
You can also
check out the other sample quizzes at http://mobilestudy.org/
Task 2. Teaching vocabulary
Try to
create your own on one of the topics: Pollution, Body Parts, Health, Food and
Drinks, Weather etc.
·
Use the verbs below to make a word search using
the word search generator
/ jump, run, catch,
swim, swing, fall, play, fight, hide, throw /
Task 3. Mind Mapping
·
Read about the types of pollution, pollutant
sources and pollution harmful effects on the environment and people on Kids Research Express
·
Go to http://mind42.com/ Sign
up and create a mind map on the topic Pollution keeping in mind the types of pollution,
pollutant sources and pollution harmful effects on the environment and people
Task 4. Online Posters
Go to http://popplet.com. Sign up. Start making a
poster on Environmental Protection (8th Form, Unit 7)
Task 5. Class contests
· See an example of use on Jeopardy games as a
Round Up for the 8th Form Unit 3
·
Click to find online editable
power point games templates that you can adjust to your lesson topic
Task 6. Web Quests
Open one of
the WebQuests offered on the site and see what it is about. There are 3
WebQuests you can choose from
Homework:
Make one of
your own based on the provided examples
