1. ICT provides a rich and flexible learner-centred environment in which students can experiment and take risks when developing new understanding.
At the beginning of the block round, I thought having access to laptops, an interactive whiteboard and data projector was pretty cool but I had no idea how much I would come to depend on them. I actually couldn’t survive without them in my ESL class. My students are at level SL (very low literacy) so I need to model every task that I set very explicitly because they don’t yet have the language to understand oral and written instruction.
It took me a while to figure out how to use the IWB but since then I have used it in every lesson. It is such an effective way to engage the students, especially low literacy ones like mine, as visuals are something that they can understand without having to explain in much depth. For example, during reading time, one of the students asked me what a ‘jetty’ was, so I tried drawing it on the board with absolutely no success… the blank expression on the students’ faces said it all and looking at what I’d drawn even confused the hell out of me. So I turned to my best friend, the internet, to help me find a proper picture of a jetty to project on to the IWB.
I have found after incorporating the IWB and laptops into my lessons that ICT can be used in so many ways to create a student-centred environment. It enables the students to experiment with and use the language innovatively. It is a common issue in the language classroom for students to feel apprehensive about speaking in front of their peers for fear of making mistakes. The use of ICT engages the students so fully that they forget all about their anxieties and are able to take risks. At the moment we’re doing a unit on animals and today I played a game with them using my laptop + projector + IWB which involved the students coming up to the board to match the sounds of the animals to the pictures. They were so enthusiastic and excited the whole time that they didn’t even realise they were communicating in English.
Incorporating ICT in my lessons has shown me a great way to engage my learners so that they can interact with the language meaningfully with ease and enjoyment. However, I have only used technology in my ESL classes to link the visuals to the written words…so on a very basic level. I can appreciate that when one is using ICT in classes where the students are quite able to learn effectively through other means, then the teacher needs to ask themselves the question: will the use of ICT improve the students leaning?
Hi Lily! thanks for sharing your experience with IWB! During both my placements I have not had the opportunity to use an IBW due to the fact that both public schools do not actually have them.
ReplyDeleteMy methods are LOTE (Italian) and ESL and, like in your case, I believe that ICT can be very useful in creatng an environment where students use the language while engaged in activities like the one you described.
I also share with you the believe that students should be engaged meaningfully. When learning a language too often teachers go back to the old teaching of grammar elements from text books and they forget that a language is meant to be used as a way of communication and only through authentic and meaninful activities this can be achieved.
ICT can support teachers and students in achiving this.
Great work,
Michela
I've been doing a fair bit of observing in ESL classes and the thing that has struck me is that even I, as a native speaker of some years (don't ask) experience, want (need?) visuals to help me with the content of the language classroom. Any classroom, really. Sometimes I think we believe that our happy, clear, concise teacher voices and explanations will be enough to give students an understanding. But I think all levels of learners, from all backgrounds and in all classrooms benefit from visual reinforcement of both concrete and conceptual things.
ReplyDeleteLily, you say that you "have only used technology in my ESL classes to link the visuals to the written words…so on a very basic level." I don't think that we should be downplaying the very powerful role that digital technologies have in bringing visuals into the classroom. It's a simple act, but a very powerful one, and one that makes it so much easier - in fact, so easy there's no real excuse for any of us not to be using it - to bring an incredible array of visual resources into the classroom.
Thanks Michela!
ReplyDeleteI agree, ICT is in the classroom to support the students and teachers in accessing material in a more meaningful way and it is up to the teacher to be proactive in learning the best ways to use ICT for the learners' needs.
That's an awesome point Jo, I totally agree. I am finding in my English elective that visuals are a great resource to have to support the key ideas and information presented to students. Visuals are very useful tools to have in the classroom in order to stimulate the students' thoughts and ideas. I think that they are very accessible in all learning areas, no matter the level or the content...So long as they are appropriately chosen to match the topic and content being taught.
Thanks Jo!