Teaching English With Computers
Computers and the Internet have revolutionized how English is taught and learned. English students, educators and business people worldwide use computers.
Learn how to use computers, multimedia resources, and the Internet to teach English effectively in the 21st century.
Course Overview:
Learn to harness multimedia resources in your school and make teaching English more interactive using computers and the Internet. Using computers adds a motivating and interesting component to the ESL classroom and also gives students skills which are necessary in today’s world for work, school, and pleasure. Turn your classroom into a fast-paced, highly motivating environment by including instant messaging, web pages, virtual chats, and the Internet! Our CALL course teaches you how to integrate technology into the ESL classroom and enhance your students’ learning.
Course Content:
- Technological needs assessments
- Mechanical vs. meaningful practice
- Implementing computers into the classroom
- Using software in the classroom
- Lesson planning
- Review of computers and programs
- Teaching computer vocabulary
- Word processing
- Developing activities for beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes
- Creating a class website
- Online tutorials
- Computer activity resources
Course Requirements:
- Introductory task
- 3 Needs Assessment tasks
- 11 lesson plan tasks
- Computer and related vocabulary assignment and tasks
- Computer program and activities assignment
- Word processing task and assignment
- Class project and assignment activities
- Internet in the ESL classroom assignment
- Website assignment
- Internet research assignment
- Final course assignment
Benefits of Computers in the Classroom:
- Student activities are naturally low risk. The actions are between the learner and the computer only.
- Students are able to work at their own pace, and they can easily move on to another assignment if they finish ahead of the class.
- When using ESL software, the computer is an extremely patient tutor. It is not in a rush nor does it have to answer the rest of the class’ questions. The computer works one-on-one with the student and moves along with them, never too fast or too slow.
- On the computer, students can easily go back and relearn anything they do not understand during an activity. With a teacher, it may take time to go over the information again or it may be embarrassing to ask the teacher a question.
- Researchers have found that students write more proficiently and fluently when using the computer.
- Students are able to learn skills for the workforce as they learn the English language. Knowing computer programs and how to use them is important in finding work and performing work efficiently.
- A computer incorporates culture, grammar, and real language use in the classroom while students gain access to audio, visual, and textual information about the language.
- As a tool, it greatly enhances the ESL teacher’s ability to impact each and every student.
