Technology and Collaboration

ECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE

SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING

Studies reveal that the integration of computer technology can be used

to improve language development and collaboration. It can also help

solve the problems in collaboration when conducting traditional

language activities.

Teachers can benefit from using online collaboration tools to improve

students' comprehension and production skills by providing them tools or

platforms for students where they can improve their written and spoken production.

With online collaborative tools, students can improve their writing skills receive more language input from their peers which can model for their own language development. It can also help with improving the attention span of the students and help them work engaged and motivated.

1. Increases motivation which is key in language learning.

Computer-generated materials are more engaging than textbooks.

2. Mobility offers to learn the language from anywhere.

3. Promotes online collaboration which develops communication

skills such as Speaking, Listening and functions within the

communicative language.

4. Improves written production. This can create awareness of the right use and choice of words. Students receive more written input through their friends' responses or the presented text. Some tools provide correction of words. Teachers can make real-time error corrections so errors don't fossilize.

5. Students learn in a context, making the language learning more effective.

6. Provides a richer environment where students engage in various skills such as listening, reading, and writing activities. For example, students can read more complex text types and different grammatical features.

How can technology promote online collaboration in ESL classrooms?

Popular media and new technologies can help ELLs develop both print literacy and 21st-century skills.

Teachers can use various technology tools to create opportunities for the use of communicative language.

Here are some examples of online collaborative tools that can be found online that can benefit ESL learners' language development:

-Using GoogleDocs to share documents and work on the documents simultaneously. ESL students get more input through working together and seeing others' work.

-Spiral for project collaboration and formative assessment

-Storium Edu for collaborative writing game

-Classcraft promoting collaboration and motivation

-Creating Webquests

-Edmodo for online classroom collaboration

-miro for online white-board collaboration

HOW TO SUPPORT new literacy and ICT SKILLS?

Using technology as part of 21st-century learning can help students develop new literacy and ICT skills. ESL teachers can promote the reading of fiction texts, online discussion boards, social networking sites, fan communities, and video gaming in online spaces to improve new literacy skills. Student portfolios, student-made blogs, Wikis, and podcasts are shown to support ICT skills.

Infographics are the 21st century way of reading and interpreting data. It helps students to critically think about data, an idea, or information. Learners can collaboratively make meaning through reading an infographic and extract data. Through creating their own infographic, learners develop their high-order skills and research skills through finding data and conveying it to an audience.

Here are some resources to support ESL learner's language, new Literacy and ICT skills.