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Using Technology in an ESL Classroom

Module by: Aysha Alissa. E-mail the author

Summary: This module contains lesson plans that can be used in an English as a Second Language classroom, an English as a Foreign Language classroom, and an English as an International Language classroom. All of the lesson plans included utilize technology as a medium for practicing reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. The lesson plans are designed to be used in adult classrooms, but they can be modified for use in K-12 classrooms.

Using Wikis in ESL Classrooms

What is a wiki?

Wikis are websites that allow users to create and edit content. The following video explains how wikis can be used:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY

Before implementing the project, a teacher must:

Explain how to use the technical features of the software

Create a front page that explains how to edit, create new pages, and add multimedia files to pages

Provide examples of appropriate responses

Model how to use the actual interface

Lesson Plan

Focus Areas:

Vocabulary, Grammar, Writing

Grade Level:

Adult English Language Learners

Language Proficiency Level:

Lower Intermediate - Advanced

Purpose:

To give students the practice needed to obtain knowledge pertaining to vocabulary, grammar, and writing conventions

To provide students with an important resource that they can consult throughout the duration of the course and beyond

To equip students with the technological skills needed to advance professionally in the 21st century

Materials:

Computer

Projector

Content:

The content used in the wiki depends on the context of the classroom.

-age level, proficiency level, purpose, academic discipline

Procedure:

  1. After an introductory lesson on using wikis, inform students that they will be contributing to the class wiki on a weekly basis to practice their reading and writing skills while enhancing their vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills.
  2. Create a wiki for your classroom. A sample can be found here:

http://eslonline.wikispaces.com

  1. Using a projector, display the wiki for the class to see. Click on the tab for Grammar on the left side of the webpage.
  2. Explain that each week, a list of grammatically incorrect sentences will be added to the page. Each student must choose one sentence and correct the mistake in that sentence. Students must also explain the grammar rule behind the error in the sentence. Provide a sample for the students on the class wiki.
  3. Click on the tab for Vocabulary on the left side of the webpage. Explain that each week, every student will be assigned a specific vocabulary word. Their job is to provide their own definition of the term they were assigned and to upload a multimedia file that is an example or explanation of that term. Provide a sample for the students on the class wiki.
  4. Click on the tab for Writing on the left side of the webpage. Explain that each week, students will be required to provide a sample of their writing on the wiki. Their job is to then edit two of their peers’ writing samples and to include any feedback on the writing.
  5. Explain that student contributions to the wiki will be checked and discussed in class.

Assessment:

The use of the wiki in the classroom is to promote the practice of reading and writing in English outside of the classroom. As such, the wiki should not be used as criteria for formal assessment of student progress. Instead it should be used to informally assess their progress in the specific areas mentioned above.

For the Grammar section, student responses will be discussed in class and grammar rules are further explained if necessary. For the Vocabulary section, each entry will be reviewed and students will have the chance to explain/present the multimedia they chose for their term. Writing samples will be discussed in small-group conferences that include the teacher, the author, and the two editors/commentators.

Using Blogs and Avatars in ESL Classrooms

What is a voki?

A voki is a personalized speaking avatar that can be added to any blog, profile, or email message. Vokis can vocalize written text, record a user’s own voice, or vocalize any media content such as songs and sound clips. They can speak in many different languages with a variety of dialects. To learn more about vokis, go to this website:

http://www.voki.com/

Before implementing the project, a teacher must:

Explain how to create a blog, add content to it, and comment on others’ blogs

Explain how to create a voki and how to upload it to a blog

Provide an example of what is expected from the students

Clarify that all content will be available to the public – students need to be aware of the appropriateness of what they are posting

Lesson Plan

Focus Areas:

Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing

Grade Level:

Adult English Language Learners

Language Proficiency Level:

Lower Intermediate - Advanced

Purpose:

To give students an outlet to practice their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills

To foster a sense of community between students and teacher

To provide students with an opportunity to share in a stress-free environment

Materials:

Computer

Projector

Microphone

Speakers

Procedure:

  1. Conduct a quick lesson on how to create a blog, add content, create a voki, and upload the voki to a blog. Explain that students will be creating their own blogs and their own voki or avatar to serve as their medium for communication.
  2. Create a class blog where weekly prompts will be posted. Create a voki and upload it to the class blog. A sample can be found here:

http://alissa-esl.blogspot.com/

  1. Using a projector, display the blog for the class to see.
  2. Click on the voki and listen to its speech. Explain that each week, a new voki will be uploaded to the class blog with a specific prompt. The students must listen to the voki and create their own voki to respond to the prompt.
  3. Explain that after each student creates their blog, a link to their blog will be found on the class blog. Make sure that students understand that they are to upload their voki on their own blog, not as a comment on the main class blog.
  4. A new prompt should be added to the class blog each week. These prompts should encourage students to share their interests with the rest of the class while promoting their English language use. Students must also include at least two of their vocabulary words in each response.
  5. Explain to students that in addition to uploading their own vokis to their blogs, they must visit at least two other students’ blogs and listen to their vokis. The students must then provide comments on two of their peers’ blogs.
  6. At the beginning of the semester, allow students to type in their responses for their voki. This will give them the opportunity to work on their writing skills. After a few weeks, let the students know that they must start recording their own voices for their vokis. This will help them work on their listening and speaking skills.

Assessment:

Since the purpose of using blogs and avatars is to create a virtual world where students can interact with one another in an informal setting, the assessment of this activity shouldn’t be used as a means to grade the students on their learning. Instead, students should be assessed by their ability to complete the task, the amount of effort put into their blogs and vokis, and the appropriateness of their responses to the prompt. Students should be encouraged to answer the prompts using vocabulary terms learned in class. This utilization of blogs and avatars to practice language can be used as an informal assessment of student progress in learning a language. It can also help teachers pinpoint specific areas of weakness and adapt their teaching to suit their students’ needs.

Why Use Technology in a Classroom?

Learning environment:

Using technology in the classroom changes the learning environment significantly by making it more collaborative and student-centered. The environment changes from one where the teacher transmits knowledge to students to an environment where knowledge is transformed through student interactions. Students are given the opportunity to create, share, and restructure their knowledge for either a private audience or a public one (Bonk et al., 2009).

Learner Participation:

Student participation in classroom activities is greatly increased with the use of technology. Students are exposed to new points of view and differing perspectives, which gives them the opportunity to think critically and reflect on what they are learning. Using technology in the classroom can promote language production and student participation. It also gives the less outspoken students an outlet for them to communicate without putting themselves in the spotlight.

Supporting Theories:

Vygotsky believed that learning begins as a social process. By communicating with one another, students are constructing their knowledge. If students are given more choices and more opportunities for self-directed learning, they will have a greater chance of being academically successful (Bonk et al., 2009).

Socio-cultural and social constructivist theories emphasize the social and collaborative nature of learning. Students who work together in groups take responsibility for creating their own knowledge by learning from and building upon one another’s contributions. As Grant (2009) stated, “Knowledge is a social product … created through participation in the practices of the community.”

The notion of distributed cognition is evidenced by the use of technology to enhance student’s knowledge as they collaborate and communicate with one another. Using wikis or blogs requires the participation of all members of the classroom to work together towards achieving a specific goal. As students work together to construct their knowledge, a more effective model of distributed cognition emerges and leads to greater educational gains for their community.

Benefits of Using Wikis with ELLs:

Whole-class discussions about wiki contributions lead to collaboration and community building

Through collaboration, students improve their speaking and listening skills while perfecting their reading and writing skills

Activities are designed to provide more exposure to the English language

Information exists forever online - can be accessed in the future and used as a resource

Benefits of Using Blogs with ELLs:

ELLs are encouraged to write about what interests them

Gives them a real audience and a stronger purpose to practice writing/speaking (Soares, 2008)

Fosters a sense of community

Ability to continue class discussions online if class time runs out (Soares, 2008)

Can interact with learners from all over the world – share cultural knowledge (Soares, 2008)

Gives students more time for processing and responding (Blake, 2009)

Benefits of Using Avatars with ELLs:

Increases oral conversation skills

Promotes more student participation

Authentic use of target language

Lowers students’ affective filters

Students can contribute simultaneously (Blake, 2009)

*Sources used:

Blake, C. (2009). Potential of text-based internet chats for improving oral fluency in a second language. The Modern Language Journal, 93(2), 227-240.

Bonk, C. J., Lee, M. M., Kim, N., & Lin, M. G. (2009). The tensions of transformation in three cross-institutional wikibook projects. The Internet and Higher Education, 12(3-4), 126-135. Elsevier Inc.

Grant, L. (2009). 'I DON'T CARE DO UR OWN PAGE!' A case study of using wikis for collaborative work in a UK secondary school. Learning, Media and Technology, 34(2), 105-117.

Soares, D. A. (2008). Understanding class blogs as a tool for language development. Language Teaching Research, 12(4), 517-533. SAGE Publications.

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