Posted on 16th October 2019 by New College Group

Integrating technology into English language teaching

In an interview with thehindu.com, Nik Peachey, language teacher, teacher trainer, technology trainer and educational technology consultant, talks about the impact teaching- and learning-technology has had on students and teachers. We’re proud at New College Group to offer engaging, innovative and technologically enhanced learning environments for our students. While using technology in English language teaching, our Techno-Hubs bring tech-based learning to the ELT classroom improving the way students and teachers communicate and interact through language learning.

Does technology make language learning easier?

Peachey claims that although advances in technology and improved accessibility have improved the level of resource available to many classrooms, it has not made the act of learning a language easier. Students are, however, given access to almost infinite learning materials, which compliments their efforts in the classroom. Indeed, Peachey admitted that integrating technology in a classroom helps students think more critically. It encourages them to question what they are learning with access to a “wider range of opinion”.

The Techno-Hubs at New College Group plays an important role in our student’s education. As well as the learning opportunities it offers, it also affords collaborative learning to improve creativity and evaluation.

Truly integrating technology into English language courses

Tech should not run alongside lesson plans but compliment or even enhance them. Here’s what we feel the Techno Hubs and technology-based lessons have contributed to NCG:

Motivation in learning

Technology plays a massive part in day to day life for so many of us, which only asserts the use of technology in English language teaching and learning. Technology fascinates us and engages us. Encouraging students to take part is arguably the most important part of any lesson plan, incorporating technology – especially creatively – could be the element that transforms a dull lesson into a captivating one.

As so much of learning comes from practice outside of the classroom, motivating students with innovative ideas is also important. If a student is interested in what is being taught, they are far more likely to seek more information on their own.

Education anywhere

More than just a Wi-Fi code, having access to technology in education will play a big part in its success.  Again, this counts both inside and outside of the classroom. Learning materials are now so much more than simply reading from a textbook, extending now to tablets and smartphones. Learners can continue to teach themselves beyond the classroom, in real life situations with the use of technology in English language teaching and learning.

Practice makes perfect

For those students who are less familiar with the technology used in the classroom, using it in lessons provides much-needed practice. Technology isn’t set to take a back seat in learning, nor in life in general. So students value the opportunity to familiarise themselves with using different devices in different ways, not just in developing language skills

Beyond Limits

Obviously, technology is not to be used in place of effective teaching, but interactive tasks, text-to-speech conversion and online tutorials allow students to translate on-the-go. Independent learning, with access to relevant teaching material for support. It means more practice and therefore more confidence to push perceived limitations. Students are given the courage to try books beyond their current reading level, for example.

Providing context for the English language

For our students, practising English outside of a lesson offers exposure to English culture, and so context around what they are learning. Opportunities to practice English in a real-life setting are far more readily available. This can be from news sites, through social media, or visit online forums. All of which provide a variety of language use that is difficult to replicate in the classroom.

Transforming education

We’ve worked hard at NCG to understand how the technology we’ve introduced to our schools will benefit our students. We’ve made it work so that not only do classrooms benefit from the latest tools for learning. Our teachers benefit from timesaving, efficient teaching practices while integrating technology in the classroom. As Nik Peachey states in his interview, technology “has a huge potential to transform education on a global scale” and we wholeheartedly agree.