Reflect on
your use of technology today and write a one-page essay describing your experience
with New Technologies in ELT. Please, use the questions below to guide your
text in a narrative style. You may include other information you
consider relevant for our course. Share your essay here as a comment to this post and save it as a word document for a future task.
Deadline: July 18th (Friday)
- Can you summarize your professional experience? (How long you have been teaching, where, etc)
- What is the role of technology in your personal life? How do you use it?
- What is the role of technology in your professional life? How do you use it?
- What is the role of technology in your classroom? What advantages and disadvantages do you perceive in the use of technology in ELT?
- How often do you use new technologies in your classes? Why? How do you use it? (Describe the technologies you use and the kinds of activities and you usually do)
- What do you consider to be necessary for a teacher to use new technologies effectively in their teaching practices?
- What are your attitudes and expectations in relation to technology integration in ELT?
I am Marta and I have been teaching English for 14 years. My first job was at CCAA and I worked there for 7 years. Then, I started to teach at a public school where I still work until now.
ResponderExcluirI use technology to be in contact with my friends, to plan my classes, to look for material to use in the classroom and to learn more about the English language.
On the other hand, I rarely use technology in my classroom. I would like to, but it is almost impossible in my school. There are just two computers for the whole staff and most of time, the coordinator and the principal use them. There is no other technological device to use.
I have at least 40 students in class what makes it harder to do an activity in which they have to share an equipment.The students also have some difficulty to take theirs because most of them do not have a computer at home. Some students just have a cell phone but the internet service is just available when they have money to pay for it. So, when I want to do an online activity, to watch a video or to do a listening activity, for example, I have to take my own devices.
Despite all these obstacles, I continue using technology in my classroom whenever it is possible. It is important for the students to know new technologies and to realize that they can help them improve their language knowledge.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Marta. It is really a challenge to use in schools as we don't have the necessary infrastructure. But it's definetely worth it. I hope this course will help you with ideas to overcome these problems.
ExcluirHi! I am Luciana I have been teaching English since 2010. When I graduated I didn’t want to teach because I was working in an international company, the salary was very good and a friend of mine said many terrible things about some schools where she was working for. There were many co-workers that had done a degree in language like me. I thought it was interesting. I was fired and I began teaching.
ResponderExcluirMy first experience was in a small course which the technology was weak. Then I went to work in another and many things happened since then.
Nowadays I have a branch of an English course. It is from my second experience. As a branch I have to follow many rules, but sometimes it is necessary “change” some of them.
I always use a DVD in the classroom. It is about the lessons. The students have a CD. I use the internet in one of the branches to show my students a clip, a movie, slides to help them to understand the lessons, word program to correct the exercises and sometimes something that involves the lesson.
In my personal life the technology is very important. I use it to prepare my classes, study, read the news and talk to my friends and students as well. I use it every day.
To use new technology in teaching practice is necessary many things and they depend on each situation. For instance, there are many schools that don’t have any equipment, there are teachers who don’t know how to use technology and there are also students that don’t have access to technology. Certainly it happens in poor areas. For who, that have access, it is very useful. However, the most important thing is: what is the goal?
Therefore my expectations in relation to technology integration in ELT are: learn the new things about it, help my colleagues and practice everything that I have learned.
Thanks for sharing your experineces, Luciana. I do agree with you that we need to have a clear goal for using technology in class. It's not just for the sake of technology but how it can improve and enhace students' learning. I do hope this course will help you with your expecations and that you can share your learning here with other teachers in your school as to bring some change to education.
ExcluirMy name is Mª Angela. I have been teaching for over 25 years. I started my career at language schools. Then I worked at two public schools (Ensino Fundamental e Médio) . Some time later I began to give classes at a technical school. Nowadays I am retired but I still work at a language school and a public technical school.
ResponderExcluirTechnology is part of our lives nowadays and we have to try everything. I use it a lot but I cannot say I am a technological person. I can only use simple resources. Basically, I use the internet to pay bills, to buy things, to make researches, and to write and read e-mails. I rarely access social networks but I often attend Webinars.
Professionally speaking, I use it to make researches, download articles on teaching, grammar and so on, and to attend webinars. I have already tried online courses but I dropped out because I am not a self-disciplined type of person. Besides, I have a tendency to procrastinate.
Technology should play a very important role in my classroom but it doesn’t for two reasons. One of them is that the classrooms in the school where I teach are not well equipped. There is only one classroom with an e-board and a projector. We have to book in advance, and sometimes it is not available. The other reason is that I don’t feel that comfortable and confident to use all the resources.
There are many advantages in using technology in ELT. It raises interest, motivates, and helps students to prepare for their lives, to mention a few. However, there are drawbacks. For instance, the equipment may not work, or the students may use social network and other apps/tools instead of doing the task.
I often use new technologies in the language school where I work. There I use e-board, DVD, tablets, computer, and we have internet connexion. Most of the activities are prepared by the institution, so I do not have to worry much. Actually I must admit that I rarely prepare extra material using technology because I do not feel confident to do so. And also because I believe that materials must relevant to the ELT, and not be used just to say that we are using technology in our classrooms.
All in all, I do expect to get acquainted with the use of tools, how to search for information, and how to use technology to enhance learning. My main aim is to learn how to learn.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Angela. I do hope that after the course you feel more confident about creating activities (using new technologies) that involve 21st century skills like collaboration, creativity, comunication and that are really relevant to ELT as the main goal of using technology in class is that it promotes authentic learning expeiences.
ExcluirI have been teaching English for about 8 years now. I have started running private lessons and soon after, I got a job at a Wise Up language school where I have worked for almost 4 years. After that, I took a break from teaching and went to The USA to join a seasonal work program, performing different positions ( none of them related to teaching), and lived there for about three years. When I returned to Brazil, I got a teaching position at Brasas Language school but unfortunately, I couldn’t get used to their method so I decided to quit. As a result, I got another teaching position at Ibeu, which works with the same method I used to learn English, and that is where I work until the present moment.
ResponderExcluirIn my personal life, I’m not a great fan of technology to be honest. I use my personal e-mail, Facebook and I also have a Youtube account because I love making videos. I have a smartphone but I basically use it as a regular phone. Every once in a while I use it for internet access. I even forget to check it for missed phone calls.
In my professional life, technology is very important. I use my professional e-mail and work with an interactive board with internet access in the classroom. With this technology we have tones of possibilities to work in the classroom. There are many interesting websites, videos, online games that are very helpful and fun to be used with students in order to improve their learning. I do see some disadvantages on it tough. When we rely too much on technology, if one day, for some reason it is not working, it feels like the end of the world. All your lesson was planned based on your technological tools. Of course, everyone should always have a plan B, but still, it feels like the worst day ever. And I have the feeling new teachers struggle with this situation even more because many of them, had never taught without using technology before. Also, we always need to be careful on what will come up on the screen while browsing through the internet.
In my work, we use technology everyday, all the time. I use the interactive board for games, videos, display pictures and images, correcting homework and classwork with the book software. I encourage my groups( the older ones) to have a closed group on Facebook, so we can share class material and they can also communicate. There are so many possibilities, but of course, to do it effectively the teacher needs to see if there is a purpose on it. Also, of the type of activity suits or is appropriate for the group. Teachers must be careful not to be carried away by all the easy and practicality and run a lesson with loads of fun and no meaningful learning.
I strongly believe technology is a powerful tool to help students with their learning process, you can turn a boring book lesson into something really meaningful to them. Using authentic videos, movie segments, sitcoms to promote discussions and warm up activities. I allow my students to choose songs and activities to be done in classroom( after I have the chance to check on it). I encourage them to take pictures of the board whenever there is something useful for them. One thing that I`m very strict with is the use of cell phone in class. I do not allow them ( except for adults) to text message or go outside to answer phone calls. “My parents” are aware of it and never complained about it. I sometimes create opportunities for them to use their cell phones in class, but still, I prefer to keep it on limited basis.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Rommy.I do agree with you that the use of technology in the classroom should always have a purpose that leads to language learning and not just having fun.
ExcluirI am Raquel and I have been teaching English since 2006 in a private school and a public school. My first job was at private school and I have worked there since 2006. In 2011, I started to teach at a public school where I still work until now.
ResponderExcluirI use technology to be in contact with my friends, to plan my classes, to look for material to use in the classroom and to learn more about the English language.
In a private school I use technologies in my classroom all the time. I can practice all the abilities ( listening, writing, speaking and reading) with video audio, CD or DVD, worksheet, digital books, etc…
On the other hand, I never use technology in my classroom when I am at a public school. I would like to, but it is almost impossible in my school. There are computers but they don`t work. There is no other technological device to use.
I have at least 50 students in class what makes it harder to do an activity in which they have to share an equipament. The students also have some difficulty to take theirs because most of them do not have a computer at home. So, when I want to do an online activity, to watch a video or to do a listening activity, for example, I have to take my own devices.
In spite of everything, I always try to use technology in my classroom whenever it is possible. It is important for us to know new technologies and to realize that they can help us improve our language knowledge and ,of course, each day will become better than the other day If we believe.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Raquel. It is really a challenge to use technology in public schools due to the lack of infrastructure and the big number of students in class. I do hope this course can bring you some ideas on how to overcome some of these problems and help your students' learning.
ExcluirI'm Elayne. I have been teaching since 2011. I teach at a public school. I try to use tecnology in my classes, but sometimes it’s became a hardwork. We have to share the equipaments.
ResponderExcluirI'm interesting in this course because of the name "Teaching English and new tecnology." I think I need to develop my skills in "these" new technologies. So that I could awake students' interest and can also improve my teaching, As I can have a good performance. Uhau!
I only use the internet to see the emails, browse some videos and down louding. Of couse, to help with my classes. However, I would like to be more independent with the tools of these technologies. I like to make my lessons more exciting. In other words, to make it better!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Elayne. I do hope this course can offer you some ideas on how to use technology in your lessons in a meaningful way leading to student learning and the development of 21st century skills.
ExcluirHi, I am Marcela, I graduated in Portuguese. Since this I've been teaching for 5 years now, but I just taught English for 1 year, in 2012. I moved to Rio last year and since then I've been teaching Portuguese for foreigners. Technology is very important in my life; I use this all the time to connect myself with my family and friends, to know the news and for all kind of information, to plan my lessons and study. Besides to use technology to plan my lessons and look for material to improve it, I use Facebook and Whats up to share texts and information with my students. I use mp3 when we work with songs and Youtube to show them videos and work listening. How my lessons are individual, is very easy for me use technology. Normally my students have a computer with internet, so we can have interactive classes. Working with private lessons, I don’t see disadvantage in the use of technology. For a teacher to use new technologies effectively in their teaching practices, I think it’s important to the teacher to know the kind of technology that she will use. I believe this module will help us to improve our lessons and find new ways to use technology in it.
ResponderExcluirThanks for sharing your experience with us, Marcela. I'm glad to know that you already use technology in your personal and professional life. I do hope you can get new ideas and inspiration for your lessons.
ExcluirI'm Rosane Alves. I've been teaching English since 2010. I have worked in language schools for about 3 years, but now I'm only dedicating myself on schools, public schools.
ResponderExcluirIn my personal life, technology has a small participation, I use my e-mail, Facebook, whatsapp, but I'm not very comfortable with it.
During the last two months, I've been using a program developed by Prefeitura do Rio, called EDUCOPÉDIA, during my classes. It has worked a lot. The students, at the beginning, have got excited, but they enjoy it a lot and it's an important tool to get a dynamic work. I try to use it during exercises by playing games or a reading e-book.
If we, teachers, are the link beetween the students and the new. So if technology is important for them, it's important for us to convey this knowledge for them.
Therefore, my expectations are to improve my knowledge in technology, learn different ways of use internet in class and so break my limits on teaching English.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Rosane. I do hope you can feel more comfortable with the use of technology as we advance in the lessons.
ExcluirI'm Flávia. I've been teaching English since 2009. At first, I worked in a language school but now I'm only working in public schools. I also teach Portuguese and History (not at the moment). I consider myself an addicted to techonologies. I'm always connected on internet through my mobile phone or tablet or laptop. I use it to talk to my friends, meeting new people, studying and working, and also when I want to relax.
ResponderExcluirWhen I'm teaching, I like to use them to present new stuff to my students such as songs and videos. They really like it. I also use the technological devices to help me teaching new subjects, through powerpoint presentations or websites, and I also use worksheets I find interesting.
On the other hand, besides having access to many devices, I face disciplinary problems that disturb me a lot. I wish I could use it more during my classes, but my students are not ready to pay attention and participate in a effective way. It's a pity.
I believe we, teachers, need to be updated and prepared to use the new technologies, because they can help us a lot.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Flavia. I am also addicted to technology and believe it can help us a lot in both teaching and learning. I agree that many times students are not ready fr using it in the classroom, but it's also part of our job, as teachers, to show them how to benefit from technology for learning and that technology is not only about Facebook and Whatsup. I hope this course can help you with more ideas on how to work with technologies in your classroom.
ExcluirI'm Marineuza, I've been teaching since 2009 (English since 2012). I started my career at a language school and I taught at English at a public school for 1 year,but nowadays, I teach only Portuguese.
ResponderExcluirIn my personal lif I use technology almost all the time for almost everything (talk to friends, read news, watch my favorite series, study, listen to music, pay the bills, plan my classes etc). I usually use technology tools in my Portuguese classes, as videos, pages on facebook and digital materials and I see it like a big advantage once I can keep in contact with my students and their lives. Using technology in classes is to ally knowledge and entertainment and permit students learn through instruments they already use in their lives out of school. Moreover, it helps students’ social improvement and encourages them, increasing their autonomous learning potential.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Mari. I do agree with you about the importance of using the instruments students already use in their lives and that technology does provide great opportunities for authentic learning.
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