Teach English in Dajianchang Zhen - Tianjin

New Technology in the ClassroomSociety is advancing at a rapid rate in terms of technological capability. Every six months a new iPhone or other HP or Apple product is released with all sorts of new features that raise standards and expectations. Face-to-face communicate between international borders can be arranged with the click of a button. Computers can understand your problems and help you find real solutions to them?and these gadgets can be found in cars, cell phones, music players and the like. It would be foolish for the world of academia to not incorporate these technologies and their many possibilities into the classroom. Students can benefit from digital advancements as much, if not more, than anyone else, especially foreign students learning to speak english. The possibilities for use of technology in the classroom are virtually (pun intended) endless. I?ve mentioned in several of my worksheets the possibility of pen-pals with other students learning to speak english via e-mail. This activity would give students the opportunity to connect with someone learning the same things they are, but who have a different native tongue. Students would have to write in english, because they wouldn?t understand the others? language. And the exercise doesn?t have to end with only practicing written skills. With applications like Skype, students can have face-to-face interactions with their pen-pal and practice their english speaking abilities as well. Skype would also give students a glimpse into an english classroom in another country. They could learn a lot about another culture through these interactions not only in their e-mails, but also with the opportunity to see the posters, drawings, and other decorations that make-up their pals? classroom. Access to the Internet in the classroom is also an invaluable tool. Curious students can look up information they want to know (and get practice on how to check for reliable sources!). Internet access would also be beneficial during many Activate phases. If students were required to produce a collage for a travel unit, they would be able to take pictures from websites to put together their assignment. Internet connection also means the possibility of playing word games on the computer against an opponent. They could play each other in pairs (or with their pen pals) virtually. Games like ?Words with Friends? and ?Hangin? with Friends? are the online equivalent to Scrabble and Hangman. These games help students with spelling and vocabulary, and playing them on a computer may make it feel less like schoolwork and more like fun. Most students (third-world countries notwithstanding) are connected to some sort of online source outside of school. To be able to be connected during school can keep the interested and engaged. Although there are many benefits to technology in the classroom, there are several drawbacks as well. While allowing students to be online in the classroom may keep them interested, it may also give them the opportunity to get off task by doing something else on the Internet. One way to avoid this problem is to put locks on students? computers from the master computer. Teachers can control what students are able to do on their screens through the controls from their own. Problems unrelated to the student or the teacher can also arise at any moment. Machines can often be finicky and Internet connections are frequently dropped. It is important for instructors to have back-up plans any time the lesson plan relies on technology; you never know when it will fail you. If technology is used, teachers must understand exactly how it works and have analyzed its use to understand how it enhances the students? learning experience. There is also the issue of the school?s ability to provide computers, Internet, and the like. Many school do not have the financial capabilities to give students access to these technological tools. But, if or when the opportunity for digital products arises, teachers should try to incorporate its use into their lesson plan. Technology provides unlimited means of communication and connectivity; when possible give students the opportunity to communicate and connect in english in every medium available.