Faculty of Humanities, Universidad Mariano Gálvez, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Technology Literacy, Language Learning & ESP:
An Overview of the Levels of Technology Implementation
In lieu of random uses of technology in one’s daily teaching, LoTi prepares ELT instructors to venture themselves into b-learning scenarios. We can be certain that the new trends in education today are moving us towards b-learning environments that encourage students to develop their language skills and competences autonomously. Students today do come into our classrooms, but they do develop lots of online assignments such as PBL tasks (WebQuest sample used at Universidad Latina in Costa Rica).
Bearing in mind that the effective use of technology is necessary to enhance and consolidate language learning, teachers must be certain that technology can be used not only in a regular EFL/ESL class, but also in any type of ESP courses at language schools and universities. First of all, as stated above, “teachers must be technologically competent to teach students and model –for them- a given behavior” with a given piece of technology or Web 2.0 tool. If technologically-competent teachers can take their pupils into using these resources appropriately the produce that will be yielded in this new learning scenarios / practices will be superb!
Conference attendants were also presented with diverse ways of applying these technological resources. Among the variety of technological applications provided for the plenary audience, they were provided with (a) reading blogs developed by students at Universidad Latina in Costa Rica (see Sample Blog 1 and Sample Blog 2) and (b) class wikis, -a type of LMS, to manage one’s students learning and accomplishment of teaching/learning objectives (i.e. Reading Skills Class Wiki). The use of these tools imply –from a LoTi Profile point of view- the teachers’ mastery of the resources to troubleshoot and assist students when needed.
Part of the plenary conclusion was to encourage teachers to master the technological resources they have in their schools or institutions, and then to fully develop themselves in terms of the LoTi Profile given to them. As soon as they begin to advance in their LoTi Profile development, Guatemalan teachers, as any other ELT professional, can start creating, implementing, and assessing their ESP tasks and activities with their students to greatly promote memorable learning experiences that will satisfy school administrators, teachers, and students alike.
To fully develop and comprehend this teaching issue, it’s advisable to research and expand these areas:
1 | The LoTi Profile |
2 | How to develop technological competencies in ELT teachers |
3 | B-Learning in ELT |
4 | Project-Based Learning in language learning |
5 | Web 2.0 in ESP teaching scenarios |
- Julie Harris, OUP Guatemala
- Mercilinda Ortiz, Faculty of Humanities, UMG
- Philip Haines, OUP Mexico
- Erick Morales, OUP Guatemala
- Alonzo Ramírez, OUP Guatemala
- Gerardo Cortez, the big boss, OUP Guatemala
ELT Instructor & Trainer based in Costa Rica
@jonacuso – Twitter
Other blogs I often write for my students at the university are:
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Great blog. All posts have something to learn. Your work is very good and i appreciate you and hopping for some more informative posts. Desentupidora de Caixa de Gordura