Teaching English with Technology – does it work? Part 1
If you’ve had any contact with youngsters over the last few years, you’ll have noticed that they seem to spend a significant amount of their time glued to a range of digital devices. Partly because of this, English language teachers are often told that they should be using digital technologies to enhance their teaching and to increase their students’ motivation.
But the essential question – Do digital technologies actually help students learn English? – is not always asked. Let’s ask that question.
The 2-minute guide to lurking
Who lurks? Danger, strangers, criminals, and horrors all lurk (according to one concordance). And, of course, so do people in online groups. People, that is, who read others’ postings in online discussion groups or other social spaces, but don’t contribute. This,...
Videoconferencing platforms for teaching online – a short video guide
Teaching live online classes is becoming an increasingly attractive option for teachers who would like to work for themselves, from home and in their own time. However, it’s easier said than done. To be an effective online teacher, and to build up a large and...The 1-minute guide to Internet copyright, Creative Commons, and ‘fair use’
This 1-minute guide (briefly) explores the areas of Internet copyright, Creative Commons, and ‘fair use’ for teachers. It follows on from my previous post – The 1-minute guide to plagiarism. Copyright and the Internet Contrary to what many of us may...The 1-minute guide to the digital divide
After a 9-month break – the gestation period for my latest book (Focus on Learning Technologies, Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2016) – I’m blogging again. And in deference to our ever shortening attention spans, my ‘1-minute guide’ series is back. Here’s a 1-minute guide to the digital divide (mainly for English language teachers).