ESL Students and Technology



ESL Students and Technology

By Carolyn Bock

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carolynbock@

EDUC 509 Computers and Technology

Holy Family University

Summer II, 2003

June 14, 2003

In today’s elementary school classrooms, students are becoming more and more competent with the use of technology. Students as young as second grade are utilizing computers to search the Internet, create Power Point presentations, and send e-mails to teachers through classroom websites. Learning to use technology is an essential part of all children’s school careers, including those students who speak English as a second language (ESL students). This research paper will show how ESL students can utilize technology and how teachers can incorporate technology into the lives of these particular students.

Before demonstrating the uses of particular websites to enhance the education of ESL students through technology, we must first understand the foundation and reasons behind the need for ESL students to learn and utilize technology. TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) presents standards that encourage the use of technology to enhance the learning experience of ESL students. This article first points out the general ways in which technology can be utilized by both ESL teachers and students. It then points to the reasons why using technology with ESL students is key part to their school careers. Visit the following website for the full article:

Teachers have chosen a variety of technologies to help in educating ESL students. In some instances the older technologies of audiotapes, language masters, televisions, and videotapes are still utilized. Audiotapes are used in listening centers, and in some cases with home projects. Language masters are still used as listening and speaking centers in some classrooms. The common technologies of television and videotapes are valuable learning tools, when used appropriately. With previewing, viewing, and post-viewing activities included, a wide array of activities can be used with video and television that provide both auditory and visual language experiences.

The emerging technologies of computers and multimedia provide opportunities for even more learning experiences for ESL students. Word processing, e-mail, computer software, the Internet, and the World Wide Web are all sources of more and different learning activities. The interactive nature of multimedia provides new ways to enhance the learning experience of ESL students.

Teachers use multimedia with ESL students for a variety of reasons. The text, graphics, video, and audio encourage immersion in language. The nonjudgmental aspect of technology is comforting for these students. The individualization, instant feedback, and assessment components of many software packages are all positive factors. Students are motivated when using technology, especially the new emerging technologies. They feel empowered and often content is more accessible to them.

Many factors need to be considered when evaluating multimedia. It should be easy to use and to navigate. It should be consistent with the knowledge we have about ESL students’ learning needs. Software should be appealing and, of course, it should have a purpose.

Technology is a valuable part of all students’ learning and education. It can be an integral factor in the ESL student’s learning. Not only can technology, and particularly the emerging technologies, assist in the acquisition of language skills, but also technology can aid in the all important task of aiding students in the mastering of curriculum content in English. When appropriate preparation and activities are utilized, technology can assist teachers in meeting the special language and learning need of ESL students.

ESL teachers can utilize websites specific to their needs to get ideas for lesson plans, icebreaker activities, and classroom community building activities. Since ESL students may be timid in the beginning of a school year to speak in the classroom especially if their English is limited, Morning Meetings can be a great way to get the students talking. During Morning Meetings, students learn how to greet each other appropriately, share news about their own lives, and become involved in the classroom life through activities and games. Talking, consequently, practicing English, can be encouraged through the use of fun games and icebreaker activities. The website, , outlines directions for these types of classroom activities. Below are some ideas taken from this website that illustrate examples of the types of activities teachers can use in their classrooms to encourage both classroom community and the practicing of English skills.

Last Letter

("Shiritori" in Japanese)

(vocabulary/spelling)

The last letter of the word must be the first letter of the next word.

You will need a ball, but a screwed up piece of paper is fine.

The teacher throws the ball to one student and says a word, such as "dog".

The student must reply with a word starting with "G," such as "girl".

When answered, the ball is thrown back to the teacher and it is then thrown to the next student, who continues.

The sequence may then be (for example):

girl, look, king, go, octopus, student ... and so on.

You can have the students throwing to each other.

i.e., student A = "Cat," throw to student B = "Today," throw to student C = "Yes," etc.

Please be warned, you may have some fastball pitchers in the class!

Chinese Whispers

Divide the class into even rows.

The last member of each row (at the back of the class) is taken out of the classroom. A "key" letter, word or sentence (depending on level) is given.

The students run back inside, and whisper the "key" to the next student in their row. It is whispered down through the row until the last member writes it on the board.

The first student to write it on the board correctly wins the point for their team/row.

Fast Words

The class is arranged into rows. The first person in each row is given a piece of chalk. The blackboard is divided into sections. No more than six teams.

The teacher calls a letter and the students must write as many words as they can beginning with that letter, in the allocated time. Their team-mates can call out hints, but be warned, this is very noisy.

Next, the second member gets the chalk and goes to the board and the teacher calls out a new letter.

The team with the most correct words is the winner.

Word Association

The teacher starts the game by saying a word, such as "Hotel".

For example:

Teacher: Hotel

Student A: Bed

Student B: Room

Student C: Service

Student D: Food

Student E: Restaurant

Student F: Chinese

As you can see, any association is ok.

If the student can't answer (5 second limit) he or she must stand up. The last student seated is the winner.

If the association is not obvious, the student is asked to explain the association.

Not only can teachers make use of the Internet to access ideas, games, and activities for creating a participative and close-knit classroom community, they can also utilize Internet websites for lesson plan ideas. Lesson plans that relate specifically to an ESL teacher’s needs can be found at various websites. One specific website called Teacher Lesson Plan-Absolute Beginner ESL English, , shows lesson plans for absolute beginner speakers of English. It first gives a description of the 20 points necessary to cover for an absolute beginner English speaker and then breaks the skills into specific lesson plan areas. For example, students should first learn the following five points when beginning to speak English:

1. Give Name & Personal Information

Name, telephone number, address

2. Greetings - Introductions

Basic small talk including 'How are you'

3. Numbers 1 - 100

Pronunciation, counting skills, telephone numbers

4. Alphabet

Spelling Skills

5. This, that, here, there

Recognizing the connection between 'this, here' as opposed to 'that, there'

This website then goes on to demonstrate a lesson plan that connects with each of the twenty skills. For example, when teaching about daily routines and times that they occur during the day, an ESL teacher can access a lesson plan already formulated at this website. The following is an excerpt of this lesson plan.

Part I: Extended Talks about Daily Habits and Routines - Introduction

Give the students a sheet with various times of the day. For example:

• 7.00

• 7.30

• 8.00

• 10.00

• 12.00

• 3.30

• 5.00

• 6.30

• 8.00

• 11.00

Add a list of verbs they are familiar with on the board. You may want to write a few examples on the board. For example:

• 7.00 - get up

• 7.30 - eat breakfast

• 8.00 - go to work

Teacher: I usually get up at 7 o'clock. I always go to work at 8 o'clock. I sometimes have a break at half past three. I usually come home at five o'clock. I often watch TV at eight o'clock. etc. (Model your list of daily activities to the class two or more times.)

Not only can teachers make use of the Internet to access sites relevant to their lesson plans, but also students can access various sites to practice grammar, writing, and speaking skills. A lesson in class may focus on the proper use of homonyms when writing. The ESL teacher may do a whole class instruction on homonyms and then ask students to go to the site called Activities for ESL/EFL Students at to practice what they just learned. At this site, students can take quizzes based on previously learned skills. Below is an example of the types of questions students are asked to respond to at this site. On this particular website, there are over 50 quizzes just on homonyms.

Homonyms Quiz 1

Click on the answer button to see the correct answer.

Keep your score if you like.

Top of Form

1. The ___ looked dashing in his armour.

a. night

b. knight

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2. I have blond hair and ___ eyes.

a. blew

b. blue

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3. I don't even have one ___ with me.

a. cent

b. sent

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4. He said he ___ where the place was.

a. knew

b. new

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5. An island is a piece of land surrounded by the ___.

a. see

b. sea

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Another similar site which students can utilize to practice grammar skills is called Interesting Things for ESL/EFL students at . At this site, students can take all kinds of quizzes on grammar skills and even take a quiz focusing on American slang. Even if an ESL student has a decent grasp of the English language, expressions such as “bent out of shape,” and “catch some rays,” may be confusing to him or her. The following is an example of the types of questions at this site.

|Interesting Things for ESL Students |

|Commonly-Used American Slang - Page 1 |

|Slang is informal, often entertaining, language |

|By Charles I. Kelly & Lawrence E. Kelly |

Click the button to see the meaning.

Top of Form

ace

He's an ace reporter.

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action

Do you know where the action is in this town?

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airhead

My sister's boyfriend is a real airhead.

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all wet

Your ideas about politics are all wet.

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all-nighter

I almost fell asleep during the test after an all-nighter.

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ESL students can also utilize Internet websites to access general information about their new lives in the United States and speak to others having the same experiences. Dave’s Café, , is the name of a site that offers information on job searching along with open e-mail forums as well as more grammar skill practice and ideas for ESL teachers. At this site, students can access information on job opportunities.

International Job Board - Daily posting of international ESL/EFL job vacancies.

Korean Job Board - Daily posting of Korean job vacancies.

Students can also send e-mails in the open forums to discuss relevant issues about their everyday lives here in the United States on such things as movies, food, hobbies, and current news. Teachers are also welcome to come chat at forums related to elementary education, employment opportunities, software, etc.

|Forums for Students |[pic]Forums for Teachers |

|Cinema |Activities and Games |

|Computers |Adult Education |

|Culture |Applied Linguistics |

|Current News |Assessment |

|English Schools |Bilingual Education |

|Family |Business English |

|Food |Computer Assisted Language Learning |

|Health and Fitness |Elementary Education |

|Hobby |Employment |

|Holiday |English for Specific Purposes |

|Learning English |Intensive English Programs |

|Literature |Material Writing |

|Making Friends |Pronunciation |

|Music |Refugee Issues |

|Opinions |Secondary School Education |

|Pets |Software |

|Science |Teacher Training |

|Sports |Teaching English to Deaf Students |

|The Strange and Mysterious |Texts |

|TOEFL |TOEFL |

|Travel |Video in the Classroom |

Utilizing technology in the ESL classroom is absolutely necessary to keep these students up to par with the regular education students. ESL students must know how to access websites not only to help them practice grammar skills, but also to help them search for jobs, locate information on life in the United States, and prepare them for the workforce. ESL students may have had no prior experience with computers prior to coming to the United States. It is the job of the ESL teacher to prepare these students to utilize technology in the classroom and in their everyday lives.

Index

class, 4, 5, 7

computers, 2, 3

Computers, 1, 10

education, 2, 3, 10

Education, 10

ESL, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9

grammar, 7, 8, 9

lesson plans, 3, 6, 7

school, 2, 3

School, 10

slang, 8

Slang, 9

students, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Students, 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10

teachers, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9

Teachers, 2, 3, 10

technology, 2, 3

Technology, 1, 3, 10

websites, 2, 3, 6, 9

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