Promoting Language Acquisitions: Technology and English Language Learners

Childhood Education, Winter 2004/2005 by Lacina, Jan

As a former English as a second language (ESL) teacher, I know first-hand how important it is for teachers to find technology that promotes language development for English language learners. While teaching ESL in an inner-city school in the Dallas area during the early 1990s, I taught students from such countries as Korea, Japan, Mexico, Bosnia, Vietnam, and Honduras. With such cultural and language diversity in my elementary classroom, I needed software that met the students' diverse needs, and training on how to use such technology. Although I was a recently certified ESL teacher, I had no training on how to use technology to enhance learning. As a result, technology and computers were scary things for me. Not only was finding software that was appropriate for my ESL students a problem, I did not know how to use what I found to improve and enhance language instruction.

Today, a plethora of Web sites and software packages are designed specifically for English language learners, and not only are most teacher candidates well-versed ill how to use technology, they are likely familiar with numerous software programs that are appropriate to use with children. Although teacher candidates may be well-trained in how to use technology, they are often unfamiliar with software and techniques for working with English language learners who may be enrolled in their regular education classroom. With the population of English language learners increasing, teachers who may not necessarily be trained in ESL may have ESL students in their classroom; for that reason, it is imperative that all teachers be familiar with strategies for working with English language learners. For that reason, I interviewed an ESE Coordinator and a 1st-grade ESL/bilingual teacher to gain their perspectives on computer software that is used in the classroom to meet the needs of English language learners.

History of Computer-Assisted Instruction

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, a behaviorist model for computer-assisted instruction (CAI) existed in which language instruction was introduced in the form of drill and practice (Butler-Pascoe & Wiburg, 2003; Stevens, 1989). Over the years, research shows that such isolated drill and practice is not an effective way to improve students' academic achievement (Butler-Pascoe & Wiburg, 2003; Hativa, 1988; Wenglinsky, 1998). During the 1980s and 1990s, the focus was on the cognitive and language proficiency needs of ESL students, in which content-based teaching became a widely accepted means of teaching English (Butler-Pascoe & Wiburg, 2003; Nunan, 1999; Snow & Brinton, 1988). Today's instruction emphasizes students constructing meaning with computers, reminding us of the work of Vygotsky and Piaget. The field of CAI continues to change as new technologies are developed, and as research continues to demonstrate which teaching methods are most effective at promoting language acquisition.

Using Technology With English Language Learners

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) enables English language learners (ELL) to construct meaning in a digital environment. McLoughlin and Oliver (1998) explain that the computer is one way to support Vygotsky's (1978) communicative theory of learning and, if used appropriately, teachers can provide an environment in which learning is authentic and activities are interesting to students (Healey & Klinghammer, 2002). Thus, students are able to construct their own knowledge, as teachers scaffold students' learning.

As with teaching mainstream students, no one technology is better suited for using with ESL students than others. It is most important, however, to choose technology that increases student interactivity. The Web offers many opportunities for such instruction, from Web-based pen pals to discussion boards.

Internet Chat Sessions

Internet chat sessions provide students with an authentic means of communication. Students can meet with their peers to discuss assignments, content conference over a writing assignment, or chat online about a book they are reading. Most important for ESL students, active participation is encouraged. For shy or introverted students, a chat session may be a place where their voice is heard, and ESL students will not have to worry about mispronunciation. One important benefit of a chat session for ESL students is that the text is always in front of them, since the chat transcripts remain on the computer screen during chat sessions. When speaking with someone in a second language, a missed word or phrase may make the whole incomprehensible. With a chat, student engagement is maintained since students can read the conversation more than once as they decide how to respond to their peers (Freiermuth, 2002). Internet chat sessions can be used in almost any subject area; for today's technologically fluent child, chat sessions offer an engaging, authentic learning environment.

Discussion Boards

Discussion boards encourage students to collaborate with others and participate in experiential learning experiences. Bikowski and Kessler (2002) describe how a discussion board can be used to promote constructivist language tasks. They suggest some of the following discussion board activities: