ICT in English Language Teaching

«ICT in English Language Teaching»

Nowdays it is difficult to overestimate the place of the information and communication technologies in education; in the age of the rapid development, especially in ICT area, teachers need to adapt to new social and educational demands, to meet up-to -date requirements. Dr. Jessel (2012) suggests that, “Innovation arising from new technologies makes a variety of demands upon the role of the teacher». Due to all these modern challenges the role of Teacher has been elaborating from an instructor to a facilitator, a moderator, a constructor and a creator of safe and more effective learning environment.

To be able to integrate ICT into the pedagogical process teachers should be able to have such ICT skills as:

• using essential computer software;

• operating interactive whiteboards and projectors;

• surfing the Internet for educational resources and demonstrating skills of Netiquette;

• choosing, evaluating and integrating ICT tools into student activities across the curriculum;

• creating multimedia context for educational purposes.

• understanding of ICT role in education

« At another level, the introduction of innovation makes major demands upon teachers’ pedagogical, professional and managerial skills.» (Dr. Jessel, 2012) ” For modern ICT Teacher professional development it is necessary to upgrade knowledge and improve skills in the following directions:

• Pedagogy - Teachers need to know clearly how, where, what, when and what for to use ICT tools (context, methods, techniques, aims, target auditory). Also these tools should be chosen appropriate to the task, aim, students’ age, interest and psychological peculiarities. In other words, teachers should be aware of technology integration ways, be able to solve compex problems and be ready to self management.

• Full integration into curriculum. Assessment. – Teachers need to define and develop strategies for meaningful integration of technology into the curriculum. Technology must be considered as a learning tool. Especially, teachers need the skills to develop long-term strategies for using technology to support their curricula, student outcomes, and learning aims. Teachers should demonstrate the 21^st century skills of working with curriculum and assessment.

• Organization and administration. – Teachers should be able to develop, observe, monitor and assess strategies of cultivating forms from standard classroom, through collaborative groups, to learning organizations.

• Teacher Professional Development – Teachers should be able to get skills of digital literacy to being a digital native with pedagogically based approach to ICT integration into education. It would be a good idea to expand professional skills through taking training courses, participating in the Internet groups and societies to share ideas, to consult, to coach, to scaffold.

The conditions that support teachers in using ICT to engage students and enhance their learning outcomes are also very important. First of all, schools should be equipped with the necessary ICT items which are served by a school technician due to the State programs, grants. All the students should have access to ICT at the school level (ICT classrooms, Learning Centers) and, additionally, at home, due to parental involvement and assistance into the ICT education.

Also, school curriculum should be developed with ICT integration. School administration should support ICT integration programs through assisting in organizing e-workplaces, supporting teacher professional development, organizing and monitoring coaching, involving and assisting parents. To sum everything up, it is relevant to say, that the responsibility of teachers, parents and school administration is to create the 21^st ICT innovative and motivating learning environment for kids.