First Draft of My Essay
Improving Reading and Writing skills through the use of ICTs
The use of ICTs has increased during the last years both at home and school. Currently, it is common to
see people using a technological device for communicating with others, to be updated or for
entertainment. Also, there is a vast interest in using the virtual modality to teach and learn foreign
and second languages. Virtual education is defined by Cardona (2006) as a revolutionary
educational model that is made up of an innovative and flexible curriculum that brings about
interactivity in the teaching-learning process thanks to the technological support offered by
telecommunication systems, electronic networks, didactic tools and virtual libraries and labs
(translated from Cardona, p. 14). This new tool becomes a facilitator of teaching-learning
processes due to the integration of different kinds of activities that allow students to develop different
skills. The use of ICTs in the English language field improve particularly the students’ reading
and writing skills.
see people using a technological device for communicating with others, to be updated or for
entertainment. Also, there is a vast interest in using the virtual modality to teach and learn foreign
and second languages. Virtual education is defined by Cardona (2006) as a revolutionary
educational model that is made up of an innovative and flexible curriculum that brings about
interactivity in the teaching-learning process thanks to the technological support offered by
telecommunication systems, electronic networks, didactic tools and virtual libraries and labs
(translated from Cardona, p. 14). This new tool becomes a facilitator of teaching-learning
processes due to the integration of different kinds of activities that allow students to develop different
skills. The use of ICTs in the English language field improve particularly the students’ reading
and writing skills.
First of all, using electronic books make students to learn vocabulary, grammar structure and cultural
topics unconsciously in a didactic manner. The eBook makes it easier to learn new words, just by
clicking on a word to view its definition. Also, students can easily share comments, ideas and opinions
through social networks, making the reading experience more communicative. For instance, a research
study, A. Marzban (2010) found that students who were taught using ICTs significantly outperformed
the students who were taught by the traditional teacher-centered methods of teaching reading
comprehension which invest the total time of the class on the structural analysis of the passages,
rigid vocabulary memorization, and translational exercises which are congruent with viewing reading
as a passive skill.
topics unconsciously in a didactic manner. The eBook makes it easier to learn new words, just by
clicking on a word to view its definition. Also, students can easily share comments, ideas and opinions
through social networks, making the reading experience more communicative. For instance, a research
study, A. Marzban (2010) found that students who were taught using ICTs significantly outperformed
the students who were taught by the traditional teacher-centered methods of teaching reading
comprehension which invest the total time of the class on the structural analysis of the passages,
rigid vocabulary memorization, and translational exercises which are congruent with viewing reading
as a passive skill.
In the second place, using interactive multimedia such as digital stories encourage students to read
more frequently. As the multimedia content of digital stories such as images, sound, videos appeal to
students and spire them to read because the readings are not boring. Moreover, the act of reading
through interactive multimedia will involve more senses, therefore, they will comprehend and learn
easily vocabulary, grammar structure, narrative characteristics than just reading from a thick book.
more frequently. As the multimedia content of digital stories such as images, sound, videos appeal to
students and spire them to read because the readings are not boring. Moreover, the act of reading
through interactive multimedia will involve more senses, therefore, they will comprehend and learn
easily vocabulary, grammar structure, narrative characteristics than just reading from a thick book.
However, a disadvantage of using ICTs to teach reading is to control the students because they might
be distracted to see other websites that are not related with the readings. It is common to see within a
computer lab that some students who have receive instructions to perform a task or activity, use the
time stipulated for other purposes such as entertainment in Facebook, whatsApp, Twitter, YouTube
and some other websites. As a result, they will not performed the tasks and their learning process
will be affected.
computer lab that some students who have receive instructions to perform a task or activity, use the
time stipulated for other purposes such as entertainment in Facebook, whatsApp, Twitter, YouTube
and some other websites. As a result, they will not performed the tasks and their learning process
will be affected.
Moreover, students can improve their written skill through educational platforms. For example, students
can collaborate their ideas in real time with their classmates through an online debate. According to
Yakelin Salinas (2009), her study showed that students were able to create their own texts thanks to
the guidelines provided at the beginning of the process of using ICTs during the written process.
Students used the creation of a spider web to brainstorm ideas, the creation of the draft, the draft
revision and the final document served as helpful steps for students to create their own texts.
In addition, students integrated vocabulary according to their topic of selection and used grammar
structures previously studied in the course.
can collaborate their ideas in real time with their classmates through an online debate. According to
Yakelin Salinas (2009), her study showed that students were able to create their own texts thanks to
the guidelines provided at the beginning of the process of using ICTs during the written process.
Students used the creation of a spider web to brainstorm ideas, the creation of the draft, the draft
revision and the final document served as helpful steps for students to create their own texts.
In addition, students integrated vocabulary according to their topic of selection and used grammar
structures previously studied in the course.
As conclusion, the use of ICTs in English Language Teaching has many benefits which it can contribute
to change the traditional teaching method to an innovative and flexible using ICTs. Nowadays,
teachers should use a technological tool because it is a reality that most of students are in contact
every day with technology, and teachers could take advantage of it to engage their students to learn
a second language in an enjoyable and pertinent manner.
to change the traditional teaching method to an innovative and flexible using ICTs. Nowadays,
teachers should use a technological tool because it is a reality that most of students are in contact
every day with technology, and teachers could take advantage of it to engage their students to learn
a second language in an enjoyable and pertinent manner.
Bibliography
A.Marzban(2010).Improvement of reading comprehension through computer-assisted language
learning in Iranian intermediate EFL students. Procedia Computer Science,3 (2011), 3–10.
learning in Iranian intermediate EFL students. Procedia Computer Science,3 (2011), 3–10.
Cardona, G. (2006). Metodologías y didácticas virtuales. Colombia: CINEV Centro de Investigaciones
en Educación Virtual.
en Educación Virtual.
Yakelin Salinas(2009).Project Work Implementation in a Virtual Colombian Public University Environment. Journal How,Vol 16, No.1,147.
Hi Kem,
ResponderEliminarFirst of all, I like your work and the way you presented. Although, you need to read it again in order to find some mistakes in language form.
Secondly, yes, I totally think that teachers should implement ICT's in classroom settings. However, there are schools that does not have the facilities to make this happen. So, this idea of implementing technological resources in classroom could be a little problematic in some contexts.
Anyway, I think that technological resources are a wonderful help for teachers. With them, teachers will have the possibility, not only to teach writing and reading, but also listening and speaking. Keep in search of more research studies that talk about the uses of ICT's. They are great.