Globalization is defined as the process in which things from one culture or people group is spread to other cultures and people groups around the world. As this idea grows (Giroux, Jah, & Eloundou-Enyegue 2010), so too does the need for foreign languages to reach classrooms in different countries. English taught in a classroom, outside of the United States, is no exception. However, globalization is not the only growing branch of education. Technology is also a key part of education that seems to be gaining steam (Crump & Twyford, 2010). The question remains, how can we combine these two growing aspects of education in order to form a successful modern style of teaching?
Teaching with technology takes on many different styles, even in an ESL …show more content…
Movies contain audio and visual, of course, but they also may include important references to culture either directly or indirectly that will greatly help a student learn the language (Kaur, Yong, Zin, & DeWitt, 2014). The authors also indicate that using video can help in many if not all of these areas: retention of content, authenticity of learning, and contextualization of culture. Through non-verbal cues that so often happen in video, among other aspects, the retention of the content is increased. Authenticity of learning happens because the video allows for a new culture that speaks this language to become much more real to the learner than possible before. Through videos, real-life cultural situations are created and lead to an important environment as well as valuable discussions, which leading to a better learning experience; this is the way contextualization of culture is improved. (Kaur, Yong, Zin, & DeWitt, …show more content…
Although teaching through online methods used to be passive, today, online teaching has the potential to be active, collaborative and meaningful (Murugaiah & Thang, 2010). Now, online teaching: encourages student interactivity, allows for sharing of expertise, creates meaningful communication, and implements fair formative assessment practices (send feedback and grades much quicker, provide notes and instructions on the site, as well as many other ways) (Myles & Nikolic, 2013). The important thing here is that online education is here to stay (Myles & Nikolic, 2013). ESL is also here to stay, as long as globalization remains the norm and we continue to live in a “small world.” As educators we can use online teaching to help us with the growing need for ESL programs and teachers, see them both as different teaching aspects, or worse yet refuse to harness the value of one if not both. As a growing and changing world it is our job to use online education to improve ESL education. Not doing this would be refusing to acknowledge and harness the value of current technology and through this we would be doing our students, ourselves, and our education system, a massive
Teaching with technology takes on many different styles, even in an ESL …show more content…
Movies contain audio and visual, of course, but they also may include important references to culture either directly or indirectly that will greatly help a student learn the language (Kaur, Yong, Zin, & DeWitt, 2014). The authors also indicate that using video can help in many if not all of these areas: retention of content, authenticity of learning, and contextualization of culture. Through non-verbal cues that so often happen in video, among other aspects, the retention of the content is increased. Authenticity of learning happens because the video allows for a new culture that speaks this language to become much more real to the learner than possible before. Through videos, real-life cultural situations are created and lead to an important environment as well as valuable discussions, which leading to a better learning experience; this is the way contextualization of culture is improved. (Kaur, Yong, Zin, & DeWitt, …show more content…
Although teaching through online methods used to be passive, today, online teaching has the potential to be active, collaborative and meaningful (Murugaiah & Thang, 2010). Now, online teaching: encourages student interactivity, allows for sharing of expertise, creates meaningful communication, and implements fair formative assessment practices (send feedback and grades much quicker, provide notes and instructions on the site, as well as many other ways) (Myles & Nikolic, 2013). The important thing here is that online education is here to stay (Myles & Nikolic, 2013). ESL is also here to stay, as long as globalization remains the norm and we continue to live in a “small world.” As educators we can use online teaching to help us with the growing need for ESL programs and teachers, see them both as different teaching aspects, or worse yet refuse to harness the value of one if not both. As a growing and changing world it is our job to use online education to improve ESL education. Not doing this would be refusing to acknowledge and harness the value of current technology and through this we would be doing our students, ourselves, and our education system, a massive