Abstract:

The main aim of learning English as an international language is to effectively communicate with people from other cultures (Yang and Cheng, 2014). Communication in English has been the major challenge of most university students throughout the history of Spanish higher education. Therefore, there is still a lot to be done in effective EFL teaching.

As a matter of fact, Spanish undergraduate students still struggle to be proficient in English when they have to take specific subjects in English (Gómez, Solaz y San José, 2014), this being one of the major concerns in students' teaching quality evaluations. In this sense, distance learning universities can benefit from technology enhanced language learning (TELL) in order to promote a learner-centred approach.

Since flexible learning is learner-centred, TELL allows foreign languages students adapt their learning to their needs (Gordon, 2014). Based on the students’ learning experience, they may have more difficulty on one productive skill (speaking or writing) than on a receptive one (listening or reading). This drawback can be solved by providing flexible learning to students, where they can choose how, when and where to access learning materials as part of their teaching and learning process. Besides, TELL also enhances flexible assessment so distance learning universities can provide and added-value to students foreign language learning (Gordon, 2014).

Thus, in this approach to flexible learning from a higher education perspective, we analyze how Spanish distance learning universities can benefit from TELL to bridge the gap on Spanish EFL learners communicative skills. We will provide examples based on the students experience in two Spanish distance learning universities: one public (UNED), with a blended learning approach, and one private (Isabel I de Castilla), with an online approach, to show how a personalized learning process could significantly enhance EFL students' communicative skills. We will make a proposal for a case study on PLE (Personal Learning Environments) to be implemented in the next academic course.

Keywords:

EFL, learning, distance learning, flexible learning, higher education, PLE, skills, TELL.