TEACHING AND LEARNING LANGUAGES WITH INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES: TEACHER MEETS STUDENT. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

In this communication, we will take firstly a critical look at the theoretical foundations of conventional and non-conventional language teaching methods/approaches (Audiolingual, Communicative, Humanistic and Neurolinguistic), and we will examine their present status in the field of teaching and learning languages.

Secondly, we will show how Information and Communication Technologies in Education (ICTE) unsettle the current practices in the classroom by gradually eliminating the manual or textbook, replacing the specialized language lab with computer labs open for all disciplines, and forcing instructors to move away from their conventional teaching activities.

As we highlight the benefits of ICTE (constructivist, project-based learning, interactive forum) and examine some technological innovations such as speech tools (visualization, recognition, and analyzer), we stress that preparing and delivering language courses using ICT not only require specific skills and expertise, but that successful language teaching and learning is not necessarily imbedded in a “flipped” or “inverted” classroom”, in lecture snippets or in MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses). Our discussion will also takes into consideration a complete new profile of today’s language learner who is accustomed to multi-tasking, sound bites and podcasts.