Abstract:

Modern technology can facilitate foreign language teaching in a number of ways. It can save teachers’ time and energy, motivate students and ensure communication among different participants of the learning process. One of the most powerful gadgets currently used by teachers and learners is the laptop. It is being utilized for a variety of reasons either inside or outside a foreign language classroom.

This practical presentation aims at shedding light on several laptop-supported activities that can be used inside an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom. All these activities require learners to cooperate with each other and employ a variety of problem -solving skills, which cannot but encourage them to use English meaningfully .

The activities the speaker plans to present include web-quests, grammar-quests, crosswords and writing projects. She believes these activities can be used with different cohorts of learners provided half the class owns laptops and is wiling to bring them when required. The presentation will start with a brief discussion exploring the relationship between computer technology and foreign language teaching. After that the audience will be encouraged to work in groups and reflect on different ways of utilizing students’ laptops in an EFL classroom. Then the presenter will share some of the activities she has used with her Omani learners. . After sharing the activities, the speaker will ask the audience to suggest alternative ways of using laptops in class.