Abstract:

ICTs have the potential to enhance teaching and learning of English by providing diverse multimedia resources, interactive platforms, and online collaboration tools. However, the extent to which teachers are trained to use these technologies significantly influences their effectiveness in the classroom. This paper explored the impact of ICT training on the teaching and learning of English, addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by current educational practices. This was qualitative study, where data were collected using in-depth face-to-face interviews with fourteen teachers teaching English from selected high schools in Soweto, South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select teachers with significant experience and varying levels of ICT proficiency. Data analysis was centred on identifying themes and insights related to the impact of ICT training on teaching effectiveness, learner engagement, and English language proficiency outcomes. The findings revealed a significant gap in ICT training among teachers teaching English, with many reporting insufficient support and professional development opportunities. Teachers with comprehensive ICT training demonstrated higher confidence and competence in using technologies to facilitate the teaching and learning of English. Learners in these classrooms exhibited greater motivation, engagement, and improvement in language skills compared to their peers in less technologically integrated settings. This paper concludes that limited ICT training significantly impedes the effectiveness of teaching and learning English and therefore necessitates a strategic approach to professional development, equipping teachers with the skills and confidence to integrate ICTs effectively into their pedagogy. Future research should explore the longitudinal impacts of ICT training on educational outcomes and investigate best practices for scalable, sustainable ICT integration in diverse educational contexts. The limitation of this study is as follows: The study included teachers teaching English from seven selected township schools in Soweto in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. It is therefore recommended that this study be extended to include learners and other schools in South Africa to obtain a broader perspective on how ICTs may be used to enhance the teaching and learning of English. Furthermore, the research could be extended to use other methods of data collection such as surveys, focus group interviews, and classroom observations to collect rich data.

Keywords:

ICT training, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), teacher development, English, teaching and learning.