Abstract:

The use of IT in the tertiary level EFL or EAP classroom can facilitate the acquisition of English for L2 (or L3) students by addressing diverse learning styles simultaneously. In the traditional classroom using conventional pedagogical methods, it is not always possible for teachers to address the students’ individual needs. Thus, when teachers are aware of different learning styles, as well as being aware of diverse techniques that can assist individual students acquire the skills and concepts they need simultaneously, teachers can learn to teach more effectively. This interactive method crosses the borders of traditional pedagogical methodologies by relating to all students at once; whether they classify their particular style as visual, tactile-kinesthetic, read-write, aural, and/or multimodal. This method is particularly suited to students who have LD/AD(H)D or whose background knowledge is limited.

There are numerous benefits to using IT in the classroom. First, it helps the student take in information more effectively. Secondly, the student learns how to make better use of this information for more successful learning. Furthermore, it enables more efficient communication – between the student and the teacher as well as between the students themselves. Finally, it gives them the skills and tools to perform better on tests and examinations. The use IT in the classroom affords the teacher vast possibilities to expand traditional teaching methods. This presentation will offer a hands-on demonstration of numerous ways to use IT in the classroom in order to attempt to answer the needs of the individual students so that they can capitalize on their strengths and improve their self-advocacy skills.

Crossing the borders of teaching methodology affords the student in a traditional classroom setting the opportunity to experience a different kind of learning technique. IT in the classroom affords the lecturer the opportunity to expand the standard formal approach where teacher talks (active) and student listens (passive) by teaching the students’ new skill sets and then having the students incorporate these newly acquired skills in the classroom so that they cease to be passive learners. Turning the students into active learners facilitates the acquisition of new knowledge and skills while making the academic learning environment more palatable. In addition, an active student will engage the material, thus affording internalization of the new information while deepening and sharpening their erudition.