Many foreign language (FL) teachers have embraced Internet technologies as effective resources that enhance instruction and, consequently, student learning, but many more have not done so for a variety of reasons. Lack of knowledge, lack of access, and inadequate professional role models contribute greatly to the underuse of communications technology in the FL classroom at both the secondary and tertiary levels. The result is many preservice FL teachers marching through their language curriculum seldom if ever seeing technology implemented in the classroom. They therefore are little inclined to include communications technology as part of their own teaching. To break this cycle, FL methods instructors must make a concerted effort to educate their students in the utilization of communications technology resources. They need to realize the possibilities and ramifications of integrating technological resources into their curricula. The module you have accessed is intended as a unit that could be inserted in a FL methods curriculum to achieve this end. The lessons are written for use by instructors and preservice FL teachers that have varying technological expertise. In this way, a dual function of preservice and in-service education is served.
The communications technology module for FL methods courses is organized around four main sections, each with its own objective:
1. Getting acquainted with the tools
Objective: to acquaint preservice foreign language (FL) teachers with the myriad of communications technologies available to them
2. Learning the basics
Objective: to provide a basic understanding of these technologies and of the fundamentals of their use
3. Targeting pedagogy
Objective: to underscore the pedagogical functions of communications technologies in the FL classroom
4. Designing lesson plans
Objective: to assist preservice FL teachers in the creation of sample lesson plans that integrate FL communications technologies in their curricula
Each section functions as a sub-module with its own lesson plans, activities, and evaluation to assess the user's progress through the module. While the modules are separate entities and can be used as stand-alone units, they are meant to be sequential. Working through them in numerical order ensures the greatest possible success and mastery of the material being studied.
When you are ready to begin, click on the first section title below. Notice the words are underlined and appear in colored text. This indicates a link that will take you to the respective lesson indicated by each title. At any time, you can return to the main menu by clicking on the icon at the bottom of each page.
Getting acquainted with the tools
Objective: to acquaint preservice FL teachers with the myriad of communications technologies available to them
Objective: to provide a basic understanding of these technologies and of the fundamentals of their use
Objective: to underscore the pedagogical functions of communications technologies in the FL classroom
Objective: to assist preservice FL teachers in the creation of sample lesson plans that integrate FL communications technologies in their curricula