This document discusses using technology to improve language skills. It covers communicative competence, which includes grammatical, sociolinguistic, and strategic competence. Communicative performance is the actual use of language. The document recommends using tools like oral presentations, student-generated videos, and internet resources to develop language skills. It provides examples of intermediate and basic students using online tools and discusses challenges of implementing technology, including familiarity with tools and managing student groups and recordings. The goal is to improve motivation, collaboration, and authentic language use inside and outside the classroom.

1. Technology matters: let’s talk
about it
October 2010
Alianza Cultural Uruguay- Estados Unidos de
América

2. Communication

3. Objectives
 To revisit the concepts of communicative
competence and communicative
performance
 To collaboratively overview the different
ways we can exploit technological tools to
develop language skills
 To focus on specific communicative tasks
that require the aid of technology

4. Communicative Competence
 grammatical competence
 sociolinguistic competence
 strategic competence
A Theoretical Framework for Communicative Competence.
Authors:Canale, Michael; Swain, Merrill

5. Communicative Performance
Refers to the actual use of that language in
concrete situations.

6. David Nunan’s (1991) five features
of CLT:
 Communication through interaction
 Introduction of authentic texts
 Attention to learning management process
 Enhancement of learner’s personal
experiences
 Classroom learning and activities outside
classroom connection

7. Survey
 How familiar are we with these tools? How
often do students use them? What for? How
often do we use them in our clases?
 How can we better implement them in our
classes to help students improve their use
of English?
 What are the challenges we face when
using these tools?

8. Why?
 Motivation and involvement
 Exploration and management of new tools
 Collaboration
 Purpose
 Authenticity
 Impact (inside and outside classroom)
 Memorable learning

9. Technologically Speaking
 Oral presentations
 Student-generated videos (debates,
drama, documentaries)
 Internet-based resources

10. ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Advantages:
 Learner centered
 Integrate skills
 Use technology skills
 Provide variety
 New content
 Research and Organization
 Assessment and interaction
 Error correction

11. STUDENT-GENERATED VIDEOS
 Motivation
 Collaboration
 Use of technology skills
 Purposeful practice
 Error correction
 Fun

12. Teacher Management Tools
 Create and manage groups
 Register students
 Monitor students’ practice
 Create channels

13. Students’ tools
 Videos
 Subtitles
 Definition and pronunciation
 Microphone setup
 Recording
 Scoring

14. Intermediate students using
English Central

15. Basic 4 students using English
Central

16. Useful resources
 www.englishcentral.com
 www.literacynet.org
 www.realenglish.com
 http://www.pbs.org/saf/previous.htm
 http://www.ldrc.ca/projects/miinventory/miinventory.php
 www.englishprograms.state.gov
 http://www.americanfolklore.net/
 http://www.britishcouncil.org
 http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/

17. Related issues
 http://www.tesol.org TESOL Technology
Standards Framework : TECHNOLOGY
STANDARDS FOR LANGUAGE
LEARNERS AND LANGUAGE TEACHERS
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0
Web 2.0
 Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us

18. Thank you!
Claudia Santoro
laspiedras@alianza.edu.uy
Alianza Cultural Uruguay- Estados Unidos de América
October 29, 2010