ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

Growing the Garden of Communication

A 2012 article on Internet communication technologies and English language teaching (ICT in
ELT: how did we get here and where are we going?) by Dudeney and Hockly traces the three-
stage development of communication technologies and their impact on English language
teaching. The authors see social networking and trends that build upon it as comprising the secret
garden of sharing and global communication.

Can Promote Student Autonomy

With information-gathering and sharing as starting points, visually enhanced teaching from a
distance becomes critical. New technologies, blended technologies and certainly less
complicated technological devices will soon promote student autonomy. The all-in-one, small,
portable and hand-held communication units will do it all, making it possible for students to
produce and contribute their own online content to the class from outside the classroom. This can
promote student autonomy and will allow students and teacher to communicate beyond the four
walls. Translated into TESL terms, I see you, you see me, I see not only the actual classroom and
perhaps other students but also can view the contexts in which the 2L language takes placeon
the streets, in a restaurant, among members of a host family, among members of a work team
and all of it worldwide.

Visual Cues Critical

The possibilities are endless. However, as the visual becomes pre-eminent, the visual cues that
are culturally proscribed will become more influential. By conveying meaning and intent, the
non-verbal but visual can influence message reception and feedback.