ICT and MFL
Opportunities offered by electronic communication
Papers & Further reading | Editorial reviews | Tasks for trainees
Focus
The ever-increasing capability of computer-mediated communication via the
internet has opened up a world of learning beyond the classroom walls. Specifically
in the context of MFL, the significant development in the overall context
of e-learning has been that of the possibility for pupils to communicate
with peers in a target language country, either with a rapid response time
or in real time, via the spoken or written word and with visual contact.
To access and utilise this exciting and developing area, study objectives for student teachers need to include the operation of the relevant hardware and software tools, communication protocols and local variations, and the pedagogical implications for monitoring, assessment and motivation. By being able to offer the opportunity to communicate with target-language speaking peers, it is hoped the student teacher may enhance the learning experience and attainment levels of his/her pupils promoting more positive attitudes to speaking a foreign language and interacting with other cultures.
Study of this topic has the potential to address aspects of the following
wide range of QTS standards, depending on the trainer’s particular emphases:
| Professional attributes | |
| Relationships with children and young
people |
Q1, Q2 |
| Frameworks |
Q3 (a) (b) |
| Communicating
and working with others |
Q6 |
| Personal professional development | Q7, Q8, Q9 |
| Professional knowledge and understanding | |
| Teaching and learning |
Q10 |
| Subjects and curriculum |
Q14, Q15 |
| Literacy, numeracy and ICT |
Q16, Q17 |
| Achievement
and diversity |
Q18, Q19 |
| Health and well-being | Q21 (a) |
| Professional skills | |
| Planning | Q22, Q23, Q24 |
| Teaching | Q25 (a) (b) (d) |
| Reviewing teaching and learning | Q29 |
| Learning environment | Q30, Q31 |
| Team work and collaboration | Q32 |
Tasks for trainees
Group discussion
Draw up a list of all the possibilities you can think of for putting your pupils in direct contact with the target language speakers and culture. Then put the list in 2 rank orders; desirability and feasibility.
Discuss what skills the teacher and pupils might need to successfully effect such communication.
Observation focus
Seek out an opportunity to observe CMC links in action over a period of time. Make notes on how pupils are briefed and prepared.
When you see such a link in action, identify a) the language skills required by the pupils, and b) ICT skills, and c) skills that might be described as communicative, cooperative and organizational required by the pupils.
Check your planning
Look through your current schemes of work and planning. Identify a longer-term potential opportunity for conducting an assessment, on a particular topic area, via a CMC link, for a group of pupils from one of your classes. Draw up an outline timetable of lessons preparing pupils for such an assessment to discuss with your Mentor. This sequence should recognise that pupils will need consolidation or enhancement of ICT and personal skills as well as of language skills.
