READING REPORT

READING REPORT
INTERNET IN FOREING LANGUAGE TEACHING
Monserrat Cassanovas Catala

There are a lot readings related to the use of technologies in the English language teaching. Monserrat Cassanovas Catala in his article INTERNET IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING, says that is it no new, technology has been used since 60s.
There are three pedagogical foundations that include the use of technology: the behaviorism, communicative and integrative.
In the 60s the first Computer- Assisted Language Learning (CALL) was based on a behaviorism learning model. In this model the computer was a Mechanical Tutor that valued the repeated exercises systematically for the students (drills).

The communicative perspective emerged at the end of 70s and the beginning of 80s as a reaction against the behaviorism.
The difference between both proposals was that in the communicative point of view the relevance in learning a language was the use of linguistic forms ( functional approach), and in behaviorism the most important thing was the correct use of linguistic forms.
Behind that proposals were the cognitive theories, that recognize that the learning is a creative process of discovering, that permits more possibilities for individual work.
The last step called integrative is based on a socio-cognitive focus of language learning That considers the use of language in a communicative context as the most important.
TELL (Technology Enhanced Language Learning) look for the integration of the language skills,( oral and writing comprehension and oral and writing comprehension and oral and writing expression) and technology since a global point of view in the students learning .
Technology like Internet offers an educational environmental with a richness without precedents in general education and in the teaching-learning of English in particular.
The roll of the teacher in this environment can´t be just transmitting t information but a facilitator for students, helping them to evaluate and select the information that comes to them.
The roll of the students: Students becomes in active participants in the learning process more than receptors.



What for , why?
It’s a fact that the use of TICS doesn’t mean an automatic improvement in the knowledge and abilities in the students, but it requires of educational options and ideology and a prospective of the world.

The computer is not just a tool for processing information but a tool for communication ( chats, e-mails,etc).
CONCLUSIONS
There are not enough studies about the impact of use of TICS in the classroom. Even though the learning and teaching of English will be qualitative and quantitative important.

The school has to prepare students for living and for the use of technologies specially the computers.
Using internet in the English class is a tool to help students to develop skills that will be useful outside the classroom. That’s why learning how to use digital technologies would be a main objective.