ESL Pundit expresses dismay that the language classroom seems slow to catch on to technological advances, notably as they relate to using realia such as podcasts in class.
I’d second the notion of bringing authentic materials into class, but I don’t know if I can be quite as enthusiastic about incorporating technology at the exclusion of the old stand-bys like the cassette and CD. Having worked at schools that have tape recorders only – not even CD players – it strikes me that it’s just not financially feasible for quite a lot of schools/countries to take these steps. I don’t mean to say new technology should be avoided completely. However, I think the possibility of schools using it but charging students more (or, heaven forbid paying teachers even less) and English becoming more and more the domain of the wealthy - even more so than it is now - is a real one.
However, teaching abroad has also given me this “anything is possible” perspective, and it is very possible for teachers to take the time and make the effort to incorporate realia into the classroom. It may mean lugging in your own CD player or even laptop to school from time to time…but it’s possible.
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The CD player (or TAPE player - yeesh) is a source of irritation to students and teachers alike in Mexico I’ve found. And with good reason. I’ve never found canned-conversations to be very really, and any time working on the tapes or CDs is time taken away from real dialogue or learning through experimentation (discovery technique) with the teacher - an infinitely better resource to exercise listening skills in the classroom.
You Tube is something I’ve started to incorporate into both the TEFL course and my semi-regular business EFL classes in Mexico City. I like that they are short, easily found in thematic searches, and narrow enough in context to add rather than take away from classwork.
These days, the cost of equipping a small language school with a wireless internet connection and laptops is low enough that there are few excuses not to, at least in larger cities in Mexico.
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