Essay Sample on Using Technology in English Learning

Introduction

Mobile phones and tablets are also used by the learners t search information and seek a better understanding of particular issues, the fact that they are more accessible and portable they are good recording materials and also useful in conducting researches.

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Use of technology has, however, had its positive and negatives these implications affect both the learner and the tutor in one way or another.

Advantages of Using Technology in Teaching English.

It is a useful tool in assisting teachers in a classroom. Teachers have had their jobs made easier by the adoption of the educational technologies in their classrooms. Many teachers have realised that traditional teaching methods are not efficient to the current generations as they were in the past. This has prompted many institutions to incorporate their lessons with all possible education technologies to ensure that the non-native students attain the best results. Use of textbooks are now a thing of the past, and the teachers are more interactive with the students. Visual explanations of various topics make the whole process of learning a pleasing and it will be more enjoyable for the students. This makes the students more engaging and inquisitive about the context being discussed; the class will be more interactive and fun. Through the use of these technologies in teaching English, the teacher will be able to deal face to face with any particular student. Such will allow the teacher to identify the weaknesses and the strengths of his or her students and take all possible solutions into account for the sake of the learner (Liton, 2015). Exposure to these technological improvements means that the students have become more interactive during lessons unlike during the era of the books where the students were limited to a black and white boring page. The students become active in classes, and this enhances their sharpness with regards to the classroom. The teacher pack methodology is also useful in equipping the English teachers with the complete manuals on ways to conduct a classroom using technology at best. Recording and storing information of the students will also be made easier and much more available to the teacher. The information will also be available to the teacher, and it will be easily accessible since all the materials and data will be stored in a single place.

Using technology also in an English classroom will greatly benefit the non-native student to access information for a much wider platform. It provides the learner with a wide age of information about English, and it is only found a click away. Teachers also get to gain new knowledge over the educational technologies and in turn reciprocate such knowledge on the learners (Liton, 2015). As we all know the dimensions of the English language are always changing and this will give the teachers a great opportunity to keep up to date with these changes. They will, in turn, provide or instil these ideas on the brains of these learners. Online platforms also give the students an abundance in the knowledge and information available and also within their reach. This information can be easily accessed by both the student and the teacher reducing any case of incomplete knowledge. Bulkiness in the case of books and printouts are thrown away; the technology is very much convenient to use and easy even for a newbie. The non-native students will be easily integrated into a classroom and be able to find all their materials needed for the study are all in one single product of technology. New students will also have an added advantage in that they will not have to go through many notes in an attempt to recover lost times and notes. Just by a few clicks, they will have in the possession all the information required for the English study.

There exist many languages in the face of the earth, and all come in different cultural settings and ethnic backgrounds. Many students will have variable ethnic and cultural practices, and they will bring them along for their lessons. The fact that many languages are related by culture one will therefore not be taught without touching on one of the external languages. Through the use of technology, there are more ways currently that are used to teach cultural phenomena and knowledge in many ways (Liton, 2015). This induction of the cultural aspect will give the learner a much clearer picture of the context being discussed. English can be easily grasped thanks to cultural integration and technology. Many non-native have lost touch with their cultures and cultural activities. Such will get a chance to explore their roots and culture closer to them; others will also get the opportunity to understand different cultures and appreciate them without judgment properly. Studying using videos and pictures and these bring about a more realistic approach to the context being studied. Though in the era of the book the information was the same, that picture of realism could not be brought forward broadly.

Use of technology is also important in the motivation of the learner in one way or another. The learner can learn multiple ways of performing their exercises. Using technological advancements in teaching language will improve the levels of concentration in the non-native learners. Having a technological education tool such as a computer or cellphones will widen their scope of understanding and also give the student the urge to learn and gain much more information. Among the students alone a healthy competition will arise, and this will improve their sharpness in grasping concepts and understandings of the English language. Such competition helps the leaner o horn their ideas and also be able to share them amongst themselves. Sharing of technological teaching tools will also improve the relationships among the students, and this is advantageous with regards to the better understanding of the English language. Exposure to video games and various videos or films that comes with technology will give the learner a better environment for grasping knowledge. The information from the videos will enable the leaner to listen better the language being spoken, and in turn, they will be able to understand how to use certain words and how they can be used in the construction of sentences, punctuations and even their grammar. The current generations have fully embraced the use of technology, and most of them are not concerned with reading. Advancements in technology have therefore benefited their studies and given them the reading materials that are not the 'boring' books.

Technology has enhanced globalisation. The globe is now considered a global village thanks to its improvements in technology. Learning can now be done across a screening platform in what has come to be termed as 'E-learning,' trough this method the learner ay even never step foot in a class but continue learning with the same pace as the others. Learning can even be done without the two parties sharing a similar geographical position. This will enable the learner to go about with their duties and still be flexible to work. Interactions with other learners will create an environment where the learner can give and receive ideas regarding the English.

Disadvantages of Technology in Teaching English

The technology use does have its limitations to both the English learner and the teacher. Firstly, the students writing skills will decline and to some who start early may even never learn how to write. Overusing the technology to write, edit and to communicate will, in the long run, lead to over-dependency of the technology. This will make one a slave of technology who can do nothing without it; these make the learner even to lose their grammatical bearing, poor punctuation's and unable to construct sentences as required. Overusing these technologies is slowly eating up our abilities and creating its own. Incidences of learners cheating either during exams or assignments are also brought about by the use of technology in learning (Sung et al, 2016). Due to the ease of access to various information's and files, students find it easy to cheat and copy examinations. Such is lying to the system, and this will lead to the graduation of students who have not learnt anything.

Students also tend to lose concentration whenever they are using these learning gadgets. During the lesson times, students tend to do their things aside from accessing learning materials, and this brings about distractions to the learner. Accessing social media becomes paramount to the student rather than learning, this loss of concentration will affect how they grasp the knowledge regarding what the teacher is talking about. These learners have not yet fully understood the benefits they have through learning using these technologies. This shows that technology has its harm on the student. Lack of focus then creeps in, and the learner is no longer conscious of the outside world other than their cocoon of technology. They become tech zombies, and their concentrations in academics go off. Prolonged use of these gadgets also is risky to human sight. Eyes are very fragile, and sometimes overexposure to these technological learning materials may lead to partial blindness or even total blindness (Sung et al, 2016).

Using technology over long periods has its effects on the health and life of the user. Physical activities are important in the function of the body and also good health. Over-reliance on technology can cause harm to an individual over some time. Physical nature of the user becomes disintegrated, and the user cannot evens perform any physical activity. Glued to these technological 'glues.'

The demanding nature that comes with the adoption of education technology may see some of the old teachers kicked out due to their lack of knowledge in teaching using these gadgets. Job loss and stress may end up affecting the t...