Technology Tools for Educators

The Power of Quality Technology in the ESL Classroom Instructional technology tools can reshape your curriculum, or they can be a way to reinforce concepts and address gaps in language skills. According to Jeff Wiseman's presentation, " English Language Learners as Digital Natives: 21st Century Tools for Sheltered ESL Classrooms," there are many benefits to integrating technology in an ESL setting: They can individualize and customize curriculum.

Technology can be a great asset in ESL classrooms, offering authentic writing activities and endless resources on grammar instruction, lesson plans and other central topics. Computers, tablets and e-readers can all be instrumental in learning English, offering interactive and motivating activities for students of all ages.

ESL Teaching and Technology offers teacher and student resources, including categorized lists of sites that are useful for enhancing learning, curriculum, and professional growth.

While writing about LangMedia yesterday I realized that I've reviewed a lot of resources for foreign language and ESL/EFL students and teachers over the last couple of years. Here are ten of the better free resources for foreign language and ESL/EFL students. Smart.fm is a free service designed to help you learn languages, mathematics, and history independently.

Teachers use multimedia with ESL students for a variety of reasons. The text, graphics, video, and audio encourage immersion in language. The nonjudgmental aspect of technology is comforting for these students. The individualization, instant feedback, and assessment components of many software packages are all positive factors.

The Internet TESL Journal Renee YbarraRybarra7 [at] aol.comC.C. Lambert Elementary (Tustin, California, USA)Tim Greentgreen [at] fullerton.edu http://faculty.fullerton.edu/tgreen/ California State University (Fullerton, California, USA) The article premise is that technology can be used as an effective teaching tool for English language learners.

By Marshall Raskind, Ph.D. , Kristin Stanberry Assistive technology (AT) is available to help individuals with many types of disabilities - from cognitive problems to physical impairment. This article will focus specifically on AT for individuals with learning disabilities (LD). The use of technology to enhance learning is an effective approach for many children.

The myth Students with disabilities cannot use the same technology that typical students use. The facts Technology can be the great equalizer in a classroom with diverse learners. Whereas teachers can find it difficult to differentiate instruction for 30+ students in one class, all with different needs and abilities, "assistive technology" (devices and software to assist students with disabilities) can often help teachers personalize lessons and skills enhancement to each child.

I want to share some Web 2.0 teaching tools that are some of the best-of-the-best ones that have worked for me, my students, and other teachers. Basic information, curriculum ideas, and other resources are included to save you time in getting started. You'll discover that Web 2.0 can provide compelling teaching and learning opportunities.

When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information.