Interactive Technologies in Language Teaching
Start date: Jan 1, 2011,
The project Interactive Technologies in Language Teaching (ITiLT) is based on two assumptions:a) There is a clear trend towards a wider use of ICT tools in schools throughout Europe. With respect to interactive whiteboards (IWB), figures show an increase in sales in all partner countries. For example from 16% in 2010 to 23% in 2011 in Belgium, from 51% in 2010 to 58% in 2011 in the Netherlands and from 77,2% to 77.9% in the UK [FutureSource, 2010]. In Spain the market for IWBs in education expands each year at a rate of 67% [Lapizarradigital, 2010].b) IWBs support the general principle for effective use of ICT. In particular, if teachers can use digital learning materials that are of practical use and they have been properly trained in use them and are aware of the pedagogical potentials, then an IWB can be beneficial for the teaching/learning [Four in Balance Monitor, 2009:25].The ITiLT-project responds to both the mentioned points: the growing use of IWBs throughout Europe and the importance of training language teachers to become confident users that can fully benefit from the pedagogical possibilities that IWB offers. OutputThe result of the ITiLT-project will be a website with "learning objects" that will help teachers to develop and analyse methods for integrating IWBs in their language classroom.A learning object consists of the following elements:a) video clips of classroom interactions with IWBsb) learner, teacher and trainer feedback (audio, video or text commentary)c) related resources (lesson plans, short descriptions of lessons, learner/teacher resources)ITiLT-deliverables will be available to teachers of English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Turkish and Welsh.ImpactLanguage teachers in primary, secondary, vocational and higher education will gain the ability to critically evaluate the integration of IWBs in classroom in a way that it: a) matches their communicative teaching methodology and b) motivates the learner and enhances their capacity for language learning.
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