The use of new technology in the English classroom

Today technology has become a great part of our society. It is an ongoing process that keeps developing and growing. As educators it is our task to teach and prepare children for adult life and citizenship, and therefore we have a responsibility to include and teach them how to function successfully and effectively in our society. Therefore it is no longer only enough just to teach them to read the written word, but also to teach them about the new technologies and how to use and access them (Stafford, 2011).
This does not mean that we should only be focusing on the new technologies, but that it should be a part of our approach in the way we teach.

Not only children but every single individual has different learning strengths (Schmidt, 2011), and from what I have seen and experienced in e.g. Denmark the new technologies can be a very helpful learning source to children, which might not be as strong readers or have difficulties in the process of learning. It helps them achieve new and difficult information, which they would have been struggling with in the past.

Motivation is also a huge factor when it comes to learning new things. If the motivation and commitment is not there, it can become quite difficult to catch the children’s attention. It is our job as educators to motivate the children, and if new technology can be a part of that, then let us connect it to learning, and use it.

The challenge in this module would for me be the written assignments, since English is not my first language. I hope it will help me improve my writing, and also give me a great knowledge on how the English school system works, and where it stands when it comes to using new technologies in the classrooms.

Bibliography
Stafford, T. (2011) Teaching visual literacy in the primary classroom. Abingdon:Routledge
Schmidt, E.S. (2011) Børns læringsstil: Teori og praksis. Dafolo