THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF EMERGENT TECHNOLOGY IN ELT CLASSROOMS: HOW THE "BLOG" CAN CHANGE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

The classic picture of the ELT (English Language Teaching) classroom is one in which there are rows of desks, a blackboard,students, a teacher, paper and pencils. Even with the advent of instantaneous information via the World Wide Web, the ELT classroom remains relatively unchanged. However, the winds of change are upon the ELT profession. Many educators are now taking advantage of the vastness of the Internet. Moreover,most teachers are using the Internet for planning, research and the exchange of ideas. There is so much more to be found and used. If harnessed correctly and constructively, the Internet can be a priceless tool for the ELT classroom. This paper will discus scurrent practices for reading and writing in the ELT setting, and more specifwally, the use of "web logs" or "blogs" in the ELT classroom. First, a discussion covering common methods used in most ELT classes and move to a more progressive approach to alternative assessment, portfolio assessment, and journaling.Next, an explanation of this technology, its uses, and potential will be given. Finally, suggestions for use, ideas, and links will be listed. The sky is truly the limit where the ELT profession is going and it is an exciting time to be involved.

The classic picture of the ELT (English Language Teaching) classroom is one in which there are rows of desks, a blackboard, students, a teacher, paper and pencils. Even with the advent of instantaneous information via the World Wide Web, the ELT classroom remains relatively unchanged. However, the winds of change are upon the ELT profession. Many educators are now taking advantage of the vastness of the Internet. Moreover, most teachers are using the Internet for planning, research and the exchange of ideas. There is so much more to be found and used. If harnessed correctly and constructively, the Internet can be a priceless tool for the ELT classroom. This paper will discuss current practices for reading and writing in the ELT setting, and more specifically, the use of 'web logs' or 'blogs' in the ELT classroom. First, a discussion covering common methods used in most ELT classes and move to a more progressive approach to alternative assessment, portfolio assessment, and journaling. Next, an explanation of this technology, its uses, and potential will be given. Finally, suggestions for use, ideas, and links will be listed. The sky is truly the limit where the ELT profession is going and it is an exciting time to be involved.