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Advantages and Disadvantages of Information and Communication Technologies in English Language Teaching By Sofía Gómez

The impact of the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the way English is taught has brought not only advantages to it, but also, some disadvantages concerning to:

1. Availability of technologies to be used 2. Reliability of materials 3. Employment

1. Availability of technologies to be used

Teachers and students

of English can have

access to the most up to

date sources and

information rapidly

and cheaply (Holy Family).

ADVANTAGES

Information can be

found either on the internet or

by using specialized software.

Many focused exercises

can be found on the net

completely for free and

software can be bought

via internet or in any store.

DISADVANTAGES

The mandatory implementation

of at least a computer would

be an impediment rather than

a tool.

Lesson planning using

ICP is more time

consuming than following

an already planned

class (Holy Family).

2. Reliability of materials

ADVANTAGES

Given that there are many

sources from which a class can

be taught, the teacher can select

the ones that fit better to the

students’ needs according to their

age, level, and abilities.

Many ELT resources on the

Internet can be found.

Such us discussion groups,

interactive book reading,

sound recording, games,

talking books,

chat lines among others.

DISADVANTAGES

Not everything that is on

the Internet can be seen

as useful or reliable given

that everybody can

upload whatever in it.

3. Employment

ADVANTAGES

The use of ICT in English language

teaching provides society

with more jobs in areas such us:

Computer programming Systems analyzing Hardware and software developing Web designing

Teachers with no training on

this technology have no access

to ELT using Information and

Communication Technologies,

given that they don’t know how

to teach classes.

DISADVANTAGES

Not every teacher is capable

to update his/her knowledge

on ICT when teaching

English. That is because:

It is not possible for some

teachers to update their

knowledge on technologies

that they are not capable to use.

The updating of

knowledge becomes nearly

impossible in cases in

which there is no sponsor

or money to pay for

training courses on ICT.

Works Cited Page Holy Family N.S. ICT Draft Policy. Holy Family N.S., Rathcoole, Co. Dublin. 03 June 2008 <http://homepage.eircom.net/ ~holyfam/School-ICT.htm>. “ ICT and Teacher Training.” Teachernet.gov.uk. 7 April 2004. Department for Children, Schools and Families. 03 June 2008 <http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/ atoz/i/ictandteachertraining/>.

“ Information and Communication Technologies.” Education.tas.gov.au. 11 Sep. 2007. Department of Education, Tasmania, School Education Division. 03 June 2008 <http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/englis h/technology.htm>. “ Some advantages and disadvantages of information technology.” Smallbusinessbible.org. Small Business Bible. 03 June 2008 <http://www.smallbusinessbible.org/advan _disadvan_informationtechnology.html>.