Technology & Language Barriers

A great benefit of technology is that it easily allows for differentiation. That means teachers can let students do activities at their level and have assignments that are geared for them specifically. Students can use programs that assess their current level and adapt to provide the content a particular student needs to learn or work on. These programs typically allow teachers to monitor students' progress and see what they are working on.

• ​To read more about one ELL teacher's practices, click here

• (Getting students where they need to be, n.d.)

​Researchers have found that combining task-based learning styles with technology is a practical way to help learners become more confident in English. Have students fill out an online job application in English or video chat with someone speaking only English. These are experiences students will really need to do and doing it in school will allow them to practice and gain confidence. ​

• (Roessingh, 2014)

• ​If you would like more details into the research, read the full article here.

​Keep in mind that students may not have access to technology at home. Provide time for them to work during class on computer-required assignments. Inform them of opportunities to use the school library or other ways tech can become available. For ELL students especially, keeping up with school and assignments is hard enough, don't let them fall through the cracks beause of a lack of resources!

• We may not think about it, but as writer Annie Gowen informs us, some students have many barriers prohibiting them from using computers and internet.

• (Gowen, 2009)

Finally, brainstorm, investigate, and implement fun and practical technology tools for learning a language. Students learning a language want to learn as others do- in engaging and meaningful ways!

• Use iPad apps for games that quiz students' skills and require them to think fast.

• Let students create their own blog using English.

• Have students that enjoy music listen to different styles of music sung in English and have them keep up with the lyrics.

• These are just a few of limitless possibilities to help ELL students through technology.