| The Internet Has Many Useful Aspects, BUT ... | | | | Some EFL Teachers Have Opted-out of Using |
| Yes in fact, the internet has many useful aspects in | | | | Technology |
| English and foreign language teaching or learning. It's a | | | | Actually though, there are quite a number of English |
| fine resource for those teachers and learners who like | | | | and foreign language teachers who are |
| technology. So it definitely can help students to learn a | | | | "techno-phobes", that is, those who have opted-out of |
| foreign language faster when used properly and with | | | | using technology or the world wide web. The internet |
| discretion. Whether the internet is a viable option will | | | | scares or repels them for any number of reasons, |
| depend a lot on the type of connection available to | | | | some of them quite valid, so they stay away from it. |
| you, its reliability and your computer equipment and | | | | This is often a shame, since there is so much good |
| software itself. | | | | information to be had online for little or frequently, no |
| There is an introductory article of mine on this topic | | | | cost. |
| entitled "Effective Ways to Use the Internet for | | | | Overcoming Initial Fears |
| Learning English or a Foreign Language". Here I give an | | | | For "non-techies" and the technologically-challenged, I |
| overview of getting starting in foreign language learning | | | | usually recommend an introductory course on using |
| on the world wide web. A great variety of language | | | | the worldwide web for teachers that includes word |
| and other courses, teaching and learning aids, and | | | | processing, e-mail basis, power point, uploading and |
| tutorials are available online in scores if not hundreds of | | | | downloading files and information along with a few |
| languages. There are also radio broadcasts, news, | | | | other PC-use basics. Once over their initial "fears" of |
| current events, sports, weather, documentary and | | | | using computers and the internet, many former |
| cultural events regularly placed on the internet in | | | | "techno-phobes" come to grips with dealings online. |
| multi-media formats, with a large number of these | | | | This is more often than not to their ultimate benefit. |
| having free access. | | | | |