Technological Hurdles

Have you ever had a student who has never used Microsoft, never heard of Google docs, or maybe even never used a mouse? I have. It is overwhelming to teach adults who aren't "digital natives" how to use technology. This feeling is exacerbated when the student is not proficient in English; however, technological competence is a necessity in today's society, so, like it or not, our students must know how to use it!

It is essential to start slow. Begin with the basics; make sure your students understand how to check their school email and navigate the basics of the LMS your school uses. From there, move on to more complicated procedures such as submitting attachments for assignments. Expect of all this to take time--alot of time! Because it will.

Next, model, model, model. In a synchronous environment, screensharing is probably your best bet. If you are lucky enough to meet with your students face-to-face, model the procedure, and then ask them to complete it. Students learn by doing, so give them plenty of time for to play around with the new technology.

Modeling is not just important when showing the students how to use various features, it is equally important when asking for students to complete an assignment that requires a technical component. Model how to use the application or software or include a screencast for asynchronous students. Examples are also crucial for these types of assignments. Provide the students with samples that you have created or prior students' work examples (if you have permission).

Keep procedures as simple as possible. Consider using a numbered list with basic vocabulary. Don't assume your students know anything--right-click might not be a word in their vocabulary. Be specific and detailed, but keep it simple (sounds easy, right?).

Do as much pre-work as possible. Luckily, my ESL classes are small. If you are in the same situation, it might be easy for you to do some advance steps for the students. For example, when using a Google hyperdocument, I copy the document, name it with the student's name, and send each student a direct link. This is just one way to cut down on the number of steps the students will need to go through to access the document.

Finally, be patient! The process of teaching technology might not be on the list of objectives for your class, but it is on the list of outcomes a student will need to master to be efficient in a job and society. Remember, all good things take time; the extra time it takes to teach these skills will be worthwhile in the end.

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For more ideas for making your life as an online teacher easier or for interactive teaching tools, visit, Seana's page.

Additional engaging ideas for establishing technological competence for ESL students are available in this article from The Educator's Voice. For research and best practices, check out TESOL's latest book, Engaging Online Language Learners.

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