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Nowadays, students’ use of technology is on the increase (Dudeney and Hockly, 2007). For teachers to try and include ICT in the classroom can be thus beneficial to learners’ language learning process. When well-planned and carefully applied, the use of technology is likely to help students become autonomous learners, develop their critical-thinking skills and play an active role in their learning.
A key benefit of using technology in the classroom is related to students with SEN. The inclusion of ICTs may allow for differentiated instructions that suits the learning capabilities of a diverse group of learners. These days, there are multiple resources available online that provide teachers with worksheets, task ideas or projects targeted at addressing students’ SEN.
Including ICTs in the classroom is a process. It does not require teachers to be tech-savvy nor to dispose of all their material and create new ones from scratch. Teachers can start by adapting the material they’ve already got to make it more inclusive, e.g. an old lesson plan. On this post created collaboratively, you will find ways of enhancing a lesson plan by including technology.
Sample Lesson:
Sample Lesson:
The lesson below was planned for our practicum from the UTN teaching training course in 2021. It is targeted at students from a state school in the Almagro neighborhood. They were sixth graders around the age 11. Within the group, there were students at a A1 and A2 level. The possibilities of using technology in the classroom were quite limited at the time, for the school lacked some resources like Internet connection, updated computers and computer labs with devices for big groups.
Enhanced Version (Changes will be highlighted):
Information:
Topic: How to behave at school
General Information:
Communicative Goal: Expressing obligation and prohibition.
Grammar focus: Must / Mustn’t
Vocabulary focus: Do your homework - Wash your hands - Raise your hand to speak - Line up - Shout in the classroom - Push your classmates - Be on time - Study for exams - Use your phone - Throw rubbish on the floor - Bully your classmates
Recycled Language: Study / Do / Raise your hand / Use your phone / Verb to be in the infinitive
Age/Level:
1st year high school
Intermediate level
Time : 2 lessons of 60 minutes each
Materials:
Task sheets brought by the teacher.
Internet connection.
Electronic or digital devices (e.g. computers, tablets, students’ cellphones)
Procedure:
Activation (5 min)
T hands out the worksheet for the day, and explains the first activity of the day, the activation. T shows on the board how words may appear in the wordsearch with arrows.
Then Sts are given 5 minutes to work on it.
Note: The activation activity is separated from the rest of the activities with a dotted line. As soon as all Sts get their copies, they will be asked to fold the copies on that line so that they do not get confused about what exercise they are doing.
Comprehension (15 min)
Reading comprehension activity:
T explains the activity A to sts. Then, she reads aloud the list of rules at school using body language to express the phrases. Meanwhile sts follow it in their worksheets. Once they’ve finished reading, sts work on the exercise individually.
Once they’ve finished, T goes rule by rule, and asks sts to raise their hand if they follow it.
Clarification (10 min)
Explicit explanation of the grammar focus of the lesson.
Application (25 min)
Task 1: Pseudo-communicative activity
Focus: Reading and writing.
Grouping scheme: pairs
Time allotted: 5 minutes
In pairs, Sts have to work on exercise A from the worksheet, a “complete-the-blank-spaces activity”. They are given 5 signs that express obligation and prohibition with incomplete sentences; they have to identify what each sign is expresses to complete the sentences with the correct form of must / mustn’t + a verb from the box. They can use the structure copied on the board to help themselves.
Task 2: Quasi-communicative activity
Focus: Writing, reading and speaking
Grouping scheme: in groups of 4/5
Time allotted: 15 minutes
Brief description: Sts get in groups for the final task.
T will explain that next class they are going to create a short video about how to behave in different places. There will be 5 groups so the places are: SCHOOL/HOME/A SPORTS CLUB/A FRIEND’S HOUSE/IN THE STREET.
In this first part, each group will be given a task sheet with a ‘place’ so they will have to brainstorm ideas for the content of the video. As they will be following the sequence 'Think-Pair-Share,’ and some SEN students may find speaking as a barrier, they will be asked to write their ideas down to form a ‘Think-Write-Share’ sequence instead. (Delaney, 2016, p. 28-29)
End of lesson 1
Lesson 2
Task 3: Communicative activity
Focus: writing
Grouping scheme: Groups of 4/5 (the same from task 2)
Time allotted: 50 minutes (10 minutes for the explanation of the website usage, 5 minutes to explore it, 25 minutes to edit it, 10 minutes to present it)
Brief description:
Sts will work in the computer lab of the school.
T will explain how the website works. It is very user-friendly and appealing. T will give the sts five minutes to explore the site and try out the settings and the editor bar.
Sts will design and create the video following the instructions of the task sheet. Once they finish, they will share it with the rest of the class.
After each video, T will discuss with the Sts whether they follow the rules provided by the group and what others could be added (if any).
The benefit of implementing this website for the final task is that SEN students get a multisensory experience while learning. First of all, they will work with computers instead of forcing them to write on paper. This last thing may be struggling for students with limited motor skills, for example. Secondly, the use of pictures, movement of words, and color-coding the concepts help students understand, recognize and associate the concepts in the working memory for longer periods (Delaney, 2016, Ch.3). Finally, the fact that the final product is a very short video, it matches the short-span attention that some SEN students have and, at the same time, the content teaches SEBD and ADHD students about behavior management (Delaney, 2016, Ch. 9-10). Besides, if the video is posted on the classroom platform, they can access it whenever they like.
Round up
(10 min)
T will hand in this printed task sheet (it was previously thought of and created following the information that Do2Learn website provides).
Many students have a difficult time accurately labeling their own emotions and emotions of others. This worksheet is designed to enhance perspective-taking skills and expand emotional vocabulary. Students who are still developing their emotional intelligence as well as their interpersonal skills might highly benefit from being given the opportunity to think back on how they work throughout the lesson. It may work as an awareness-raising activity, which is likely to help them understand how emotions impact decision-making. This activity may also allow them to reflect on how to manage challenging future situations in an effective way for their well-being and their peers’.
Getting students to reflect critically on their language learning process may also help them become active learners – by completing this worksheet, students will later on be able to come back to it and reflect on ways of improving their work and participation in their language lessons. This is likely to provide students with SEN with a sense of achievement and personal growth.
UNESCO Framework
UNESCO Framework
UNESCO has developed the ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (ICT CFT) as a tool to guide pre- and in-service teacher training on the use of ICTs across the education system. According to the UNESCO framework (n.d), ‘Teachers need to use ICT to develop appropriate learning environments that support different learning preferences and styles’. When children are asked to create a video as a final task, the use of technology addresses the different learning styles and offers learners an alternative to the traditional learning instruction models in which technology was not considered part of the curriculum. Powtoon website matches the description of the Knowledge Deepening level suggested by UNESCO (n.d),
“In this level, teaching is student-centred and the teacher’s role is to structure tasks, guide student understanding, and support students as they tackle collaborative projects. Teachers help students create, implement and monitor project plans and solutions. Lessons and classroom structure are more dynamic [...],”
Students get to work in groups, share their ideas, and produce a tangible outcome. The use of technology in the inclusive classroom promotes autonomous learning as well. Moreover, this task can be supported by mentioning the aspects 2 (Pedagogy) and 3 (Curriculum and Assessment) proposed by the UNESCO level of Knowledge Deepening,
‘ASPECT 3 - Pedagogy
KD.3.e. Structure lesson plans and learning activities that describe project based learning.
ASPECT 2 - Curriculum and Assessment
KD.2.c. Harness ICT to support alternative assessment strategies, including portfolios, graphic organizers, review and reflection.’
European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators
European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators
About the framework
The European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) elaborates on the set of digital competences that educators at all levels of education should acquire to be up-to-date professionals and adapt to the rapid technological changes that are happening in the world these days. This framework was created by the European Commission, and it is aimed at explaining “how digital technologies can be used to enhance and innovate education and training” (DigCompEdu, n.d.).
The DigComp framework is composed of 5 dimensions:
Dimension 1: outlines the competence areas of which the digital competence is composed.They have a single-numbered title.
Dimension 2: details the titles of each competence and their descriptors, and have a two-numbered title, eg 1.2.
Dimension 3: is used to describe the proficiency levels of each competence .
• Dimension 4 and 5 describe various examples related to Dimension 2. They are provided to add value and context and thus, they are not intended to be exhaustive.
Dimension 4: the examples relating to Artificial intelligence, Remote Working and Digital Accessibility examples are indicated with (AI), (RW), (DA) at the end of the example.
Dimension 5: provides use cases in the context of learning and education. Dimension 5 uses a “cascade” strategy: competence 1.2 has an example for level 1, competence 1.3 for level 2, competence 2.1 for level 3, etc.
In the enhanced version of our plan…
Areas and competencies (Dimension 1 & 2)
Within the areas suggested in the European framework, it is possible for us to elaborate on how the enhanced version of the original lesson plan, together with our choice of technology and the planned tasks, facilitate some of the activities of an educator’s job.
Regarding Professional engagement (first area), the competence developed by educators while teaching this lesson plan is that one that involves reflective practice. The teacher can assess and develop their digital pedagogical practice as they teach students by using (preparing the work sheet for the reflection) and having students use digital technologies in the classroom (students working with Powtoon).
The second area is called Digital resources. The competences teachers might develop are selecting digital resources and managing, protecting and sharing digital resources. Both the full communicative as well as the reflection required reflection from the teacher regarding the learning objectives of the lesson, the context (institution, geographical area) and the group’s characteristics and needs. These activities are targeted at a group with students with SENs – learners with motor skills difficulties, ADHA and a lack of emotional maturation can benefit from working on a video instead of a written assignment, as well as with a task sheet that can help them reflect on how they manage their emotions.
The teacher will also have to manage how they present the digital resources to facilitate their use to learners. As they organize information to teach students how to use Powtoon, teachers will also learn about copyright rules and how to use open educational resources.
Regarding Teaching and learning (third area), the competence developed is related to teaching, for using the enhanced version of this lesson plan involves the implementation and use of digital resources in the teaching and learning process that takes place in the classroom. Students learn the target language while working with Powtoon to create the video. To get to work autonomously with this tool, students require some guidance from the teacher, who will consequently adapt to students’ need for assistance and develop new forms of offering support in the process. This lesson plan also helps enhance collaborative learning among students. While they work in groups, they will need to communicate effectively, debate to reach agreements and create knowledge in a collaborative way. Powtoon allows only one account working on the video at a time, so members will have to organise themselves to use the time they’ve got efficiently and in a well-organised manner. This lesson plan also caters for students’ self-regulated learning. Group work entails the assignment of roles, which means that each student will need to play an active role in the planning and monitoring their own learning process to be able to contribute to the group. They will also be given the opportunity to reflect on this process when completing the final worksheet. The focus of the lesson consequently changes from the teacher to the student, which contributes to making the lesson a more student-centred one.
The fourth area is related to Assessment. The development of new assessment strategies is a competence most likely to be enlarged when teaching this lesson plan. The reflection involves a more diverse and inclusive assessment format, for it takes into consideration students with SEN, and helps the teacher keep track of how students perceive what happens in the classroom and how they benefit from their own work.
The fifth area in the European framework deals with Empowering learners. In the enhanced lesson plan, ensuring accessibility and inclusion is a key point considered for all learners to be able to work on the communicative activity. The task was organised so that all students will have a device to work with – they will move to the computer lab of the school. Also, students with SEN who struggle with assignments done on paper due to their writing difficulties might find working with computers more appealing. Students with speech difficulties might also benefit from this group task, as they can contribute to the visual content of the Powtoon video while other students record their voices for the audio. Allowing students to work according to their needs as well as at their own pace is a way of differentiating and personalising instruction, which entails another key competence to have as digital-competent teachers. By including activities that involve the use of digital technology in the lesson plan – the communicative task and the reflection –, the teacher can also actively engage learners in the lesson. As they think of different rules according to a given context and create the video from scratch, learners make use of different skills and their creative expression.
Facilitating learners’ digital competence (sixth area) involves a number of competences. In the enhanced version of our lesson plan, students are encouraged to develop their information and media literacy by working autonomously with a computer with access to the Internet. Though the teacher will be monitoring as they work, how students organise, interpret and analyse the information they encounter while creating the video – within Powtoon or from online sources they consult – is up to students. They will be challenged to evaluate the credibility of the information they find online, which will hopefully help them become critical consumers of media. To foster students' responsible use of digital technologies in order to ensure their physical and psychological well-being is another competence kept in mind in this lesson plan: the teacher will monitor students’ work in the classroom throughout the two lessons.
The teacher will also enable students to develop digital problem solving. They will learn how to use Powtoon and solve any technical problem that may arise in the process of creating the video. They may also transfer the knowledge they’ve got of other technological tools as they try to adapt to this new one. This process can contribute to learners becoming skillful digital creators of content. With the teacher as a facilitator of knowledge, students will learn how copyright and licence apply to digital content, how to reference their sources (if any) and how to effectively express themselves through digital means.
Proficiency level: Tasks (Dimension 3)
Among the four levels suggested on this framework, which are
Foundation
Intermediate
Advanced
Highly specialised,
in terms of the complexity of the task, the video creation can be said to be of an Intermediate level, as it presents a well-defined and non routine problem: creating a video in which students present different rules related to how to behave in a specific place. Regarding students’ autonomy, the task is of an Foundation level, as students work autonomously as well as with the teacher’s guidance when needed. However, the aim is for students to slowly start working independently and according to their needs. Then, the task would be at an Intermediate level. About the cognitive domain, the task is of an Intermediate level at first, as students have to understand how the tool works and how to complete the task. It will later on move to an Advanced level, where students will have to apply what they’ve learnt about the Powtoon to create the video.
PLANIED (Argentina’s National Framework)
PLANIED (Argentina’s National Framework)
Finally, this adapted lesson plan also complies with the PLANIED framework which establishes Argentina’s National guidelines for promoting ICT skills within schools. Considering the future of Argentinian society, PLANIED arose as an answer to the challenging world-wide paradigm shift that the development of new technologies brought about. It establishes a schema on how to prepare students for stepping into the digital world responsibly and reap its various benefits.
The main proposal is to integrate the Argentinian Educational system with the Digital world. Even Though the digital gap is hard to close, PLANIED aims to promote respect, diversity and equality. In order to do so it seeks to develop digital literacy among students, giving those who have less favorable backgrounds better opportunities for accessing these technologies. ICT platforms can provide spaces for debating social issues and opportunities for growth and interaction within the online community. One last aspect of this plan is that it is also intended to promote pedagogical innovation, gradually improving the quality and quantity of learning opportunities available for all students.
The pedagogical aspects of the PLANIED framework proposes to target six specific skills in order to successfully help students access and become part of the Digital realm. However, although these skills can be identified separately, they are interrelated with each other and should be understood as a comprehensive system:
Creativity and innovation
Communication and collaboration
Information and representation
Solidarity and responsible participation
Critical thinking skills
Autonomy in using ICT
In our modified lesson plan we can highlight that the creation of a powtoon video is an instance to use technology as a means to creatively express their ideas, consequently targeting skills 1, 2 and 3. In addition, skills 4 and 5 are also addressed since the aim of the lesson is to reflect upon social interaction and how students interpret them. Critically analyzing their productions with their peers additionally gives them the possibility to foster respect and collaboration among learners which is a key element when dealing with ICT. Finally, although the teacher will guide students, they will also have to work independently, exploring and making the most of their knowledge on technology therefore working on student autonomy.
References
References
DigCompEdu. (n.d.). EU Science Hub. https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/digcompedu_en
Dudeney, G. & Hockly, N. (2007). How to teach English with technology. Pearson Education Limited.
Ripani, F. (2016). Competencias de Educación Digital. Ministerio de Educación y Deportes. Retrieved in July 2017 from http://www.bnm.me.gov.ar/giga1/documentos/EL005452.pdf
Ripani, F. (2017). Orientaciones Pedagógicas. Ministerio de Educación y Deportes. Retrieved in July 2017 from http://www.bnm.me.gov.ar/giga1/documentos/EL005853.pdf
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