I consider myself lucky for witnessing digital technology and its evolution in the classroom. When I was in elementary school, we had televisions and overhead projectors (also known as OHPs) stored in rolling carts so teachers could easily move them around as they transferred classrooms. They were rarely used, so whenever we would see these rolling around the corridors, we knew that we were up for an exciting lesson. Microsoft Encarta was my go-to resource, and I remember how my classmates and I would always have the same answers to our homework or images for our projects because it was the most popular and probably only one of the few available digital resources at the time. High school was almost the same in the classroom except that technology provided more opportunities for collaboration outside the classroom. Aside from using the landline, multi-tap messaging gained popularity and online chat boards were slowly gaining ground. It was not until I was in university when I became more dependent on the internet. I was able to enroll for my courses, access articles and other resources for my papers, and communicate with my peers and on rare occasions, my professors. We did not have laptops, and computers were limited in school so we would bring our desktops if we had a big group project and had to work on it on campus. When I took my masters five years later, technology had advanced with more professors using learning management systems and online resources (I watched my first TED talk!). I had my first online asynchronous class wherein we had to participate in discussion posts using email. Fast forward to my time here in the university and, evidently, technology has come a long way. 

The Digitally Mediated Language Learning (DMLL) Modules definitely expanded my skills and made me more confident that I have the technological know-how to adapt to the ever-changing needs of my students and the world around them. I have always considered myself to be digitally-savvy but after going through the modules, I definitely gained a considerable amount of new knowledge on how I can use technology in my classroom. Each of the modules has its own set of objectives. Similar to effectively conducting language classes, the modules utilize a variety of ways to present the content. Some of these include video lectures, journal articles, product information videos, and actual presentation of the programs or applications themselves. The modules are also interactive as they use games such as puzzles and quizzes, and discussion boards to encourage active participation of the students. When completing the modules, there were several times when I wished that we could have discussed the content in-person but looking back, having it online turned out to be effective because it put me in my students’ shoes and helped me become more aware of what I need to consider when designing digitally-mediated lessons. To better put it, it was a “meta” experience, a commonly used expression to describe something that refers to itself. 

One thing I noticed throughout these modules is that despite all the advancements in technology and changes it has brought in the way we teach and manage classrooms, Brown and Lee’s (2015) eight overarching principles of second language learning still stand and are just as critical as considering them in more traditional classrooms. One of the principles is transfer. In the field of linguistics, transfer is the “application of knowledge acquired in one situation to another” (p.70). This can look like second language learners applying their L1 knowledge in their L2, or using certain skills like reading in developing writing skills. The use of digital technology can also aid in the principle of transfer. Digital technology has become so normalized that it has changed the way we interact and do things. With this change, teachers need to incorporate these technologies to make learning more meaningful and relevant to the learners. In the classroom, technology is no longer limited as a tool for educators to make teaching easier and more convenient. It can now be used as a way for learners to access and process content, much like they do in their daily lives. For example, educators can incorporate more authenticity into their lessons by having students interact with communities of practice online or consuming materials like Google Maps based on how they would use it when driving or planning a trip. Self-regulation is another salient principle in the modules. Self-regulation is the learners’ ability to take the initiative to be successful in their own learning. In the modules, applications like Duolingo and Word Cloud, as well as strategies like reducing the speed of videos and using subtitles are presented so educators can teach students how to use technology to help them in their own learning.  

With educators having to become more adept in digitally-mediated language learning, our LTS courses constantly challenged us to help us develop the proper skills needed to implement these new trends in the classroom. In my Activity Creation Homework for Design for Language Learning Pragmatics (LT507), I incorporate the use of online resources, specifically Youtube Videos, and a learning management system called Seesaw to teach the appropriate use of honorifics, directness and indirectness, and intonation when making requests in Tagalog. In this lesson plan, my target learners are novice-level students ages five to seven years. When I was conceptualizing my lesson plan, my initial thought was that it was impossible to teach pragmatics to young novice learners. As I was in the process of selecting a speech act, my daughter came to me and said “Mommy, can I have a snack pleeeease?”. I realized right away that children do employ pragmatic strategies, and this led me to choosing the speech act of making requests. I designed this lesson plan with Brown and Lee’s (2015) principle of languaculture in mind. Languaculture is “connecting language and culture” (p.81). In my activity, this is done by using Youtube videos for students to observe and analyze strategies on how to appropriately make requests based on who they are talking to and the severity of the situation they are in. Through this activity, students are also able to gain cultural awareness specifically how the Filipino culture values authority, saving face, and close family ties. Another second language learning principle is identity and investment. In the language classroom, this can look like recognizing students’ strengths as well as giving students an opportunity to choose how they would want to represent themselves and use the language. Through the Seesaw Application, students are able to construct requests based on what they deem to be appropriate. One of the benefits of Seesaw is that students who may not feel comfortable sharing their answers can contribute anonymously using the application. This also enables them to realize that there are no right or wrong answers, and that everyone has their own reason why they choose a specific language in order to communicate what they mean to say. It goes without saying that technology is here to stay but despite all of these changes, we have the eight SLA principles to guide us in our decisions when teaching our students.