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The use of the ICTs in learning English in elementary school

With the recent development of ICTs initiatives around the world creating global opportunities for communication, the company began to develop new strategies for theaching literacy using ICTs with printed text. The challenge  was to create twenty - firts century resources for the children of today, to make their learning relevant to "now" rather than the past. There was also a challenge to upgrade the ICTs skills of the teachers so that the programs would be efective as teachers moved into new ways of working using technologies.
The introduccion of print and technology linked together  with professional training for teachers proved very successful is a now used in many countries as the basic method for teaching literacy. In particular, the use of proved very successful with learns for whom English is a  second or forcigin language.

Tips for the use of ICT in the primary Basic.

  1. The most important thing should be the educational not the technological, with teachers facing in the preparation of curricula and the systematization of the teaching and learning process.

 2. ICTs does not have a magical effect on learning; or generates auto educational innovation, since it is the method or teaching strategy along with planned activities that promote learning in children.

 3. ICT should be organized by the teacher in an understandable language so that the child learns by doing new things with technology; because ICT are a source of support for learning.

 4. The teacher should avoid improvisation when working with ICT, because it is important to have clear objectives with the children being creative

Contributions of the ICT to learning during childhood

The discussion on the use of the ICT by very young children has given rise to some controversy between those who defend, more or less warmly, the educational benefits of technology and those who object to it for various reasons. However, in recent years, this controversy, which was particularly intense during the 1980’s (Haugland & Wright, 1997), has become less evident. In fact, the potential of these new technologies, both with regard to the nature of the programmes used and to the possibilities in accessing information and communication available via the Internet, in addition to their increasingly influential presence in our daily lives, makes it difficult to ignore the contribution of these new means to enriching the learning contexts for childhood (Amante, 2003; NAEYC, 1996; Ramos et al., 2001).

Language development

The development of language and literacy are the most studied curricular areas when it comes to their relationship with the use of technology in the pre-school years (Laboo et al., 1999; Mioiduser et al., 2000; Moxeley et al., 1997).

With regard to verbal skills and contrarily to the opinion of the critics (Cordes & Miller, 1999; Healy, 1998), the computer does not inhibit the development of language. In fact, research has shown that:

Computer games encourage more complex and fluent speech (Davidson & Wright, 1994);

Children are encouraged to use language, especially when they use open programs that encourage exploration and fantasy, such as art programs, with which they make descriptions whilst drawing, moving objects, or “writing” (Clements & Nastasi, 2002);

Children tell more elaborate stories about the drawings made on the computer (Clements & Nastasi, 2002);

Interaction with computers encourages verbal communication and collaboration between children (Crook, 1998a, 1998b; Drogas, 2007) and provides situations of socio-cognitive conflict which lead to learning (Amante, 2003, 2004a); the stimulation of vocalizations by children with speech problems has also been evidenced (McCormick, 1987, cit. by Van Scoter et al., 2001).

With regard to written language, research has shown that the ICT, namely the use of text processors, provide children with the opportunity to become involved in the exploration and co-building of knowledge on symbolic representation and development of literacy and related concepts, such as the direction of the written language, sequence, etc. (Amante, 2004a; Laboo & Ash, 1998). The use of electronic story books, as well as their creation by the children and educators themselves (Laboo et al., 1999; Lefever-Davis & Pearman, 2005; Trushell, Maitland & Burrel, 2003) has also revealed important gains. In fact, interactive books seem to contribute towards the development of vocabulary, syntax and recognition of words (Uchikoshi, 2005), as well as the understanding of the narrative structure of the stories (Verhallen, Bus & De Jong, 2006). In turn, Lewin (2000) states that interactive multimedia programs complement the development of literacy because its audio component can help to work on pronunciation, and provide syllabic reading, or centred on phonemic segments, thus developing phonologic awareness, as has been shown by many studies (cf. Chera & Wood, 2003; Wise et al.

Contributions of the ICT to learning during childhood

The discussion on the use of the ICT by very young children has given rise to some controversy between those who defend, more or less warmly, the educational benefits of technology and those who object to it for various reasons. However, in recent years, this controversy, which was particularly intense during the 1980’s (Haugland & Wright, 1997), has become less evident. In fact, the potential of these new technologies, both with regard to the nature of the programmes used and to the possibilities in accessing information and communication available via the Internet, in addition to their increasingly influential presence in our daily lives, makes it difficult to ignore the contribution of these new means to enriching the learning contexts for childhood (Amante, 2003; NAEYC, 1996; Ramos et al., 2001).

Language development

The development of language and literacy are the most studied curricular areas when it comes to their relationship with the use of technology in the pre-school years (Laboo et al., 1999; Mioiduser et al., 2000; Moxeley et al., 1997).

With regard to verbal skills and contrarily to the opinion of the critics (Cordes & Miller, 1999; Healy, 1998), the computer does not inhibit the development of language. In fact, research has shown that:

 Computer games encourage more complex and fluent speech (Davidson & Wright, 1994);

Children are encouraged to use language, especially when they use open programs that encourage exploration and fantasy, such as art programs, with which they make descriptions whilst drawing, moving objects, or “writing” (Clements & Nastasi, 2002); children tell more elaborate stories about the drawings made on the computer (Clements & Nastasi, 2002); interaction with computers encourages verbal communication and collaboration between children (Crook, 1998a, 1998b; Drogas, 2007) and provides situations of socio-cognitive conflict which lead to learning (Amante, 2003, 2004a).

The stimulation of vocalizations by children with speech problems has also been evidenced (McCormick, 1987, cit. by Van Scoter et al., 2001).give the child an active role by requiring reactions, choices, exploration, decision making, carrying out of activities; are multisensorial, attractive, interactive, but not so as to deteriorate into a show of sound, music, colour and movement with no relevance to the whole;are directed to problem-solving, meeting real needs and the child’s interests; facilitate and encourage cooperation among children – instead of competition – and consequently communication; establish a link with real life without relinquishing fantasy; give value to diversity, ethnic, cultural or other, so that the children establish identification points with the contents, independent of their background;

make information available to adults regarding syllabus aims, suitable ages, suggestions for accompanying the activity and also indications regarding installation and resolution of any problems that may crop up.

                                        

In conclusion, at stake is research-based use of the new technologies, concerning the way children learn. These principles are as valid for software as they are for other types of activities and experiences. Thus, exploration, discovery, self-motivated activity, control and flexibility inherent in the open-ended programs are appropriate for the development of an active learning specially suited to children of this age group.

  

Bibliography

The ICT at Elementary School and Kindergarten. Reasons and factors for their integration. Sísifo. Educational Sciences Journal, 3, pp. 49-62. Retrieved [month, year] from http://sisifo.fpce.ul.pt.