TEXT I
What’s in a name?
There are numerous terms to describe the process of learning
English. In many English speaking countriesit is often referred
to as ‘English as an additional language’ or ‘English language
learning’. The distinctive position in these contexts is for
learners to acquire English alongside other subjects. This
approach has proved very popular in the US, Canada, Australia
and the UK, where over 25 years of research has informed a
political agenda that promotes inclusion. In other areas, such
as the Middle East, the term ‘English as another language’
has been coined to reflect the notion of children from
minority ethnic backgrounds, who already have experience
of using their own home languages and are learning the
official language of the country, as well as learning English.
In many other countries around the world, readers are
likely to be familiar with the concept of learning ‘English as
a foreign language’, where learning of English takes place in
a non-English speaking context. In EFL classrooms there is a
general aspiration for exposing learners to English as a ‘living
language’, providing natural opportunities to practise target
language through the use of authentic texts. In this case,
the role of technology can provide a significant addition to
the other more conventional tools (blackboards, textbooks,
cassette players) that are found in classrooms around the
world. Technologies like the internet can provide access to
large quantities of authentic input material. Teachers and
learners are no longer isolated from the target language
or culture and can ‘… participate in the socially mediated
practices of [the target language] community.’ (Kirsch, 2008:
46). Even if learners do not have direct access to the internet
in their classrooms, or at home, teachers often do have and
can provide additional resources to supplement the material
offered via conventional means.
(Adapted from https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/
C607%20Information%20and%20Communication_WEB%20ONLY_FINAL.pdf