Opening the Doors to Communication in the EFL Classroom Janet S. Rachidi EFL Instructor United Arab Emirates University Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Focus  For the large majority of the students who enter the UAE University the hours spent in the classroom are insufficient to facilitate the progress they need to make to reach the level of proficiency needed to attain exit level criteria.

Underlying Assumptions  Language is best learned when it is practiced communicatively.  Learning occurs when students think and explore.  Technology can support and enhance learning when it encourages students to think.  Using the computer to create encourages students to think and to practice English communicatively.

Questions  Presently, The students spend two hours a week in the computer lab.  The goal for these two hours has been to practice grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing skills to help prepare students for the exam.  These activities do not exploit the unique qualities of the computer to allow students to practice language communicatively.  Is it possible to use the computer more effectively to promote language learning?  Will this have any effect on their exam results?

Operationalize-General  During the 16 week course, the students will produce an electronic portfolio of their work.  The portfolio includes –sources they found on the Internet for their research project, – homework that they have copied from their sent to them by the teacher through the class e-group –Activities that they practiced on the teacher’s web- site, – computer generated exercises from the weekly computer hour,

Operationalize-Specifics  Web Site: Help Desk –Activities to encourage students to practice English outside the classroom  I.T.-Based research project –Students work through the process of doing research using the Internet for information and then PowerPoint for presentation of their research  Homework through e-groups –Students bring their homework to the Computer Hour and correct their mistakes and save it on disc  CGE’S-Computer-generated-exercises – to practice the skills covered in the book and prepare for the exams

Problems  No Internet in our computer labs.  Students do not want to practice English outside of class.  They had no experience with navigating or searching on the Internet.  They have poor study skills; don’t bring discs to class, don’t copy their homework from their e- mail.  Their reading and listening skills are very poor..

Data Collection  The data is the portfolio of work saved on discs.  self-evaluations that they do before the mid-term, after the mid-term and at the end of the course,  Data Analysis Since 90% of their grade is based on the exam results and only 10% on the digital portfolio how much effort or work they put into the portfolio had little effect on whether they passed the course of not.

Schedule for Sharing  I thought this was helpful to review every month what had changed and how I revised my action research.  At the end of the semester, I shared the data with the Ed. Tech. committee at my university and the head of curriculum but they still didn’t lend me a laptop.

Final Thoughts  First semester, I had 24 & 26 “normal” students per class but second semester I had the ”academically challenged” students and only 13 students in the class. –Neither group had ever used the Internet before and were essentially equal in the work they produced.  Instructors don’t have to worry about not knowing every thing about using the Internet, PowerPoint, etc. because the students were really good about helping each other. –Next semester only 50% of the students’ mark will be based on exams and 50% on their portfolio so it will be more crucial to have a plan worked out for students assessment