While technology is, as research seems to indicate, not yet normalised in language
education, and, as Thomas (2009: xxi) states:
…while those involved in educational technology often assume that their pursuits
are central to what is happening in their institution, the reality is that a rather
limited percentage of any given group of educators, either in the school or
university sector, consistently integrate technology to any great effect…
There are definite ‘signs of a more fully integrated approach to CALL emerging
because of Web 2.0.’ (Motteram and Stanley, 2011: ii).
56 | Integrating technology into secondary English language teaching
Integration of ICT in secondary language teaching
Aside from Web 2.0, more traditional uses of ICT continue too. Jewell points out
that many stand-alone applications such as word processing and presentation
software (for example Microsoft Powerpoint) can be used effectively by secondary
school learners to ‘improve their language skills through research and by sharing
their findings in oral presentations’ which also ‘provide real-world contexts and
technological skills and enable students to develop confidence in their language
abilities’ (2006: 176).
Whether using established or emerging tools, it is when technology is utilised by
teachers and learners and thoroughly integrated into the curriculum, as it is in
the next case study, that wide-ranging benefits can be detected.