Will you consider including synchronous tools in your future EFL classroom in Saudi Arabia? Will there be any drawbacks?

First of all, we need to know what are synchronous tools? Synchronous tools enable people to communicate and collaborate at the same time wherever they are. Those tools include Instant Messengers like Google, yahoo, msn Skype etc. collaborative tools like etherpad, mind mapping etc. and virtual classrooms like eliminate, adobe connect etc.

For me, I would love to use these tools in my future EFL classroom, as the students these days are digital natives they have a good understanding to how synchronous tools can be used. They are using them everyday and involving these tools in their education would be very useful and enjoyable for them.

However, I think I would face many obstacles when using these tools in Saudi Arabia. In public schools specifically there will be students from different classes, these tools would be too expensive for lower-class students. They may also have no idea how to use them. Another important drawback is the speed of Internet connection. These tools normally required high speed of the Internet connection.

I hop in the future these obstacles will be over came. And I will try my best to use those tools because I strongly believe in using technology in classrooms rather than the traditional way of teaching.   

How would I use blogs, wikis and delicious with my EFL students?

    The using of websites such as blog, wiki and Delicious in teaching can be a powerful and effective technology tool for students and teachers alike.

    I would use the blog mainly to improve my students’ writing. For example, I will let them post freely whatever they want and comment on each other posts, students should post at least tow times monthly. Then I’ll give them feedback.  

    To use wiki with my students, I would divide the class into groups; each group will have their wiki. I’ll post some topics related to our course, each group will select a topic and collect information about it, post it in their group wiki and discus it with their classmates.  

    Delicious is a bookmarking tool that every student would need. I would ask my students to make their own Delicious and for each lesson they have to bookmark an article or a website that they find it useful and beneficial to our lesson, and share it with their classmates. 

the using of these tools would improve the teaching quality and the students' achievement as well. 

Application of Bax Normilasation in Saudi Arabia: The how!

Stephan Bax argues that, "Our aim should be to attain a state of `normalisation' in which the technology is invisible and truly integrated"

    In this article, Stephan Bax explained in detail what CALL (Computer-assisted language learning) is? , how important is to use it in classrooms, and that it should be normalized. He suggested imperative to plan for this normalized state first and then move towards it. Bax mentioned some steps to reach that, first, identifying the critical factors that normalization required. Second, auditing the practice of each teaching context in the light of these criteria. Finally, adjusting our current practice in each aspect so as to encourage normalization.

    In Saudi Arabia, in some schools especially in Riyadh technology is integrated throughout the curriculum to enhance and support learning. Students who study in these schools find the classroom management and the learning experience very enjoyable and effective. Hopefully, all schools in Saudi Arabia will start using technology in classroom soon.

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