Using ICT to enhance Language Lessons

ICT was mentioned in Ron Dearing’s Language Review as a way to motivate and inspire students learning languages.

A number of sites provide ideas and support to develop ICT/ MFL projects.

This website from CILT and ALL provides a gateway to information and guidance for teachers of languages on using Information and Communications Technology in the classroom. Whether you are teaching French or Urdu, German or Japanese, at KS2, KS3 or 14-19, there is something here for most of us.

http://www.languages-ict.org.uk/default.htm


ICT news with links to research and MFL projects using ICT
http://www.languages-ict.org.uk/news/ict_news_update.htm

There is also a useful search facility to find specific projects targeting a given age range and language.
http://www.languages-ict.org.uk/useful_ideas/LinksDatabase.aspx

This link provides support to find partners for ICT project,s thus giving students a real audience for their project http://www.languages-ict.org.uk/ict_inter/ICT_international.htm

You can find here some support to choose appropriate software and hardware for your MFL Faculty
http://www.languages-ict.org.uk/managing/managing_selecting.htm

This excellent link
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/cs/blogs/mfle/default.aspx by Ewan McIntosh (Scottish MFLE) provides up-to-date information on blogging, podcasting and ICT (click on the left-hand link).

Useful links on MFLE, one of my favourite language links, include articles about the use of mp3 players, mobile phones, podcasting, bloging and interactive voting to enhance students’ motivation in lessons.
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/sharingpractice/ict.asp

Using cartoons to develop writing:
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/sharingpractice/cartoons.asp


Lee Summit’s School District in Missouri not only has an excellent MFL link page,
http://its.leesummit.k12.mo.us/modern%20language.htm but also has a host of ICT-related links including: digital media, excel, game resources, graphics, powerpoint templates, sounds, student projects and site, software tutorials, virtual activities and webquests.
http://its.leesummit.k12.mo.us/


I would also recommend "Sound in Powerpoint" from Joe Dale's blog, another one of my favourites.
http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2007/05/tes_ict_blog_so.html


as well as this article, inspired by Joe's practice, on using photos.
http://cms.typepad.com/r_parker/2006/05/exploiting_phot.html