1. The Integration of I.C.T. in the Classroom to Promote the Acquisition of Vocabulary. Prepared and presented by Hajer Elloumi

2. Educational tools and approaches have always been in constant change. With the advent and the progress in information, communication and technology, and in concordance with the communicative approach currently adopted in our schools, educationists have tried to incorporate Information and Communication Technologies (hereafter I.C.T.) as part and parcel of the educational endeavour.

3. I.C.T. incorporation would not only foster communication but it will also make teaching and learning more effective, pleasant and motivating for both the teacher and the student respectively. See example of students’ work

4. Rationale behind choosing this topic: Teachers are more and more encouraged to use multimedia in the classroom as a way to form autonomous learners and put those learners at the center of the educational process in a more student- based classroom environment in which the traditional roles of teachers and students, as well as the relationships between them, are reshuffled. Teaching vocabulary is of paramount importance in foreign language teaching. It has its own techniques and methods which could be ‘modernized’ through the use of high-tech.

5. Statement of the Problem(s)  Why is the integration of I.C.T. in our classrooms still hesitant and at times discriminatory?  What are the difficulties facing both the students and the teachers in order to use I.C.T. to acquire the targeted vocabulary?  Is I.C.T. integration helpful in the acquisition of vocabulary? If yes, how so?

6. Statement of the hypothesis Using I.C.T. in the language classroom will not only make learning enjoyable but also result in a better acquisition of the targeted vocabulary. Delimitation of the research

7. Definitions Vocabulary acquisition: As defined in Teaching Today website, students acquire vocabulary either incidentally “through the conscious or unconscious use of context clues during independent reading and listening activities” or “through direct instruction and study.” Haynes (2005) argues that “in order to acquire [vocabulary], the learner needs a source of natural communication. The emphasis is on the text of the communication and not on the form. Young students who are in the process of acquiring English get plenty of “on the job” practice. They readily acquire the language to communicate with classmates.”

8. Literacy: The definition of literacy has changed: illiterate, today, are those who cannot manipulate a computer. In this respect, the authors of Internet for English Teaching argue that “the ability to read, write, communicate, [do] research, and publish on the Internet represents important new forms of literacy needed in the 21st century. By combining English and technology in the classroom, you will help your students master the skills they will need for academic and occupational success. (Warschauer et al., 2002 p7)

9. Significance of the research I will attempt to shed light on the fact that high-tech integration in the teaching of vocabulary in the English language classrooms, however difficult to implement, is feasible. It would offer new exciting ways of teaching and learning that would be enjoyable for the teacher and the student respectively. Online and distance teaching as well as other high-tech tools, have been in great expansion lately. Such an expansion is at the core of I.C.T. integration in the teaching-learning process and would, thus, be tackled. This aims at changing the attitudes of both the teachers and the students regarding the use of I.C.T. tools in the teaching-learning process. In a nutshell, I will try to not only highlight the advantages of I.C.T. integration, but also the multitude of activities in a multimedia environment and the different obstacles our traditional classes have to surmount in order to be up-to-date.

10. Literature review Since the advent of technology, many researchers investigated the ability to integrate I.C.T. in the teaching process. Most of them found it quite helpful and motivating to students. As Warschauer (2002) puts it, in order to take better advantage of information technology, applying I.C.T. pushes "students and professors in the industrialized countries [to] use the Internet to share ideas, conduct research, and collaborate in the production of knowledge." Taken together, the integration of I.C.T. in teaching helps implement Authenticity, Literacy, Interaction, Vitality and Empowerment, thus, making the classroom seem more A.L.I.V.E. (Warschauer et al. 2002, 7).

11. Agreeing with the communicative approach, Gibbs (2003) opines that thanks to I.C.T. integration in the classroom, the learning environment will be based on individualized learning along with cooperation between students, teachers and the material. It is not enough, thus, for students to watch their teachers manipulate the computer. As a matter of fact, the former have to be involved in multimedia-based activities. The emphasis is, then, put on the technology-based activities used and conducted by the student. In this respect, “the goal of technology integration is for teachers to apply the use of technology in a seamless manner so that it supports and extends curriculum objectives and engages students in meaningful learning.” (Gibbs, 2003)

12. In the same vein of thought, Altschuld (1995) stipulates that “teachers need to realize that students who interact with multimedia at various levels […] generally outperform and retain knowledge and understanding of material significantly better than individuals [following classical learning methods].”

13. A methodological justification An experimental study: There will be two groups: One control group: taught vocabulary via traditional ways (i.e.: without the use of I.C.T. devices). One experimental group: taught using I.C.T. In fact, this experimental group will be incited to use high-tech so that the teacher will ‘simply’ play the role of facilitator (or provider of material if necessary). It is not sufficient for the learners to watch their teacher manipulate the laptop for instance. The learner must be completely involved in the process of operating with I.C.T. so that learning will really take place.

14. A comparative study: In the light of the results that will come up from the research, the findings will be commented upon and explained in order to be able to draw conclusions.

15. A qualitative study: “This approach asks open-ended rather than yes or no questions in order to enable people to explain their thoughts, feelings, or beliefs in detail” (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2008. © 1993-2007). In this respect, I will prepare two questionnaires. One will be answered by some of my students in the experimental group and the other by some colleagues teaching English. The questionnaire will mainly be about the attitudes concerning both I.C.T. and the teaching of vocabulary and how these two can combine. “One of the most common qualitative research techniques is the focus group in which a moderator leads a discussion among a small group” (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2008. © 1993-2007). In the context of my research, I will be the moderator and the group will be represented by some of my students in the experimental group. This study can provide insight about the different activities that students as well as teachers might suggest to ensure the success of such a research.

16. To conclude, we live in the technology age. And since education is an important part in our lives, there has to be a way to combine them both. This is what I would like to show through this research.

17. Thank you for your attention