Blended Learning in ELT

Trends & Prospects

Dr Willy A Renandya
Technology is everywhere

Can we live without

technology?

Can we teach without

technology?
 Yes or No?
• Technology will replace teachers
one day.
• Teachers who know how to use
technology will replace those
who do not know how to use
technology
 Transform
language
learning

Enhance Support
language language
learning learning
Li et al 2019

The more technology the better? A

comparison of of teacher-student
interaction in high and low technology
use in elementary EFL classrooms in
China
Li et al

• Primary schools in rural China

• Two groups of teachers: high and
low tech use
• Classroom interaction patterns
(IRF)
Results

• No difference
• Minimal use of English
• Display questions and
directives
• Little corrective feedback
Golonka et al (2014)

Technologies for Foreign

Language Learning: A review of
technology types and their
effectiveness
 • 350 studies
• Tech vs traditional methods
• Mobile learning devices

Golonka et
RESULTS
al (2014)
• Limited effect
• Strong effect on pronunciation
• Effect on amount of talk via ‘chat’
 Can technology enhance
language learning?
The Big Question
1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe
 Technology and Pedagogy

1. Technology with little change in

Outline pedagogy
2. Use of technology with good
pedagogy
3. Technology with L2 pedagogy
Technology with minimal theory

• A simple substitute e.g., doc sharing

via whatsapp, google forms; spell
check, text with hyperlinks
• Print text -> Digital text
Which one results in deeper comprehension?
Simple Substitution – No change in pedagogy

P-P-P APPROACH
Reasons

•No time
•No choice
•No motivation
•Fixed mindset
Can technology
improve proficiency?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe
Technology with mainstream pedagogy

• Student-centred learning
• Inquiry/discovery learning
• Problem-based learning
• 21st century skills (4 Cs)
 6 Principles of Good Teaching
Knowledge is socially Differenciated
constructed learning
Collabora Personal-
-tive ized
learning learning

Deep learning 90/90 Rule; Safe

during lessons Flipped Engaged
learning learning environments

Authentic
Feedback
learning
Doing school
Re-learning of
vs doing life
taught material
AGREE?
3L Technology with SLA-inspired Pedagogy

Language Input

Language Processing

Language use
1st L = Language Input
•Technology → lots of input
•Input →sine qua non to language
development
•No input, no learning!!
1st L = Language Input

• Input is just a click away

• ebooks, graded readers,
TED Talks, Netflix, talk
shows
 Willy
Richard Day added
this ☺
• Good things happen to students
who read (and listen) a great deal in
the foreign language. Research
studies show they become better
and more confident readers, they
write better, their listening and
speaking abilities improve, and their
vocabularies become richer.

Bamford & Day (2004, p.1)

 Free
Resources
 Built in Learning
Mangement System

Digital Library
of 1000 Graded
Readers

Read & Listen

anytime &
anywhere
Concerns about ER/EL
NO NO TIME
BOOKS

NOT PLS ADD

INTERESTED MORE
 “Many … estimate that
they have learned 70%
to 85% of their English
by going online or
watching satellite TV”.
Dressman, Lee, & Sabaoui, 2016,
p 71
2nd L = Language Processing

• Input alone is not enough.

• Language: Easy
• Contents: Magical
WILLY’S RECOMMENDED
READING LIST
Willy’s All time favourite
3rd L = Language Use

Method
•The goal of language
learning is to develop
•Fluency & Accuracy
Practicing what you are already good at!!
 Language use

• People Learn to read by reading

• People learn to speak by speaking
• People learn to listen by …
• People learn to write by …
3L Technology with SLA-inspired Pedagogy

Language Input

Language Processing

Language use
 CONCLUSIONS

• Technology is here with us

• Technology + Good Pedagogy +
L2 Principles
• So can technology improve
language learning?
Let me end with a story
UNFORTUNATELY HYUNJOON HAD AN
ACCIDENT
 Synchronous Learning

Synchronous Learning

IN THE MEANTIME
HYUNJUN RECOVERED AND ATTENDED THE
LAST LESSON BEFORE THE EXAM
 NEAR
Hmm … uh.. actually …
PERFECT if I had NOT attended
SCORE the last session, I
would’ve gotten a
perfect score ☺
 SLA-INSPIRED TECH-ENHANCED
LANGUAGE LEARNING
TECHNOLOGY
Thank you
very much
 Finally

WILLY’S ELT CORNER

www.willyrenandya.com