Fostering Grammar and vocabulary through ICTs: a didactic proposal in a secondary school classroom

Abstract

Since the 20th century, Information and Communication Technologies have revolutionized our society as it was conceived. They have influenced aspects so important in our lives such as our communication, our productivity and our privacy. And the field of education could, by no means, be unaffected by the power of technology. In order to deeply reflect upon this concept, a theoretical framework reviewing prior theories is presented in the present study to cover, firstly, the concepts of Educational Technology and the evolution of the web; secondly, a description of the gap existing between digital natives and digital immigrants; then, a frame of the current situation of the Digital Competence in education; and, finally, the relation between motivation and one of the most popular emerging methodologies: gamification. Basing on those aspects, the aim of this study is to examine the role of Information and Communication Technologies in a real Secondary Education context and to evaluate their effect on both students’ linguistic acquisition and students’ motivation. Therefore, a proposal on teaching grammar and vocabulary with the web-based application Plickers is created. Results from this project demonstrate that technology seems to influence foreign language learning positively, both benefiting the students in their linguistic competence, as well as enhancing their positive attitudes towards English language learning.