Using ICT to support students’ acquisition and use of second language lexis
I originally wrote this paper in September 2012 as part of my teacher training. It mostly focuses on Memrise and how it can be used in an educational context.
Abstract
Information and communication technologies (ICT) can be employed to provide learners with effective strategies that allow them to maximize their autonomy outside of the classroom. This includes issues of self-evaluation, aspects of learner motivation and effects on students’ reward mechanisms. I will consider how ICT can support the autonomous development of students’ lexical skills, their awareness of lexical chunks and correct use of items in various linguistic contexts. To this effect, I will analyse the results of long-term evaluation relating to knowledge, synthesis, accuracy, pronunciation and fluency. These are intrinsically linked to the impact of vocabulary learning strategies on long-term memory, the effectiveness of mnemonics designed to engage multiple intelligences and students’ ability to progress from passive to active lexis. Finally, I want to consider to what extent ICT can be used to create a community of practice marked by peer-evaluation, creativity and intrinsic motivation.
Keywords:
vocabulary, ICT, CALL, mnemonics, motivation, feedback, gamification, online, community, assessment, Memrise