Children’s experiences of engaging with ICT in learning EFL: A case study from Saudi Arabia

Within last decade there has been a push for use of ICT based education tools across all levels. However, there has been a lack of research on how ICT interventions affect students’ ability to learn. For young children the focus need to be on improving experience of learning and boosting their learning skills. This paper looks at how ICT intervention affect Saudi preschool school children’s experience of learning English as Foreign Language (EFL). Data was collected using English test scores and student observation. Findings of this paper indicate that ICT can be useful in teaching EFL but it need to be used keeping in mind the abilities of the students. 

___

  • • Alharbi, H. (2015), Improving students' English speaking proficiency in Saudi public schools. International Journal of Instruction, 8(1), 105-116
  • • Alfahad, F. (2009), Students' attitudes and perception towards the effectiveness of mobile learning in King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, The Turkish Online Journal of Educa-tional Technology, 8(2), 111-119.
  • • Alnofai, H. (2010), The attitudes of teachers and students towards using Arabic in EFL classrooms in Saudi public schools: a case study. Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 4(1), 64-95
  • • Assalahi, H. (2013), Why is the grammar-translation method still alive in the Arab world? teachers’ beliefs and its implications for EFL teacher education. TPLS, 3(4). doi:10.4304/tpls.3.4.589-599.
  • • Blows, M. (2009), E-words for ICT and classroom creativity, National College of School Leadership. [Online]. Available at: http://future.ncsl.org.uk/ShowResource.aspx?ID=812 [Accessed: 16 March 2017].
  • • Brophy, S., Snooks, H. & Griffifths, L. (2008), Small-scale evaluation in health: A prac-tical guide. London: SAGE.
  • • Celce-Murcia, M. (2007), Towards more context and discourse in grammar instruction. TESL-EJ, 11(2), 1-6.
  • • Celce-Murcia, M., & Olshtain, E. (2005), Discourse and context in language teaching: a guide for language teachers (3rd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  • • Brown, H. D. (2007), Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language peda-gogy (3rd ed.). White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.
  • • Byron, T. (2008), Safer Children in a Digital World: the Report of the Byron Review. Nottingham: DCSF Publications.
  • • Ching, H., & Fook, F. (2013), Effects of Multimedia-Based Graphic Novel Presentation on Critical Thinking among Students of Different Learning Approaches. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 12(4), 56-66.
  • • Chung, Y. (2012), Schools at home: Parental support for learning Mandarin as a second language. PhD Thesis. London: University of London.
  • • Ciampa, K. (2012), Reading in the digital age: Using electronic books as a teaching tool for beginning readers. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 38(2), 1-26.
  • • Clark, W., Logan, K., Luckin, R., Mee, A. & Oliver, M. (2009), Beyond Web 2.0: map-ping the technology landscapes of young learners. Journal of Computer Assisted Learn-ing, 25(1), 56-69.
  • • Cots, J. (1995), Bridging discourse analysis into the language classroom. Links & Letters, 3, 77-101
  • • Darlington, Y. & Scott, D. (2002), Qualitative Research in Practice: Stories from the Field, Buckingham. Open University Press.
  • • Department for Education and Skills (2004), Pedagogy and practice: Teaching and learn-ing in secondary schools, Available from: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/5679/1/sec_pptl043804u15using_ict.pdf [Accessed: 26 January 2017].
  • • Faruk, S. M. G. (2014), Saudis’ attitude towards English: trend and rationale. PCTS Pro-ceedings (Professional Communication & Translation Studies), 7(1/2), 173-180.
  • • Gahwaji, N.M. (2011), The effects of using interactive teaching programs on preschool children's literacy development: Case study. Journal of Research in International Educa-tion, 7(1), 99-108.
  • • Haugland, S.W., & Wright, J.L. (1997), Young children and technology: A world of dis-covery. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
  • • Hennessy, S., Deaney, R. & Ruthven, K. (2005), ‘Emerging teacher strategies for sup-porting subject teaching and learning with ICT.’ Available from: http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/istl/TiPS0521.pdf [Accessed: 23 August 2016].
  • • Hubbard, P. (2013), Making a Case for Learner Training in Technology Enhanced lan-guage learning Environments. CALICO Journal, 30(2), 163-178.
  • • Jung, S.H. (2006), The use of ICT in learning English as an international language. (3222610 Ph.D.), University of Maryland, College Park, United States - Maryland, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I database, Available from http://search.proquest.com/docview/305302616?accountid=10499.
  • • Kean, A. C., Embi, M. A., & Yunus, M. M. (2012), Incorporating ICT Tools in an Active Engagement Strategy-based Classroom to Promote Learning Awareness and Self-monitoring. International Education Studies, 5(4), 139-149.
  • • Klimova, B. F., & Semradova, I. (2012), The teaching of foreign languages and ICT. Pro-cedia Technology, 1(0), 89-93. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.protcy.2012.02.017
  • • Li, X., & Brand, M. (2009), Effectiveness of music on vocabulary acquisition, language usage, and meaning for mainland Chinese ESL learners. (Undetermined). Contributions To Music Education, 36(1), 73-84.
  • • Matwyshyn, A. M., (ed.) (2009), Harboring data: Information security, law, and the cor-poration. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
  • • Montessori, M. (2009), The Absorbent Mind, Revised ed., Thousand Oaks, CA: BN Pub-lishing.
  • • O’Hara, M. (2008), Young children, learning and ICT: a case study in the UK maintained sector. Technology, Pedagogy and Education. 17(1), 29-40.
  • • Plowman, L. & Stephen, C. (2005), Children, play, and computers in pre-school educa-tion. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(2), 145-157.
  • • Prensky, M. (2010), Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning. London: SAGE.
  • • Sanyal, B.C. (2001) ‘New functions in higher education and ICT to achieve education for all.’ In: Proceedings from the Expert Roundtable on University and Technology –for –Literacy/ Basic Education Partnership in Developing Countries, International Institute for Educational Planning. Schools: Examples, Experiences and Issues. London.
  • • Sharples, M., Graber, R., Harrison, C. & Logan, K. (2009), E-Safety and Web 2.0 for children aged 11-16. Journal of Computer-Assisted Learning, 25(1), 70-84.
  • • Vygotsky, L. (1978), Mind in society. London: Harvard University Press.
  • • Weber, A.S. (2011), Cloud computing in education in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: Can barriers be overcome?, Conference proceedings of eLearning and Software for Education (eLSE), 2011(01), 565-570.
  • • Yun, E. (2014), Teaching Arabic to Korean students using films. The New Educational Review, 37(3), 80-91.