What are the best ways to use technology in the classroom for language acquisition?

We are in a time when there is a lot of talk about using technology to improve communication. However, despite having a myriad of tools, what we have in practice is a high degree of lack of communication. Technology should facilitate communication between students, teachers and native speakers through the use of tools such as video calls, podcasts, blogs, social media and online games for authentic use of language. Does creating interactive activities through platforms encourage collaborative learning? Yes, perfect, but nothing replaces human contact when practicing skills. In one phrase, technology should be used to bring people closer, and when it is close, we should connect more, physically interact more to make better use our humanity.

Use AI to facilitate translanguaging. If you have ever had to make a word wall for your students or pre-teach vocabulary, ask chat gpt to identify words in the text that ELL students might struggle with and create a Spanish dictionary for them. Or have your AI program identify the cognates in the text. Your AI program can also simplify the text and rewrite it, providing alternating lines of the English version of the text and the student's home language. These are some of the ways that AI can help make accommodations for ELL students that a teacher would never have the time to do otherwise.

Personalized learning adapts educational experiences to meet students' individual needs, considering their pace, interests, and learning styles. Shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to personalized teaching, leveraging technology, data and flexible teaching strategies. I used both Kahoot and Mentimeter in the classroom and lectures, and I can say that they are effective and inclusive tools. The teacher needs to adapt his content and assessment, however, in doing so, he encourages students' autonomy, involvement and mastery and promotes a deeper understanding and appropriation of meaningful learning.

Applying some type of educational technology that increases the creation and transformation of knowledge, specifically in languages, through the use of digital tools such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, or even a podcast such as BBC English We Speak, enriches learning as it allows the student to discover new content and explore different places and cultures. Going a little further, if the mediator (as an educator or instructor) knows how to apply tools such as Google Arts & Culture or Virtual Field Trips, which allow for a more immersive cultural exploration, they will certainly be able to promote a richer and deeper understanding of different cultures and languages.

Ideally, technology to cultivate creativity in language acquisition for educators and students would be applied, such as Canva, Adobe Spark or Soundtrap to create innovative activities that stimulate imagination and expression. Encourage your students to generate original content such as stories, podcasts, videos or digital art, stimulating their creative expression. Showcase and celebrate student achievements through platforms like Behance or WordPress, empowering them to share and showcase their creative language projects.

IMO, leverage technology to encourage reflection in language acquisition for both educators and students. Utilize tools like Reflectly, Penzu, Notion or Journey to facilitate journaling and self-reflection, allowing individuals to track progress and gain insights. Implement data-driven analysis through platforms such as spreadsheets or Jupyter Notebook to evaluate performance based on test scores, feedback, and self-assessments. Foster goal setting and tracking using apps like Trello or Habitica, enabling students to monitor assignments and learning objectives.