EDITOR’S MESSAGE

by Jarek Krajka

Maria Curie-Sklodowska University ,

Lublin , Poland

jkrajka@batory.plo.lublin.pl

The opening of the academic year 2003/2004 is marked with the new issue of Teaching English with Technology -  A Journal for Teachers of English. We are perfectly aware of the fact that a large group of TEwT subscribers is composed of tertiary teachers and academic researchers, and we would like to provide them with another handful of useful ideas for the use of technology in foreign language education and pre-service training.

It seems that the nature of learning on the tertiary level is naturally conducive to the application of computers in the learning process. Due to the greater maturity of learners, the change of the role of the teacher from a knowledge transmitter to a facilitator of learning, tertiary level students are used to self-study work, can participate in online learning adventures, do treasure hunts, go on virtual telefieldtrips or use chat to engage in authentic writing interaction. Contrary to the secondary school environment, with its more guided nature and in-class interaction, where it is more likely to use computers and the Web in class to enhance lessons, the students in the tertiary sector should be shown how to work on one's own assisted with technology.

The current issue of the Journal in many ways relates to the experience of this educational sector, providing activity structures and ready-to-use websites. Thus, Pawel Topol, from Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznan , Poland , writes about language learning enhanced with a CD-ROM package on the one hand, and distance learning courses on the other. The author tries to prove that supporting foreign language examinations by computer technology can be beneficial both for those who take exams and who organize them.

Similarly, Roberta Devlin-Scherer, from Seton Hall University , New Jersey , USA , describes a number of technological applications such as Inspiration Software, Puzzles, Games, and Quizzes, Virtual Field Trips, WebQuests, which constituted the basis of the course for pre-service teachers. The writer shows the positive experience of bringing together the pre-service training with middle school teaching, with the technology projects being spread across the courses in the program.

An interesting point of view is represented by Wlodzimierz Sobkowiak, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznan , Poland , who makes an extensive discussion of Text-to-Speech technology (TTS) in EFL as approached from a pedagogical perspective. After the consideration of some pedagogically salient features, the paper gives examples of TTS services, websites, information and demos.

The Internet Lesson Plans section is composed of two contributions. "Telling True Stories: Blending Multimedia in a Task-based Activity" by Aiden Yeh (National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung , Taiwan ) demonstrates the practical application of popular chat software (such as Yahoo! Messenger) to provide online interaction opportunities for language learners. The second contribution, "Instant Lessons – Both In and Out of the Classroom", by Rachel Ellis, shows how students can be taught using one of many lesson plans from English-to-go.com, a rich resource of lesson plans using various media.

So far the Journal has published contributions with a plethora of ideas on technology in teaching English. However, we cannot forget that in order for learners to participate in the learning experience, they need to be equipped in appropriate language structures and vocabulary. To address this issue, Katalin Fazekas from SZAMALK Post-Secondary Vocational School , Budapest , Hungary , presents an entire unit from a coursebook teaching Internet and computer English, with texts, grammatical and lexical exercises. It is hoped that this material will prove useful in preparing our learners for technology-enhanced language learning.

The Software column has been renamed Courseware for this issue, as the contribution by Yasmine L. Howard, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Australia, "Developing ‘Learner-Friendly’ Courseware for TESOL: A Preliminary Investigation", deals with the issue of the courseware giving support to the learner in a web-dependent, web-supplemented and fully online environments.

Finally, Dafne Gonzalez, from Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela, in the article entitled "Teaching and Learning through Chat: A Taxonomy of Educational Chat for EFL/ESL", discusses the advantages of chat for language learning and teaching, and she presents a taxonomy of educational chat with a detailed description for teachers of the characteristics of different chat tasks with a special focus on the purpose, the role of the moderator, and the structure of the interaction to be generated.

It is hoped that this wide variety of topics raised in the current issue of Teaching English with Technology will satisfy the diverse needs of our readers in a number of educational settings and countries all over the world.

            I wish you good reading!