EDITOR'S MESSAGE
by Jarek Krajka
Maria Curie-Sklodowska University,
Lublin, Poland
jarek.krajka@wp.pl

As the Editor-in-Chief of Teaching English with Technology, it is truly a great pleasure for me to introduce this new October issue to the readers. With the electronic literacy being more and more widespread, using computer technology in teaching has become a must, and we can notice a significant improvement in the quality of materials available for publication. The idea of Web-assisted classroom instruction, consistently promoted throughout all the nineteen issues of the Journal since the very first issue in January 2001, is now well-grounded among English teachers in Poland and abroad, and the use of technology-enhanced instruction alongside coursebook instruction seems to have become an indispensable element of the teaching process.

"The culture of Britain – introduction", a Web-based lesson plan by Dorota Kunstler, shows the practical application of the Internet in developing intercultural awareness, attitudes of tolerance and understanding towards the target language culture. On the other hand, Felicity McCardle and Rachel Ellis, in their classroom activity "A serious issue – exploring global ageing with a lower-level language class" show how a language classroom should be a place to work on global issues, in order to lead towards intellectual development and greater maturity of learners. Here it is to be noted that English is used as a channel of communication, and non-linguistic content (culture knowledge or sociological issues) is the main theme of the lesson.

The main article in the issue, "Opportunities in Technology-Enhanced Language Learning (TELL) Classroom Environments" by Hee-Jung Jung and Sang Hyun Kim, explores the language classroom in which students learn with the help of specially designed websites, online and web-assisted tasks. The two TELL classroom environments are evaluated in reference to a framework of eight conditions for optimal language learning.

The humble undersigned, Jarek Krajka, writes about the effective use of translation in the classroom with such Web-based tools as word-for-word, phrase, website translation, translation in chat, emailing and instant messaging. The article contains 10 ready-made activity structures for translation use with the online language tools, which should help readers make good use of the mother tongue in the classroom.

In the article "Websites' Role in the Promotion of Distance Education: A Case Study of Geteducated.Com" Gui Qingyang expounds websites' role in the promotion of distance education by conducting a case study of GetEducated.com, focusing on the possibilities it offers and discussing the possible limitations.

It is to be hoped that the readers will benefit from a wide variety of topics and issues addressed in this month's issue of the Journal.

I wish you good reading.