Pedagogical Applications for the Single Computer Teaching Station: A Case Study in French Language Instruction

The majority of foreign language classes today are not taught in multimedia, Internet-connected classrooms equipped with computers for each student and an integrated projection system for the teacher. The instructional reality that exists for many practicing teachers dictates that incorsporating technology into a foreign language classroom consists of a single computer teaching station hooked to the Internet; the unit sits at the front of the classroom with the monitor facing the students. This paper takes into account the limitations imposed on foreign language instructors and offers a sample case study of what can be accomplished to advance the use of the target language and the study of the foreign culture in the classroom, given the technological constraints involved.