Expanding the knowledge base of teachers' use of communication tools for language learning

Abstract The changing nature of computer-mediated communication (CMC) continues to provide language learners with new opportunities for authentic language use. Many language teachers appropriate CMC tools to support language learning and teaching and as a consequence, their practical knowledge develops. Based on a longitudinal interview study with sixteen participants in Australia and New Zealand, this study gives a possible outline of the knowledge base that tertiary language teachers develop through using everyday communication technologies in their classrooms. The learning of these experienced teachers is described by detailing aspects of the Teacher Knowledge Grid, including the central role of pedagogy in how teachers supported their students’ learning. Participants identified that using new tools afforded opportunities to teach in ways that suited them as individuals as well as new avenues for their own learning. Finally, the Teacher Knowledge Grid suggests questions that might be used to support professional development and reflection on integrating computer-mediated tools into classroom practice. Teachers' practical knowledge includes more than just the skills needed to use a tool; it includes personal and professional understandings of how technology relates to particular pedagogical contexts, as well as developing abilities to facilitate their own and their students' learning to use new tools.

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