Instead of forbidding cell phone use in English classes, I welcome cell phones and use them as learning tools. In classrooms without Internet access, cell phones can provide a valuable link to the outside world for teachers to take advantage of. In Japan’s advanced information society, Internet access via a cell phone provides amazing opportunities for exploring cultural aspects of lesson topics. In this session, I will present different ways I have used cell phones to enhance classroom activities that keep students engaged in learning outside of the classroom. Participants will discuss how mobile phones can be used for practicing reading, speaking and listening both in and out of the classroom. After presenting my techniques and discussing the successes and pitfalls I’ve experienced, attendees will practice these techniques using their own cell phones to learn about culture. The session will conclude with time provided for discussions, questions and answers. Attendees will take away specific methods for incorporating the use of cell phones into their lessons to better engage today’s learners as soon as they get back to their classrooms.
Bio:
Edo Forsythe is currently an English Lecturer at Hirosaki Gakuin University in Aomori Prefecture. Prior to joining the faculty at Hirosaki Gakuin Univ., he served in the U.S. Navy as a Russian translator and as a Russian instructor. Edo’s research background has surrounded the use of technology in language education and he has shared his research in several published several articles and presentations.
