78 introducing students to these important aspects of the country. Other CD-ROMs of the period included three ELLIS programs for language learners at introductory, middle, and senior mastery levels, and Tense Buster, which offered lessons and practice tests to help improve English grammar. As students generally did not have computers at home, I took them to our computer lab once or twice a week, where I would assign them a unit within Explore Canada or one of the other programs available at the time. A key development in the history of computer-assisted language learning in Canada was the introduction of EduLinc, an online platform for language learning. I was among the first to take Stage 1 and 2 training for EduLinc because I wanted to ramp up my technology knowledge and skills. I continue do my best to keep up with new apps, websites, and strategies for making the most of blended learning. Today, wonderful tools such as the Avenue Learning Platform provide access to not only to excellent learning materials, but to opportunities for collaboration and discussion. Whenever I can, I take on volunteers and interns to help in class. For example, if I’m explaining how to do something new on a computer, an intern will help students apply what they have just learned. A volunteer who has been helping me for some time works with students who have the greatest needs. She gives them extra help in performing tasks. Strategies for Success Student writing skills often lag behind their speaking skills. In the beginning, quite a few foundation-level students cannot write their names and may not have the fine motor skills needed to use a pen or pencil. Every morning, I ask students to sign in by writing their names on an attendance sheet. At first, they need a bit of help, but after days and days of repetition it becomes a matter of routine. Another thing I do early in the program is write the day, date, temperature, and weather forecast on the board. I will then ask questions to prompt responses. What day is it today? What is the temperature? What will the weather be like today? I might also build in a simple Internet search that students carry out on their Smartphones, such as finding out what the high temperature will be today. Repetition of this kind of exercise helps to build vocabulary, improve pronunciation, demonstrate syntax, and build online search skills. A good strategy is to teach things that are very relevant, familiar, or important to the students. Examples would be family – the names of family members such as father, mother, daughter, son, and so on. Health is another good theme – going to the doctor (appointment, hospital, clinic, the names of local hospitals, etc.), the names of medical professionals (nurse, doctor, dentist, etc.), or the names of ailments (headache, backache, cold, flu, my arm hurts, etc.) All of this is slow going. For someone who arrives at the pre-literacy stage, there is no set time for the acquisition of basic language skills. For some, there is a breakthrough moment at which key things begin to come together in a student’s mind. After that, their progress becomes more rapid. However, I’ve had some students repeat my class more than once and, even then, are still struggling with simple exercises. Something I discovered is that Smartphone skills are not fully transferable to laptops. While students generally know how to use their phone to make personal calls, take photographs, watch videos, and use icons to open apps, they find that the Google Chromebooks we use require the use of a keyboard with unfamiliar keys, a mouse, and a different navigation system from the one they are used to. On their personal Smartphones, the interface language is usually their own. When you begin using the Chromebooks, everything is in English and the positioning of icons is often unfamiliar. All of these things have to be taught before students can make effective use of our computers. CC-BY-NC-SA 2025 New Language Solutions Avenue Instructor Standards for Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, version 1.2
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