Role of ICT in English Language Teaching

“What we learn with pleasure, we never forget” – Alfred Mercier.

In today’s world of emerging trends in technology, everything is flexible, especially the teaching of English language.  Methods of teaching English language have developed rapidly over the past forty years. So it is important that language learners as well as teachers adopt and understand the various techniques of language teaching and upgrade themselves of the same. Teachers teaching English at various grades must also be able to adapt themselves to the needs of the young minds and how in turn will help to bring about drastic changes in the society. According to academic research, linguists have demonstrated that there is not one single best method to teach English language and that no one teaching method is inherently superior to the others.

This paper outlines the main methodologies used in language teaching such as direct methods,  the conventional chalk and talk method, audio-lingual method, grammar translation, communicative approach etc. to create a learner friendly environment. It also focuses on the incorporation of technology in teaching English. The four basic language skills are listening, speaking, reading and writing. However, other socially based language skills have been identified more recently such as summarizing, describing, narrating, dramatizing etc., to be applied to language class rooms. The thrust areas of language teaching include grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, listening and speaking which helps learners acquire efficiency in the language.