Techno-CLIL in an ESOL Context: Vocabulary Learning and Student Perceptions of the Lifesaver App in a Further Education College
Keywords:
CLIL, digital skills, computer-assisted language learning, ESOL, motivation, vocabularyAbstract
While the use of digital technologies is increasingly prominent in higher education, research suggests that adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners within the English Further Education (FE) sector have fewer opportunities to access them as part of their language learning. This paper explores whether the use of authentic digital materials in a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach helped promote positive learning outcomes for ESOL students at a FE college in the Northwest of England. Using a tablet-based app that teaches students authentic life-saving vocabulary and skills, a mixed methods research design involving a questionnaire, pre- and post-tests and focus groups was used with a group of 32 adult ESOL learners aged 18-61. The main findings from the study were that authentic digital materials were found to contribute to the ESOL learners’ motivation and learning outcomes in their study of English. In conclusion several pedagogical implications are identified for ESOL teachers who aim to harness authentic digital materials, as well as for policymakers in terms of the need to provide more opportunities for adult ESOL learners to acquire digital literacy skills in the English FE sector.
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