Reading Prompt # 9

Reading Prompt 9
Which of the limitations, caveats, and challenges with regards to computer assisted language learning apply to your current (or future) classrooms? How could these be overcome?

I worked at SAISD adult ESL for 3 years. We did not have computers. However, one of the adult ed. TEKS was to educate our students in the use of computets. Mmm... How can we accomplish that task when we did not have computers? The only way to introduce the students to computers was to bring my own labtop into the classroom or bring the students to the computers. I use to choose a leader every week to type up the vocabulary words for the week. This way I introduced microsoft word applications to the students. We did not have access to the internet, so we use to visit the library every other week to use their computers and have our computer lessons there. I worked very closely with the library to reserve a room and some computers for us. This also caused the students to have to get a library card and find out just how many resources are available to them at the library.
Now, the class has 3 computers donated by the community. We still don't have internet access but that is OK, the students work with CDs and write letters in word.
Currently, I work at Northwest Vista College where we have a computer lab with 20 computers! The students are now learning how to make blogs, and make powerpoint presentations.
Feel free to visit the blog we created in our ESL reading class.
Soon, I will be creating another blog for an ESL beginners class. Stay tune for that one too.
Rosa