The effects of ICT on affective factors and teaching practices in the EFL and ESL classroom

Abstract

The 21st century EFL/ESL teachers have the possibility of using information and communication technologies in their teaching. Increased accessibility to online tools for students’ and better equipped facilities makes it possible for teachers to fully integrate ICT as a part of their practice making it a great aid to learning and teaching. Technology is already a part of students’ everyday life and using it in teaching has proven to have positive effects on language acquisition. These positive effects are proven to be partly from the possibilities provided when ICT is successfully integrated into teaching and partly because of the effects it has on students’ affective factors, such as motivation, engagement and attitude towards the subject. The development of technology such as Web 2.0 has made it possible for students and teachers to not only search for information but also create an online environment to support the particular needs of students and teachers. This paper will explore the effects ICT has on teaching as well as what factors are necessary for ICT so be successfully integrated based on previous research.