Notes

Outline

ESL VS. EFL Who Are ESL / EFL Learners?  How Are They Different?  How Can Technology Bridge the Gap between Them?  How Can Technology Improve Learning Quality  in the EFL Environment?  Conclusion

Who Is an EFL Learner? The English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner is someone who is learning English Language in a country where English is not the official or the dominant language used by everybody.

Who Is an ESL Learner? The English as a Second Language (ESL) learner is someone who is learning English in a country or area where English is the official or dominant language.

How Are They Different? Level of Exposure to the English Language. Effort Exerted by ESL / EFL Learners. Effort Exerted by ESL / EFL Instructors.

How Can Technology Bridge the Gap Between Them? Bringing the ESL Environment to EFL Learners: Joining Communities of Practice, Such as Webheads Vance’s Syllabus for Teaching Arabic. My Experience

How Can Technology Improve Learning Quality in an EFL Environment?  Using CMC Tools to Enforce Language Skills & Critical Thinking inside an EFL C-Lab: Tapped In / Yahoo Messenger / Group Board  Different Ways of Using Web-blogs:  to Enforce Writing & Reading Skills. To Enforce Independent Learning.

Conclusion  Students Feedback Using computer mediated communication is essential for EFL learners since it can help students enforce their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.  CMC tools can help educators create independent, productive learners, instead of "Consumers or Followers".  Educators and officials in countries that use  old-school teaching and learning methods must take the move, immediately, to change their systems, enforcing and supporting the use of CALL in their schools.