Ict And Reading : In The Technology- Enhanced Extensive Reading Classroom. The Case Of 1st Year Efl Students At Hassiba Ben- Bouali University Of Chlef (algeria).

Résumé: Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) such as computers and internet to teach EFL reading- particularly extensive reading- is graining wide concern among researchers and teachers in different settings. ICT are nowadays representing a sign of progress in education and a crucial factor to pursue requirements of the changing world and the digital generation of students. At the Algerian university level, some EFL reading classrooms are unfortunately still depending on traditional matters in teaching/learning reading (both intensively and extensively) allowing students no chance to interact with the technology in the reading session. The present work is an experiment conducted at Hassiba Ben-Bouali University of Chlef, it aims primarily at investigating EFL university students’ attitudes and teachers’ reactions to computer/internet extensive reading classroom and seeks to shed light on the importance and benefits of introducing ICT in the EFL extensive reading classroom. We thus address the following questions: How can the EFL teacher bridge the gap between traditional and technology-enhanced extensive reading classroom? What are the benefits of introducing ICT in the EFL extensive reading classroom? How to convince students of the important role of technologies (computers/ internet) in extensive reading? What are the main constraints faced by the teacher and the students in the technology-enhanced extensive reading classroom? To what extent will students and teachers benefit from the technology in extensive reading? To this end an overview about technology-enhanced classroom is presented followed by an illustration of the principle benefits of ICT in learning EFL in general and the advantages of computer/internet technologies in reading/extensive reading in particular. A comparison between the traditional and the technologyenhanced reading classroom is also dealt with so that to serve as a background for the study. Participants in the experiment are 24 students and 4 teachers chosen randomly. Results of this investigation have reinforced the view that ICT, especially computer/internet have major benefits on students’ achievement in reading/extensive reading in the sense that these technologies motivate students to read both intensively and extensively, strengthen their reading competence and make them enjoy the reading act. Findings of this study have also reinforced the important role ICT play in aiding EFL teachers introduce novelty in the reading classroom and engage students actively in the fruitful skill of extensive reading.

Publié dans la revue: الاكاديمية للدراسات الاجتماعية و الانسانية