THE INTERNET AS A RESOURCE FOR ESL TEACHERS

Abstract

The Internet can be a very useful resource for ESL teachers. This paper will discuss some of the ways in which ESL teachers can use the Internet.

Firstly, ESL teachers can be members of the TESL-L discussion group which functions as a support group for ESL practitioners. Members of this group share teaching ideas and ask questions to clear their uncertainties. It is also possible to retrieve past discussions on certain themes and academic articles contributed by members.

Secondly, there are many sites on the World Wide Web (WWW) dedicated to ESL learning. Some of these sites contain interactive exercises which teachers can refer their students to for self-access learning. Alternatively, teachers can download and print these exercises or the non-interactive ones for use in the classroom. The WWW also has sites which are essentially electronic reference books which students and teachers can refer to for language points.

In conclusion, ESL teachers should make use of the Internet as a tool for interacting with their peers, as a source of teaching ideas and materials and as a reference library.