The Relevance Use of Technology in Teaching English in Malaysian Schools: Are We Ready Mentally for the Shift?

Abstrak

Students around the world need advanced skills to succeed in the globalized, knowledge-based world of today or this 21st century. Traditional approaches are no longer practiced as they have always been but improvised using technology to cater to the needs of the education sector. Language teachers are challenged to incorporate the use of educational technology in teaching languages to their students. However, some results from previous literature indicate a few factors have to be taken into consideration when integrating technology in the language teaching and learning processes, such as parental support, students’ diverse demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds as well as their accessibility to technology, students’ knowledge in using technology, and teachers’ readiness to incorporate technology in teaching English to their students. By considering the factors as mentioned, it is suggested that more technological professional development should be organized to equip teachers with the latest technological knowledge as well as boosting their motivation and confidence in integrating technology in their lessons.