ABSTRACT
No child can be an effective communicator in a world which has been transformed by the new technologies without acquiring the skills needed to make selective and effective use of ICT.
(Becta 2009: 2)
Information and communications technology (ICT), more broadly considered in this chapter simply as technology, is an essential component of our everyday lives and is used by most of us both at work and in leisure activities. It also features strongly in the world of education, with most primary schools now generously equipped with computers, interactive whiteboards and an increasingly widening range of other technological gadgetry. With all of this now at their f ingertips and with the need to prepare young people for a technology-rich world, the continuing challenge for schools and teachers is to ensure that the potential offered by technology is fully realised, so as to enhance teaching and learning not only with regard to the English curriculum but also in all aspects of primary education. The aim of this chapter is to get you started on the road to making the best possible use of technology in your English teaching. The chapter ends with a list of useful online resources.
