Innovation in English Language Teaching
From digital tools to meaningful language learning
José Luis Hernández De la Paz jhernande2865@alumno.uned.es UNED MÁSTER UNIVERSITARIO EN FORMACIÓN DEL PROFESORADO DE EDUCACIÓN SECUNDARIA OBLIGATORIA Y BACHILLERATO, FORMACIÓN PROFESIONAL Y ENSEÑANZAS DE IDIOMAS Curso 2025-2026
“Pedagogy first, technology second.”
Start
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
OVERVIEW
Virtual Spaces for Education and Learning
Presentation roadmap
creation · connection · digital literacy
Five units, one critical route towards meaningful digital innovation.
CALL: Past, Present and Future
restricted · open · integrated · normalised
Technology and Virtual Environments in Language Learning
VLEs - interaction · guidance · instructional design
Digital Materials in Foreign Language Teaching
HOTS · authenticity · task design
CALL Research: Where Are We Now?
evidence · gaps · future directions
"Technology supports innovation when it strengthens participation, feedback, autonomy and meaningful language use."
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 1
Virtual Spaces for Education and Learning
ICTs reshape how people create, connect, share and learn across formal and informal contexts.
Key question
How do virtual spaces transform participation, creation and digital literacy?
+ EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 1
VIRTUAL SPACES
From access to participation
Learners move from receiving content to producing, sharing and responding.
Web 2.0: collaboration and production
Publishing, remixing, commenting and learning through participatory spaces.
Web 1.0: access and consumption
Reading static pages, consulting information and following more vertical content delivery.
Search
Evaluate
Create
Share
find and select
judge quality
produce meaning
connect with others
“Virtual spaces should give learners authentic reasons to read, write, speak, publish and respond in English.”
＋ ELT EXAMPLE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
DIGITAL LITERACY
UNIT 1
Digital literacy means transforming information
Information is abundant; educational value depends on selection, synthesis and purposeful communication.
Locate
Select
Find reliable information and understand where knowledge is stored.
Compare sources and filter what is useful for the task.
Communicate
Organise
Structure information and connect ideas.
Share knowledge through multimodal, audience-aware choices.
MINI CASE
“Digital competence is not only technical; it is ethical, collaborative and reflective.”
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 2
CALL: Past, Present and Future
Bax reframes CALL through classroom integration and argues that normalisation is a long-term goal.
Key question
How does CALL become a normal, integrated part of language teaching?
+ EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 2
CALL EVOLUTION
Bax’s three approaches to CALL
The framework helps analyse how technology is actually used in learning contexts.
Restricted CALL
Closed tasks, limited responses and practice mainly focused on control and accuracy.
Open CALL
More varied tools, richer multimedia and wider opportunities for learner choice.
Integrated CALL
Technology supports language use naturally as one element of the learning environment.
“The aim is not more technology, but better integration into ordinary language learning practices.”
▶ CALL timeline
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 2
NORMALISATION
Normalisation: integration matters more than novelty
Technology succeeds when it stops being the centre of attention.
“What apps are students using? becomes: What learning, interaction and feedback are students experiencing?”
Needs first
Begin from learners and objectives.
Teacher fit
Integrate tools into ordinary teaching.
Action research
Evaluate what works in context.
No spectacle
Avoid technology for its own sake.
◉ REFLECTION PROMPT
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 3
Technology and Virtual Environments in Language
Digital environments can extend language practice when interaction, feedback and scaffolding are intentionally designed.
How can online environments support interaction, feedback and learner autonomy?
Key question
＋ EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
ONLINE LANGUAGE LEARNING
UNIT 3
What online environments can offer
Their value lies in widening access while preserving purposeful communication.
Flexible time
Ubiquitous space
Synchronous and asynchronous work can complement each other.
Learning can happen in class, at home and in wider digital contexts.
Open interaction
New formats
Communities, games and networks expand opportunities for practice.
Students can record, revise, publish and respond in multimodal ways.
“Flexibility works when learners also have structure, teacher presence, clear deadlines and feedback.”
VLE audit
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
ROLES AND DESIGN
UNIT 3
Teacher and learner roles change
Digital language learning redistributes responsibility without removing the teacher.
Learner as active agent
Manages time, collaborates, practises strategies and participates in the learning community.
Teacher as facilitator
Designs tasks, scaffolds interaction, monitors progress, gives feedback and models critical use.
Three risks to avoid
Technology-first choices · repository-only courses · over-reliance on tools instead of strategies
“Online learning is not automatically innovative; it needs pedagogy, social interaction and support.”
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 4
Digital Materials in Foreign Language Teaching
Digital materials should support authentic, collaborative and cognitively demanding language tasks.
Key question
How can digital materials move beyond attractive formats towards deeper learning?
+EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
BLOOM IN THE DIGITAL AGE
UNIT 4
The goal is deeper thinking with tools
Digital tasks should ask learners to use English to interpret, evaluate and create.
Remembering
search
Understanding
explain
Applying
share
Analysing
compare
Evaluating
comment
Creating
publish
“A digital material is not effective simply because it looks attractive; pedagogy determines its value.”
＋ HOTS example
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 4
DIGITAL TASK DESIGN
A practical tool ecosystem
Tools are useful when they lead to communication, collaboration or authentic production.
Blogs
Wikis
reflection + writing
collaborative writing
Podcasts
Digital stories
listening + speaking
creativity + culture
WebQuests
task-based inquiry
Does the tool help students do something in English that they could not do as well otherwise?
Critical question
▶ WebQuest link
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 5
CALL Research: Where Are We Now?
Research on CALL has expanded internationally, but the evidence base still needs breadth, depth and follow-up.
Key question
What does current CALL research tell us, and what does it still need to prove?
+ EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
RESEARCH LENS
UNIT 5
From evidence to classroom decisions
Teachers can use research thinking to improve their own digital practices.
Ask
What language outcome should improve?
Observe
What evidence shows participation or progress?
Compare
Did the tool add pedagogical value?
Adjust
What needs redesigning next time?
Share
What can colleagues learn?
+ EVIDENCE-INFORMED INNOVATION
“Innovation should be evaluated carefully, not assumed because a tool is new.”
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
RESEARCH LENS
UNIT 5
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Need
Responsible technology selection
Which learner problem does this tool address?
Edtech support for English learners belongs here as classroom implication, not as a separate unit.
Access
Can all students use it effectively?
Evidence
What suggests it improves learning?
Interaction
Does it create meaningful language use?
RESPONSIBLE SELECTION
This keeps innovation inclusive, purposeful and pedagogically justified.
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
SYNTHESIS
Pedagogy first, technology second
The five readings converge on one principle: technology must serve learning.
Participation
Feedback
Learners create, share and interact.
Teacher, peer and tool feedback are integrated.
Autonomy
Meaningful use
Students develop strategies and responsibility.
English is used for authentic communication.
Evidence
Innovation is evaluated and refined.
“Technology becomes meaningful when it supports participation, feedback, autonomy and purposeful language use.”
◉ FINAL REFLECTION
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
FINAL ACTIVITY
Quick quiz
A short review of the five units
BEFORE STARTING
START QUIZ
Technology is valuable when it supports language learning, not when it merely looks innovative.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
REFERENCES
Bax, S. (2003). CALL—past, present and future. System, 31(1), 13–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0346-251X(02)00071-4 British Council. (n.d.). WebQuests. TeachingEnglish. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/using-digital-technologies/webquests Gillespie, J. H. (2020). CALL research: Where are we now? ReCALL, 32(2), 127–144. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344020000051 Martín-Monje, E. (2021). The use of technology in foreign language teaching and learning. UNED. U.S. Department of Education. (2018). Educator toolkit: Using educational technology—21st century supports for English learners. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED591004.pdf Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. (n.d.). Bloom’s taxonomy. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/Blooms-Taxonomy.pdf Vázquez-Cano, E., & Martín-Monje, E. (2014). Virtual spaces for education and learning. In E. Vázquez-Cano & E. Martín-Monje, Nuevas tendencias para la elaboración y edición de materiales audiovisuales en la enseñanza de lenguas. McGraw-Hill. Vázquez-Cano, E., & Martín-Monje, E. (2014). The applicability of digital materials in foreign language teaching. In E. Vázquez-Cano & E. Martín-Monje, Nuevas tendencias para la elaboración y edición de materiales audiovisuales en la enseñanza de lenguas. McGraw-Hill.
“The toolkit is used only as complementary practical guidance, not as one of the five main readings.”
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
Why virtual spaces matter
Virtual spaces have changed the way people access, create and share knowledge. In English Language Teaching, this means that students can use English not only to complete exercises, but also to participate, collaborate, publish and respond to real audiences.
From access to participation in ELT
Instead of asking students only to read a website, the teacher can design a task in which they search for information about a cultural place, evaluate the reliability of their sources, write a short description in English and publish it on a shared digital board. Other students then comment, ask questions or compare recommendations.
Digital literacy in ELT
Students are preparing a short presentation about sustainable tourism. They must find two sources in English, decide which one is more reliable, organise the information into three key ideas and present their conclusions using text, images and oral explanation. The focus is not only technical; it is critical, ethical and communicative.
CALL timeline: from tool to integration
Bax (2003) proposes three broad approaches to CALL: Restricted, Open and Integrated. The key point is not only the technology itself, but how it is used pedagogically. Restricted CALL tends to be more controlled and drill-based; Open CALL allows more flexibility and learner choice; Integrated CALL places technology naturally within everyday language learning.
Find more in Bax’s article
Normalisation in practice
Following Bax’s idea of normalisation, technology becomes meaningful when it is integrated into everyday teaching rather than treated as something exceptional. In ELT, the focus should move from the tool itself to the quality of language learning, interaction and feedback it supports.
VLE audit: four questions
- Does the VLE encourage students to use English actively?
- Is there regular teacher or peer feedback?
- Are tasks clearly sequenced and scaffolded?
- Does the platform support interaction, or only store materials?
Digital materials and learning value
Digital materials are not valuable simply because they are attractive or interactive. Their value depends on the kind of language use they promote: communication, collaboration, reflection, analysis, evaluation and creation.
HOTS example for ELT
A low-level digital task asks students to copy facts from a website. A higher-order task asks them to compare two sources, select relevant information, create a digital guide in English and justify their choices for a specific audience.
Find more about Bloom’s taxonomy here.
WebQuest as a structured digital task
A WebQuest is a structured online inquiry task in which learners use Internet-based input to complete a meaningful project. In ELT, it can support reading, collaboration, critical selection of information and authentic written or oral production.
Find more about WebQuests here
Evidence-informed innovation
Innovation should be evaluated, not assumed. In English Language Teaching, teachers can collect simple classroom evidence: student participation, quality of language production, peer interaction, feedback uptake or learner reflection. This makes digital innovation more responsible, contextualised and pedagogically meaningful.
Responsible technology selection
A digital tool should be selected because it responds to a learning need, is accessible to students, creates meaningful interaction and can be evaluated through evidence. This avoids technology-first decisions and keeps innovation connected to real classroom purposes.
Final critical reflection
Across the five readings, the same idea appears repeatedly: technology is not innovation by itself. It becomes innovative when it improves participation, feedback, autonomy and meaningful language use. For English teachers, the challenge is to select tools critically and design tasks that make students use the language for real purposes.
Why CALL research matters
CALL research helps teachers avoid assuming that new tools automatically improve learning. It provides evidence about what has been studied, what seems promising and which areas still require more sustained investigation.
Why VLEs require design
Virtual learning environments can extend language learning beyond the physical classroom. However, they only become meaningful when they include interaction, teacher presence, feedback, clear sequencing and opportunities to use English for communication.
What is CALL?
CALL stands for Computer-Assisted Language Learning. In this unit, the key issue is not simply how computers or digital tools are used, but how they become integrated into ordinary language teaching. Bax’s framework helps distinguish restricted, open and integrated uses of CALL.
Innovation in English Language Teaching
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Transcript
Innovation in English Language Teaching
From digital tools to meaningful language learning
José Luis Hernández De la Paz jhernande2865@alumno.uned.es UNED MÁSTER UNIVERSITARIO EN FORMACIÓN DEL PROFESORADO DE EDUCACIÓN SECUNDARIA OBLIGATORIA Y BACHILLERATO, FORMACIÓN PROFESIONAL Y ENSEÑANZAS DE IDIOMAS Curso 2025-2026
“Pedagogy first, technology second.”
Start
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
OVERVIEW
Virtual Spaces for Education and Learning
Presentation roadmap
creation · connection · digital literacy
Five units, one critical route towards meaningful digital innovation.
CALL: Past, Present and Future
restricted · open · integrated · normalised
Technology and Virtual Environments in Language Learning
VLEs - interaction · guidance · instructional design
Digital Materials in Foreign Language Teaching
HOTS · authenticity · task design
CALL Research: Where Are We Now?
evidence · gaps · future directions
"Technology supports innovation when it strengthens participation, feedback, autonomy and meaningful language use."
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 1
Virtual Spaces for Education and Learning
ICTs reshape how people create, connect, share and learn across formal and informal contexts.
Key question
How do virtual spaces transform participation, creation and digital literacy?
+ EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 1
VIRTUAL SPACES
From access to participation
Learners move from receiving content to producing, sharing and responding.
Web 2.0: collaboration and production
Publishing, remixing, commenting and learning through participatory spaces.
Web 1.0: access and consumption
Reading static pages, consulting information and following more vertical content delivery.
Search
Evaluate
Create
Share
find and select
judge quality
produce meaning
connect with others
“Virtual spaces should give learners authentic reasons to read, write, speak, publish and respond in English.”
＋ ELT EXAMPLE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
DIGITAL LITERACY
UNIT 1
Digital literacy means transforming information
Information is abundant; educational value depends on selection, synthesis and purposeful communication.
Locate
Select
Find reliable information and understand where knowledge is stored.
Compare sources and filter what is useful for the task.
Communicate
Organise
Structure information and connect ideas.
Share knowledge through multimodal, audience-aware choices.
MINI CASE
“Digital competence is not only technical; it is ethical, collaborative and reflective.”
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 2
CALL: Past, Present and Future
Bax reframes CALL through classroom integration and argues that normalisation is a long-term goal.
Key question
How does CALL become a normal, integrated part of language teaching?
+ EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 2
CALL EVOLUTION
Bax’s three approaches to CALL
The framework helps analyse how technology is actually used in learning contexts.
Restricted CALL
Closed tasks, limited responses and practice mainly focused on control and accuracy.
Open CALL
More varied tools, richer multimedia and wider opportunities for learner choice.
Integrated CALL
Technology supports language use naturally as one element of the learning environment.
“The aim is not more technology, but better integration into ordinary language learning practices.”
▶ CALL timeline
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 2
NORMALISATION
Normalisation: integration matters more than novelty
Technology succeeds when it stops being the centre of attention.
“What apps are students using? becomes: What learning, interaction and feedback are students experiencing?”
Needs first
Begin from learners and objectives.
Teacher fit
Integrate tools into ordinary teaching.
Action research
Evaluate what works in context.
No spectacle
Avoid technology for its own sake.
◉ REFLECTION PROMPT
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 3
Technology and Virtual Environments in Language
Digital environments can extend language practice when interaction, feedback and scaffolding are intentionally designed.
How can online environments support interaction, feedback and learner autonomy?
Key question
＋ EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
ONLINE LANGUAGE LEARNING
UNIT 3
What online environments can offer
Their value lies in widening access while preserving purposeful communication.
Flexible time
Ubiquitous space
Synchronous and asynchronous work can complement each other.
Learning can happen in class, at home and in wider digital contexts.
Open interaction
New formats
Communities, games and networks expand opportunities for practice.
Students can record, revise, publish and respond in multimodal ways.
“Flexibility works when learners also have structure, teacher presence, clear deadlines and feedback.”
VLE audit
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
ROLES AND DESIGN
UNIT 3
Teacher and learner roles change
Digital language learning redistributes responsibility without removing the teacher.
Learner as active agent
Manages time, collaborates, practises strategies and participates in the learning community.
Teacher as facilitator
Designs tasks, scaffolds interaction, monitors progress, gives feedback and models critical use.
Three risks to avoid
Technology-first choices · repository-only courses · over-reliance on tools instead of strategies
“Online learning is not automatically innovative; it needs pedagogy, social interaction and support.”
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 4
Digital Materials in Foreign Language Teaching
Digital materials should support authentic, collaborative and cognitively demanding language tasks.
Key question
How can digital materials move beyond attractive formats towards deeper learning?
+EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
BLOOM IN THE DIGITAL AGE
UNIT 4
The goal is deeper thinking with tools
Digital tasks should ask learners to use English to interpret, evaluate and create.
Remembering
search
Understanding
explain
Applying
share
Analysing
compare
Evaluating
comment
Creating
publish
“A digital material is not effective simply because it looks attractive; pedagogy determines its value.”
＋ HOTS example
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 4
DIGITAL TASK DESIGN
A practical tool ecosystem
Tools are useful when they lead to communication, collaboration or authentic production.
Blogs
Wikis
reflection + writing
collaborative writing
Podcasts
Digital stories
listening + speaking
creativity + culture
WebQuests
task-based inquiry
Does the tool help students do something in English that they could not do as well otherwise?
Critical question
▶ WebQuest link
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
UNIT 5
CALL Research: Where Are We Now?
Research on CALL has expanded internationally, but the evidence base still needs breadth, depth and follow-up.
Key question
What does current CALL research tell us, and what does it still need to prove?
+ EXPLORE
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
RESEARCH LENS
UNIT 5
From evidence to classroom decisions
Teachers can use research thinking to improve their own digital practices.
Ask
What language outcome should improve?
Observe
What evidence shows participation or progress?
Compare
Did the tool add pedagogical value?
Adjust
What needs redesigning next time?
Share
What can colleagues learn?
+ EVIDENCE-INFORMED INNOVATION
“Innovation should be evaluated carefully, not assumed because a tool is new.”
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
RESEARCH LENS
UNIT 5
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Need
Responsible technology selection
Which learner problem does this tool address?
Edtech support for English learners belongs here as classroom implication, not as a separate unit.
Access
Can all students use it effectively?
Evidence
What suggests it improves learning?
Interaction
Does it create meaningful language use?
RESPONSIBLE SELECTION
This keeps innovation inclusive, purposeful and pedagogically justified.
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
SYNTHESIS
Pedagogy first, technology second
The five readings converge on one principle: technology must serve learning.
Participation
Feedback
Learners create, share and interact.
Teacher, peer and tool feedback are integrated.
Autonomy
Meaningful use
Students develop strategies and responsibility.
English is used for authentic communication.
Evidence
Innovation is evaluated and refined.
“Technology becomes meaningful when it supports participation, feedback, autonomy and purposeful language use.”
◉ FINAL REFLECTION
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
FINAL ACTIVITY
Quick quiz
A short review of the five units
BEFORE STARTING
START QUIZ
Technology is valuable when it supports language learning, not when it merely looks innovative.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
QUIZ
Quiz: questions
Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
REFERENCES
Bax, S. (2003). CALL—past, present and future. System, 31(1), 13–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0346-251X(02)00071-4 British Council. (n.d.). WebQuests. TeachingEnglish. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/using-digital-technologies/webquests Gillespie, J. H. (2020). CALL research: Where are we now? ReCALL, 32(2), 127–144. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344020000051 Martín-Monje, E. (2021). The use of technology in foreign language teaching and learning. UNED. U.S. Department of Education. (2018). Educator toolkit: Using educational technology—21st century supports for English learners. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED591004.pdf Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. (n.d.). Bloom’s taxonomy. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/Blooms-Taxonomy.pdf Vázquez-Cano, E., & Martín-Monje, E. (2014). Virtual spaces for education and learning. In E. Vázquez-Cano & E. Martín-Monje, Nuevas tendencias para la elaboración y edición de materiales audiovisuales en la enseñanza de lenguas. McGraw-Hill. Vázquez-Cano, E., & Martín-Monje, E. (2014). The applicability of digital materials in foreign language teaching. In E. Vázquez-Cano & E. Martín-Monje, Nuevas tendencias para la elaboración y edición de materiales audiovisuales en la enseñanza de lenguas. McGraw-Hill.
“The toolkit is used only as complementary practical guidance, not as one of the five main readings.”
UNED
INNOVACIÓN DOCENTE · MODERN LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
Why virtual spaces matter
Virtual spaces have changed the way people access, create and share knowledge. In English Language Teaching, this means that students can use English not only to complete exercises, but also to participate, collaborate, publish and respond to real audiences.
From access to participation in ELT
Instead of asking students only to read a website, the teacher can design a task in which they search for information about a cultural place, evaluate the reliability of their sources, write a short description in English and publish it on a shared digital board. Other students then comment, ask questions or compare recommendations.
Digital literacy in ELT
Students are preparing a short presentation about sustainable tourism. They must find two sources in English, decide which one is more reliable, organise the information into three key ideas and present their conclusions using text, images and oral explanation. The focus is not only technical; it is critical, ethical and communicative.
CALL timeline: from tool to integration
Bax (2003) proposes three broad approaches to CALL: Restricted, Open and Integrated. The key point is not only the technology itself, but how it is used pedagogically. Restricted CALL tends to be more controlled and drill-based; Open CALL allows more flexibility and learner choice; Integrated CALL places technology naturally within everyday language learning.
Find more in Bax’s article
Normalisation in practice
Following Bax’s idea of normalisation, technology becomes meaningful when it is integrated into everyday teaching rather than treated as something exceptional. In ELT, the focus should move from the tool itself to the quality of language learning, interaction and feedback it supports.
VLE audit: four questions
Digital materials and learning value
Digital materials are not valuable simply because they are attractive or interactive. Their value depends on the kind of language use they promote: communication, collaboration, reflection, analysis, evaluation and creation.
HOTS example for ELT
A low-level digital task asks students to copy facts from a website. A higher-order task asks them to compare two sources, select relevant information, create a digital guide in English and justify their choices for a specific audience.
Find more about Bloom’s taxonomy here.
WebQuest as a structured digital task
A WebQuest is a structured online inquiry task in which learners use Internet-based input to complete a meaningful project. In ELT, it can support reading, collaboration, critical selection of information and authentic written or oral production.
Find more about WebQuests here
Evidence-informed innovation
Innovation should be evaluated, not assumed. In English Language Teaching, teachers can collect simple classroom evidence: student participation, quality of language production, peer interaction, feedback uptake or learner reflection. This makes digital innovation more responsible, contextualised and pedagogically meaningful.
Responsible technology selection
A digital tool should be selected because it responds to a learning need, is accessible to students, creates meaningful interaction and can be evaluated through evidence. This avoids technology-first decisions and keeps innovation connected to real classroom purposes.
Final critical reflection
Across the five readings, the same idea appears repeatedly: technology is not innovation by itself. It becomes innovative when it improves participation, feedback, autonomy and meaningful language use. For English teachers, the challenge is to select tools critically and design tasks that make students use the language for real purposes.
Why CALL research matters
CALL research helps teachers avoid assuming that new tools automatically improve learning. It provides evidence about what has been studied, what seems promising and which areas still require more sustained investigation.
Why VLEs require design
Virtual learning environments can extend language learning beyond the physical classroom. However, they only become meaningful when they include interaction, teacher presence, feedback, clear sequencing and opportunities to use English for communication.
What is CALL?
CALL stands for Computer-Assisted Language Learning. In this unit, the key issue is not simply how computers or digital tools are used, but how they become integrated into ordinary language teaching. Bax’s framework helps distinguish restricted, open and integrated uses of CALL.