ENGLISH language teaching can be enhanced when it is integrated with technology and it is essential for teachers to keep abreast with the technological advancements, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He also said that the digital revolution has profoundly made its presence felt within the education sector whereby it has transformed the ways students and young people access information and communicate with each other.
“Whiteboards are being replaced with interactive smart boards, teacher-talk is being replaced with blended learning and flipped classrooms and the library in the physical sense has gone digital,” said Chow at the opening ceremony of the 9th International English Language Teaching Conference (iELT-Con) at Bayview Hotel today.
“Penang already has its own digital libraries and another one is coming up in Butterworth. All these changes are integral aspects and elements of the 21st century teaching and learning processes.
“Rapid changes are taking place in the education scenario today and educators who are involved in the teaching of English need to continuously keep up with current developments in the field of English language education.
“As such, it is my hope to see English language teachers be on the lookout for strategic ways and measures to improve the teaching and learning of English in the digital era to keep our learners interested and motivated to learn English effectively.”
Chow also highlighted that as the digital world develops, the education system needs to adapt itself for a productive outcome.
“Digital enriched content, personal learning as well as collaborative and interactive learning should be at forefront.
“Educators in this digital era need to be flexible and be able to adapt to changes that are happening all the time.
“It is now the era where studying smart has proven to be more effective than studying hard and the same implies for teaching,” added Chow.
The iELT-Con was organised by the Penang English Language Learning & Teaching Association (PELLTA).
Around 150 participants from 15 countries, namely Australia, China, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mauritius, New Zealand, Portugal, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam as well as Malaysia are taking part in the three-day long conference.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan
Video by Alvie Cheng