Language Teaching and New Technologies

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating, psycholinguistically, in an Algerian context, the usefulness of technology in language teaching and learning. Firstly, it reviewed the relevant literature on the matter. After that, a study was conducted. We distributed a questionnaire to 19 Master students of English at Mhamed Bougara University in Boumerdes, Algeria. The questionnaire included 12 questions in order to know the participants’ attitudes and opinions on some aspects related to using technology in an English language classroom. The gathered data were discussed and analysed from a Psycholinguistic perspective providing that this field of study can offer a rich and robust scientific ground to the topic of this research. The findings revealed that the majority of the participants see that technology use is beneficial to learn a language. According to them, the negative aspects of technology use fluctuate between institutions budgets, students’ distraction and the decreasing of the teachers’ role. Most of them stated that their teachers were not open to using technological tools. They claim that the barriers that an educational institution can face to integrate technology are: teachers training, lack of equipment, and renovation of the whole educational system. Most of the participants believe that listening and speaking are the two most improved skills in the classes that use technology. All in all, to them, communicativeness is improved in classrooms that use technology because it motivates them, encourages independent learning, facilitates information access, leads to teamwork, and develops the speaking skill.