THE ROLE OF DIGITAL TOOLS IN TEACHING ENGLISH IDIOMS TO B2 STUDENTS
Abstract
A combination of their figurative nature, cultural complexities, and the difficulty students frequently encounter in grasping their meanings and usage, teaching English idioms presents major obstacles. The importance of digital tools in language acquisition, especially in the teaching of idiomatic expressions, is receiving more attention as these technologies develop in educational contexts. This article examines the advantages and difficulties of teaching B2-level pupils English idioms through digital resources, concentrating on well-known learning environments like Kahoot!, Quizlet, Memrise, and Duolingo. These resources give students a dynamic and interesting setting in which to practice idioms through gamification, interactive tests, flashcards, and multimedia, facilitating improved retention and contextual comprehension. Additionally, the article provides real-world examples and empirical research. Empirical research and real-world examples that demonstrate how well these digital tools work to improve language proficiency are also highlighted in the article. In the end, using digital resources in idiom teaching offers a more engaging and customized learning environment in addition to helping students acquire new words.
Downloads
References
Boers, F., Eyckmans, J., Kappel, J., Stengers, H., & Demecheleer, M. (2004). Formulaic sequences and perceived oral proficiency: Putting a lexical approach to the test. Language Teaching Research, 10(3), 245–261. https://doi.org/10.1191/1362168804lr146oa
Broeder, P., & Walkinshaw, I. (2015). Teaching English idioms to speakers of other languages: Effective methodologies. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 25(2), 204–220. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12089
Cameron, L. (2003). Metaphor in educational discourse. Continuum.
Cook, V. (2008). Second language learning and language teaching. Routledge.
Deignan, A. (2005). Metaphor and discourse. Cambridge University Press.
Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? -- A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. Proceedings of the 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 3025–3034. https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2014.377
Hirsch, D., & Tominari, M. (2005). Teaching English idioms effectively: Methods and resources. The Modern Language Journal, 89(1), 34-44. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2005.00241.x
Hwang, G. J., & Wu, P. L. (2014). Applications of digital games in education: A review of research. Educational Technology & Society, 17(3), 92-105. https://www.jstor.org/stable/jeductechsoci.17.3.92
Liu, D. (2008). Idiomaticity and language teaching. ELT Journal, 62(3), 256–264. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccn030
Memari, S., & Davoudi, M. (2016). The effectiveness of using digital educational tools in enhancing EFL students' vocabulary learning. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 7(2), 412–420. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0702.16
Reinders, H., & Wattana, S. (2015). The effectiveness of digital game-based learning for improving students' language learning: A review of the literature. Computers & Education, 82, 67–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.11.004
Thornbury, S. (2002). How to teach vocabulary. Longman.
Zyzik, E. (2011). The role of idioms in second language acquisition. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 49(4), 399–429. https://doi.org/10.1515/iral.2011.022
Anderson, C. A., & Dill, K. E. (2000). Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and in life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(4), 772–790. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.78.4.772
Boulton, A., & Smith, P. (2018). Digital tools for English language learners: New developments and resources. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 21(4), 44-53. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26132963
Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Computers in Entertainment (CIE), 1(1), 20-20. https://doi.org/10.1145/950566.950595
Meschi, E., & Dey, N. (2016). Digital tools and the process of language learning: The role of games and multimedia in English idioms instruction. Language Learning & Technology, 20(2), 36–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.034
Surmeli, H. (2014). Using educational technology in language classrooms. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 5(1), 123–130. https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.5.1.123-130
Anderson, C. A., & Dill, K. E. (2000). Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and in life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(4), 772–790. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.78.4.772
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: defining" gamification". Proceedings of the 2011 annual ACM conference on human factors in computing systems, 9-15. https://doi.org/10.1145/1978942.1978947
Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Computers in Entertainment (CIE), 1(1), 20-20. https://doi.org/10.1145/950566.950595
Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York University Press.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
