Using Smart Boards, Mobile Phones, and Skype to Teach English as a Second/Foreign Language in Lebanon

The use of modern technology has become an indispensable tool to enhance the language teaching processes, which has constituted a significant part of teachers profession. Students these days are computer and Internet savvy; hence, they not only have good access to modern technologies, but they also use them with ease for many purposes, including education. According to recent studies, smart boards, mobile phones, and Skype play a significant role in enhancing the development of English learning proficiency (Waker, 2001, Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer 2010). These easily accessible devices and platforms have greatly altered how people communicate with each other in education in an interesting and useful manner (Meenakshi,& Santhosh, 2015, p.2). In this regard, it is essential for educationalists and curriculum designers to embrace the latest and innovative technologies into their classrooms, as it is vital for learners. Furthermore, teachers should help students make use of the available technology to make the learning environment attractive, interesting and more vibrant. Therefore, it is high time that educators integrated these effective and efficient tools into the Lebanese curriculum in order to catch up with the developing world and equip their students with the right tools to fit in a world that is primarily dependent on technical innovations. This study aims at investigating the effectiveness of utilizing these devices and platforms in the teaching of English in certain Lebanese schools. It examines how smart boards can be used to teach English at the elementary level, how mobile phones can be integrated at the intermediate level, and how Skype can be utilized at the secondary/senior level.