Teacher's Fear of Technology and It's Effects on ELLs

We entered the 21st century 17 years ago, you would think with all the Smartphones and digital media teachers would be comfortable using technology with their students, but many are still on the fence.  Perhaps is that many teachers and administrators still see technology as an extra task to do and have not made the transfer to realize that if you integrate technology into your content you will reap many benefits.  It will actually make your job easier and the most important reason is it will engage students into the content you are trying to teach.  As a matter of fact if you integrate technology well your students will not realize they are learning because they will be enjoying themselves so much.

Some people say, that these kids are already getting so much technology at home they don't need to get more at school.  Some parents even protest when schools want to use technology at school, since they are already spending so much time on devices outside of school.  That may be true for some students and yet I still disagree that integrating technology in the classroom has adverse affects if it is done well.  If you are going to use it as a babysitter well it won't improve students learning. But what about the ELL students that don't have access to technology at home? How will they keep up with their peers.  ELLs are already dealing with a language gap, now they are facing another challenge a Digital Divide.

So I understand that you might not be a digital native, but your fear of technology is keeping students from the skills they will need when they go to college or join the workforce.  When our current students graduate they won't have a choice like many teachers now have of refusing to learn to use technology, they will not get a job if they can't use it.