ThefuturefEnglishteahingintheigitalage网络时代英语教学.docVIP

The future of English teaching in the digital age In this article，Edward draws on his experience of English teaching and Internet consulting to discuss the future of English teaching as the world enters an increasingly digital age. This article was written for English teachers who have a growing sense that the Internet is becoming more and more important for their professional careers. It tells them why the Internet is important to their profession, what they can expect in the years to come，and how they can prepare themselves as English teachers in the digital age. On a spring day in 1992 in Philadelphia, I pressed my Enter key and listened to the familar string of tones from my modem as it logged into the Temple University computer. This was nothing new for someone who had grown up with computers. But this day was one I will never forget: it was first day I ever logged into the Internet. As an English teacher, my Internet connection back in 1992 meant that I could send a grammar question out to 500 English teachers around the world and have at least 10 replies in my mailbox the next morning. It meant that I could sit at my desk in Philadelphia chatting with a colleague at Purdue, she typing on the top of the screen and I typing on the bottom，at no cost. It meant contacting the Amerika Haus in Berlin via which led to a teaching position at Potsdam University. It meant finding information on almost any topic for the courses I was teaching. Yes，the Internet is good for English teaching. And it is going to get better—exponentially. In this article，I want to (ell you why, and make some forcasts on what the digital age holds for English teaching. My forecasts for the future of English teaching are based on three hypotheses: That which can be digitized, will be digitized. English instruction can be almost fully digitized. English instruction is more efficient when teachers use a digitized medium. That which can be digitized，will be digitized. Nicholas Negroponte in his