Language teaching is rapidly losing its resemblance to conventional classroom instruction. From PowerPoint to YouTube, technology’s role in the classroom has never been greater, to the extent that the need for a physical classroom has become debatable. Although many teachers may be skeptical about teaching at a distance, coming into contact with their students only through a computer screen, and possibly not even in real time, Meskill and Anthony depict several scenarios in which language instruction in these situations can be effective and sometimes even preferable to traditional environments.
The authors identify four distinct online teaching scenarios and describe techniques for successful teaching in each environment. They distinguish the environments by whether the teaching is synchronous or asynchronous and whether the teaching is text-based or includes audio. In an oral synchronous scenario, teacher and students communicate via video chat, sharing computer screens, and teachers give direct instruction and immediate feedback. This environment is most like conventional classrooms. In a written asynchronous environment, the teacher communicates with students only via email and message boards.
At first blush, it is possible to intuit that these four scenarios can be aligned along a continuum of desirability and effectiveness, assuming that environments most like conventional classrooms are the most effective. Even though some environments are more familiar to experienced teachers, the authors take pains to point out the advantages that the least familiar teaching scenarios have over conventional instruction. For example, an asynchronous environment serves as an archive of the class, making review easier. Students who are less self-confident have time to prepare their responses, and so class time can be shared equally.
The authors do not address the potential problems of teaching with technology, choosing to emphasize the potential benefits. Anticipating and overcoming technical difficulties, using a different approach to lesson planning, and digital versions of “the dog ate my homework” are challenges that online teachers face. However, this book is a welcome contribution to online teaching. The many examples of good language instruction in new environments make the book a valuable resource for language programs that would like to offer high-quality instruction online.
