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When the language being studied is spoken in other countries, it is referred to as foreign language (FL) learning. FL learners typically have fewer opportunities to practice the foreign language under study, and teachers often go to great lengths to find people and places with whom and where their students can use the target language. Technology is perhaps even more important for FL learners because it allows a great variety of connections to people, places, and authentic language outside of the local environment. FL learning is often seen as enrichment rather than a matter of crucial importance for academic success. In smaller districts, sometimes it is difficult to find foreign language teachers or funding to offer more foreign languages. This section introduces two key issues and problems of practice for learning in FL settings that provide a context for understanding the benefits and challenges of using technology in FL classrooms.

The Need for Authentic Materials and Perspectives

Often FL teachers are nonnative speakers of the languages they teach and may have infrequent opportunities to spend extended periods of time in countries where their FL is spoken. Therefore, there is a need to find ways to expose students to both a range of native speakers of the FL, including varieties of the language not spoken by the teacher, and to up-to-date examples of how the language is currently used. Technologies are available to make these connections possible. Using websites and telecollaborative projects to connect students with speakers from around the world, students can also experience the cultural, political, and individual perspectives of those who speak the language of study. An increase in authentic perspectives and materials designed for native speakers of the language taps into high-quality teaching of culture using the standards set forth by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: The World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (National Standards Collaborative Board, 2015). The standards integrate perspectives, products, and practices that teach culture and guide learners to develop competence to communicate effectively and interact with cultural competence in multilingual communities. These standards cover five goal areas: (1) communication, (2) cultures, (3) connections, (4) comparisons, and (5) communities. Technology can bring insider voices and authentic materials into the FL classroom to teach culture through perspectives, products, and practices within the five goal areas. It used to be a major challenge for language teachers to find authentic media for their students, but now such resources abound. For example, ClicaBrasil is a wonderful resource for learning the Portuguese language and culture by listening to Brazilian people talking about their life in that country. FL Issue 2: The Need for Creating

FL Issue 2: The Need for Creating Audience and Purpose

Another common problem related to practice opportunities for FL teachers and their students is creating a broader repertoire of individuals to talk with and audiences that wish to read their writing. Technology-based projects can assist with the need to provide both the means and a reason to contact native language speakers. With online video and audio conferencing tools (e.g., Skype or Google Hangouts), students are now able to talk with peers in other countries and interact with presenters who visit their class via these inexpensive online tools (Bahrani, 2011). Discussion forums, blogging, and wiki functions also offer a platform for writing to classmates, students in other classrooms, or international partners. For example, students can engage in collaborative projects, review movies or music (Castleberry & Evers, 2010), discuss current events topics, and share cultural perspectives. When they participate in online collaborative spaces, language learners also have the opportunity to experience different language registers and learn about formal and informal rules and conventions for participation

Technology Integration Strategies for EL and FL Instruction Computer-assisted language learning (CALL), an accepted term for using computers in language testing, teaching, and learning, has made great strides in offering students new ways to enhance their speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills in and out of class. The flexibility that mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) offers to the learner has now expanded the possibilities for CALL. The prevalence of mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones is growing, and both EL and FL teachers need to be aware of both their strengths and limitations as learning devices. Although scant research exists on the uses of MALL in K–12 settings (see Burston, 2013, for an annotated bibliography of MALL studies), its potential to exceed that of nonmobile CALL is often highlighted in the literature (Ballance, 2012), and its use is rapidly expanding at all school levels (Chen, Carger, & Smith, 2017). Ahmed and Nasser (2015) argue that mobile apps help create effective learning environments through lessons and collaborative tools, fostering creativity and learner autonomy, and providing quick and easy access to resources. Yet, Hubbard (2013) argued that effectiveness depends on students having the technological skills and knowledge to work with them as well as teachers’ pedagogical and strategic understanding of how to connect that knowledge to effective language learning. Both CALL and MALL tools make curriculum more accessible to students with diverse needs and provide opportunities for learning that are not possible through traditional methods. This section presents seven technology integration strategies for EL and FL instruction for (1) authentic written and oral language practice, (2) virtual collaborations and conferences, (3) virtual field trips, (4) language subskills practice, (5) presentations, (6) production of oral and written texts, and (7) life-long professional growth. Some of these strategies are based on suggestions from Castleberry and Evers (2010), who offered 20 different ways to use technologies to support language learning.

WhatsApp Messenger This app allows users to send text messages, photos, and video free without using their phone’s short message service (SMS) system. It is handy for teachers who want to send and receive short communications and assignments, especially to groups. It is also useful for collaborative language learning projects across countries.

Google Translate This app and website allow users to translate languages. The app can use voice, pictures (with camera), and text recognition. The photo translation option is particularly handy on field trips.

Skype allows audio and video communication for free between subscribers online using Wi-Fi at the same time anywhere in the world. Alternatives include Google Hangouts and Apple’s FaceTime.

Duolingo This free service offers basic language lessons in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish. It provides a variety of translation activities to help learners read and listen to language and translate words and phrases. It gives feedback to students.

Busuu This app covers a wide range of topics through comprehensive vocabulary activities and interactive tests for languages such as English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese. Learners can take courses to practice reading, listening, writing, and speaking and can get their work corrected by native speakers.

Babbel This mobile tutorial and practice software includes core vocabulary, listening exercises, and speaking activities employing speech recognition for Spanish, French, German, and a number of other languages. It is a good supplement and review for foreign language courses, but subscriptions are not free.

Voxy This free app features news and stories in English on a variety of topics, games for language practice, and short quizzes to test comprehension. It also provides users an option to connect with native English speakers to learn English. MyWordBook Developed by British Council and Cambridge University Press, this app provides users vocabulary packs and flashcards that can be downloaded for later use.

Mindsnacks This app introduces students to Tier 3, low-frequency, context-specific English vocabulary words through games. Buncee for Edu This free app features a tool for creating digital stories, presentations, and other projects.