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Learning a Foreign Language (English) in Primary Education through ICT

Code: 103580
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Primary Education OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Melinda Dooly Owenby
Email :
melindaann.dooly@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

To take this course students must demonstrate a C1 level in English. This is a requirement for all the courses that make up the specialization (menció) in English language teaching. Students in 3rd year will have to provide evidence that they comply with this requirement by the date indicated on the Faculty of Education webpage in order to be able to take any course in the specialization in the fourth year, including this one. Students who are taking this course as an elective but not enrolled in the specialization (menció) must also document a C1 by the indicated date in order to enrol. Further consultations can be made at the academic management office of the Faculty of Education Sciences, UAB.

Objectives

This course is compulsory for any student enrolled in the English as a Foreign Language Minor and an optional subject for anyone studying to become a primary education teacher. It is therefore addressed to all prospective teachers interested in exploring how to integrate the use of technology in the promotion of language learning and collaborative work. The course aims to prepare primary education teachers in specific knowledge related to the teaching and learning of foreign languages mediated through technology, as well as explore how to use languages in school-wide participation in international mobility programs and to promote plurilingualism. The contents of the course include the core teaching principles as recommended in European documents such as the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL, 2007) and ECML's Guide to Teacher Competences for Languages in Education (2020). This course also incorporates the underlying features of digital-pedagogical competences required for teachers, including virtual exchange, in language education, as promoted by the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu, 2017) and the OECD Digital Education Outlook 2023. The course aims to help teachers facilitate learners' communicative competences, effectively design and implement language and content learning tasks, efficiently implement technology-mediated plurilingual, interdisciplinary project-based language learning, develop evaluation criteria that uses competence descriptors, promote students' language and intercultural awareness and reflect on teaching practice as a valuable tool for training, all of this facilitated through the use of technology. This latter encompasses in particular social media as it will be used to communicate with learning partners in other parts of the world. English as a lingua franca (ELF) will be the language of scholarly communication by students and teachers in this course, including both written documents (syllabus, readings, etc.) and audiovisual documents (video-conferences, online communication, etc.) as well as the classroom language.


References:

  • Bleichenbacher, Lukas; Francis Goullier; Richard Rossner; & Anna Schröder-Sura. (2020). A Guide to Teacher Competences for Languages in Education. Council of Europe (European Centre for Modern Languages), Graz, available at www.ecml.at/guidetoteachercompetences, accessed 14 Jun 2026.
  • Newby, David; Allan, Rebecca; Fenner, Anne-Brit; Jones, Barry ; Komorowska, Hanna & Soghikyan, Kristine. (2007). European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages. A Reflection Tool for Language Teacher Education. Council of Europe (European Centre for Modern Languages), Graz, available at www.ecml.at/Portals/1/documents/ECML-resources/EPOSTL-EN.pdf, accessed 14 Jun 2026.
  • OECD (2023). OECD Digital Education Outlook 2023: Towards an Effective Digital Education Ecosystem. OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/c74f03de-en, accessed 14 Jun 2026.
  • Redecker, Christine. (2017). European Framework for theDigital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu). (Yves Punie, Ed.). Publications Office of the European Union. Luxembourg, available at https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC107466, accessed 14 Jun 2026.

Learning outcomes

  1. Using virtual platforms as a communication and management tool for directed and supervised activities.
  2. Assessing the value of Spanish language learning strategies and techniques appropriate to primary education.
  3. Recognising the value of the ICTs/LCTs as a privileged communication tool between teachers and learners with diverse languages and cultures.
  4. Demonstrate intercultural attitudes to benefit efficient work in diverse teams.
  5. Using texts from children's literature in Spanish in order to develop English language learning activities in primary education.
  6. Develop reading skills in English to be able to analyse the practical implications of carrying out theoretical proposals in the field of language teaching.
  7. Design tasks that foster a taste for reading and the development of critical thinking in primary pupils.
  8. Critically understand and analyse, from a formal register of the English language, professional and academic discourse in English.
  9. Apply the theoretical framework on effective communicative both on a written and oral level, and from a multilingual and contrastive perspective.
  10. Establish relations between the nursery and primary foreign language curriculum and that of the first language.
  11. Using virtual environments as tools for written communication that respond to a variety of functions (recreational, academic, transactional, etc.) among learners.
  12. Self-assess one's own level of knowledge of English and analyse one's own communication needs and establish improvement plans.
  13. Using the English language as a common vehicle of communication in the university classroom and in the primary school classroom, as well as all academic tasks related to the subject.
  14. Use advanced communication skills and strategies in the English language to suit the level of cognitive and communicative development of learners and interlocutors and be understood in English while efficiently using scaffolding strategies.
  15. Adapt and write textbooks adjusted to the level of cognitive and communicative development of pupils in correct English and with the proper register.
  16. Demonstrate sufficient receptive competence in foreign languages to understand oral presentations and read professional documents (teaching materials, popular articles, etc.). with the help of tools to support comprehension.
  17. Analyse communication needs and control the process of learning the English language.
  18. Perform tasks and criteria for training and integrated evaluation of content in French.
  19. Perform tasks and criteria of high educational value to promote integrated assessment of content in English.
  20. Analyse and identify education and communication needs to design strategies for teaching and learning of the English language that are supported by the development of communication skills through ICT and technologies for learning and knowledge.
  21. Being capable of self-assessment and of evaluating the written and oral productions of colleagues in English in a well-argued way.
  22. Working efficiently as part of a team and individually, both in theoretical and practical activities, seeking resources and strategies that are appropriate for each situation.
  23. Form teams that are capable of carrying out activities effectively both in person and remotely.
  24. Incorporating appropriate CMO activities for the development of CLIL units in the context of national and international programmes (Comenius, etc.).
  25. Incorporate information and communications technology to learn, communicate and share in educational contexts.
  26. Establish relations between the foreign language curriculum of nursery and primary education, and between both and that of secondary school.
  27. Produce structured teaching sequences in projects that promote both the integrated learning of the school's languages and the development of digital learning and intercultural skills.
  28. Produce structured teaching sequences in projects that promote both the integrated learning of the school's languages and the development of llinguistic, audiovisual and digital skills.
  29. Critically analyse and discuss theoretical texts from different fields of linguistics.
  30. Present products (teaching units, class analyses, etc.) produced in teams with people from different degree courses and levels of expertise.
  31. Using ICTs in the design, development and self-evaluation of self-learning activities in English.
  32. Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
  33. Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within one?s own area of knowledge.
  34. Analyse the indicators of sustainability of academic and professional activities in the areas of knowledge, integrating social, economic and environmental dimensions.
  35. Propose viable projects and actions to boost social, economic and environmental benefits.
  36. Propose ways to evaluate projects and actions for improving sustainability.
  37. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
  38. Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
  39. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality and discrimination present in society.
  40. Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
  41. Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.

Contents

  • Theories of language acquisition
  • Theoretical principles of communicative approaches to language teaching: Communicative Language Teaching (CLT); Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL); Telecollaborative projects (TcLL), etc.
  • Criteria for designing, implementing and assessing educational materials and teaching processes based on communicative approaches (CLT, PBLL, TcLL), through the use of ICT.
  • Language Learning Project typology (PBLL) in primary and early childhood education (design of teaching activities) through the use of ICT.
  • Criteria for assessment of communicative skills in foreign languages including intercultural attitudes necessary for teamwork.
  • Teaching and learning practices related to teamwork (e.g. telecollaboration).
  • Collaborative and telecollaborative activities.
  • Strategies to promote communicative interaction with an authentic purpose (e.g. through TcLL projects).
  • Activities of self/peer evaluation.
  • Cutting-edge technologies (e.g. Generative Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality) in learning foreign languages: techniques and resources

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Telecollaborative work, development of projects, indepth analysis of selected content topic 45 1.8
Lectures, group activities, online activities, reading discussions, presentation of individual and group work, discussion and reflection on core content issues 45 1.8
Preparation of individual and group work, readings, preparation for discussions, individual reflection, individual work related to development of projects, preparatory work related to telecollaborative group work 60 2.4

The course integrates in-class dialogic learning, telecollaboration and flipped classroom materials. Taking the underlying premise of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) that student learning should be self-directed and promote increasing learner autonomy, the approach to this course places equal emphasis on the work carried on outside of the class as the activities that take place inside the classroom. In order to facilitate this type of learning the use of telecollaboration (interacting with learners from other parts of the world) is a central nexus for the learning process, as well as engagement with the materials prepared for flipped instruction. In this way, students (future language teachers) are expected to actively engage in face-to-face (in the classroom) and self-directed online learning situations that promote epistemic development (in both content and language) in order to then reflect on how they can transfer this knowledge to similar contexts for their pupils. Non-discriminatory use of language and inclusive practices will be ensured, including debate on ways in which cutting-edge technology may impact gender roles differently.


The course is divided into blocks. Each block focuses on practical learning of language teaching through specific technologies (e.g. AI, VR, AR, 360º images). Students are expected to work individually and in groups on a series of tasks related to the technology of each block. Individual and group work is handed in at the end of each block (see section on evaluation).


For more detailed information about this approach see: Sadler, R. & Dooly, M. (2016). Twelve years of telecollaboration: What we have learnt. ELT Journal, 70(4), 401-413.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Teacher-directed learning & group activities (programmed activities, etc.) 25% 0 0 1, 3, 10, 18, 19, 22, 24, 29, 30
Individual assessment (continuous assessment, presentations, language competence in target language) 50% 0 0 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 26, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40
Self-directed Learning (programmed telecollaborative activities & project) 25% 0 0 4, 11, 12, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 31, 35, 36, 41

The evaluation of the course encompasses the development of the identified basic competences for the subject. Given the importance of participation, attendance* is mandatory: the student must attend a minimum of 80% of the classes and the online activities. Arriving late to class and/or online activities or leaving early means a penalty in final participation mark. Any documentation presented to justify absence serves as an explanation but does not imply an exemption from the course requirements. If someone has not meet the requirements for attendance, they are can opt for the resit exam. This is possible only in the case of having submitted 66% of the evaluation tasks.

The following blocks must be passed in order to have a successful completion mark of the course. Each block is made up of several summative marks. These blocks are divided percentage-wise between individual and collective effort thus:

Engagement in telecollaborative activities and production and defense of final project: 25%

Tasks to be submitted: group project, poster and oral defense: December 17, 2026.

Completion of individual assessment: 50%

  • Learner reflection orally presented at the end of the course: December 14, 2026.
  • Individual partial assessments at the end of each block (different formats: quiz, exit tickets, 5-minute papers, etc.). 1st: October 23, 2026; 2nd: December 10, 2026
  • Exam on course content: November 26, 2026

Completion of in-class activities and group work (e.g. reading discussions, group presentations, peer feedback): 25%

  • Tasks to be submitted: reading summaries: 1st: September 17, 2026; 2nd: November 12, 2026
  • Group tasks of ICT-related activities (at the end of each content block): 1st: October 23, 2026; 2nd: December 10, 2026
  • Peer feedback (at finalization of each content block): 1st: October 23, 2026; 2nd: December 10, 2026

1 point per day will be taken away for late for assignments turned in after the deadlines. Feedback will not be provided on assignments turned in after the deadlines.


Resitting the course

In the case of failing the continuous assessment, the student can opt for a resit examination of the contents of the entire course. The exam will be administered individually and will consist of different parts. 2 parts of the exam will be written, the final part of the exam will be oral. The resit will take place January 28th, 2027.

The resit evaluation activities consist of the following:

  • Critical review of a telecollaborative project (written) - 35%
  • Preparation of an ICT-related teaching sequence outline (written) - 35%
  • Oral defense of both written sections of the resit exam - 30%

The highest mark for a resit exam is 5/10.


This subject does allow single assessment. Students opting for single assessment should bear the following in mind:

  • Students who opt for a single evaluation must present all the evaluation activities of the course on the day of the exam (November 26th, 2026).

This subject does not allow for a synthesis exam.


NOTE: Due to the nature of the course (specialization in teaching of English as a Foreign Language), a separate individual mark will be given for communicative competence in the language of instruction (English). Students with a fail in language use will not pass the course. This mark will be calculated progressively through evaluation rubrics according to the required activities (written, oral, etc.). In the case of single assessment, this component will be evaluated through the delivered tasks (written) and the oral defense on the day of delivery. In the case o fa re-sit exam, linguistic competence will be evaluated through the use of English in the written and oral components of the exam.


Copying and plagiarism is intellectual theft and, therefore, constitutes a crime which shall be punished with a zero in the entire block where the plagiarism took place. In the case of copying between two students, the sanction applies to both students. In case of repeat offenders, they will have a fail for the entire course. Students should bear in mind that plagiarism is reproducing all or a large part of work from another without proper referencing. By definition \"plagiarism\" is the use of all or part of a text by an author as if it is his/her own work, without citing sources, whether on paper or in digital format.


The use of Artificial Intelligence: For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively in activities related to the creation of teaching materials. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI in these evaluable activities will be considered a breach of academic honesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the activity's grade, or major sanctions in severe cases.


The responsible use of AI in this course means using it to enhance—not bypass—the learning process. In cases where there is uncertainty or disagreement about whether AI has been used inappropriately, the student will be asked to complete a follow-up task—such as explaining their critical thinking process, revising the work in a timed setting, or discussing key concepts orally—to verify authorship and understanding of the content. This evaluation activity will be carried out in front of a panel made up of the course teacher and 1 other teacher from the minor. If successfully completed, the panel will emit an agreed upon mark for the activity. if not successfully completed, a 0 will be given for the evaluation task in question and will be calculated into the continuous assessment of the student.

Bibliography

Recommended bibliography (all of the reading on this list is not specifically linked to the activities in the course, but the list is useful for autonomous work). Specific bibliography to some of the activities will be given at the beginning of the course or during the course. Due to the rapid updates of webpages, a list of links will be given at the beginning of the course.

  • Akay, M., & Kessler, M. (2024). The impact of virtual reality (VR) pedagogy on L2 English learners’ oral communication and pragmatic competence. Language Learning & Technology, 28(1), 1–11. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/73568
  • Assylzhanova, D., Uzakbaeva, S., Rakhimbekova, G., Ramashov, N. (2024). Investigating the effects of ICT-based interactive foreign language teaching to primary school students. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 15(5), 26-58. https://jsser.org/index.php/jsser/article/view/6085
  • Council of Europe (2018). CEFR companion volume with new descriptors. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
  • Crompton, H., Edmett, A., Ichaporia, N., & Burke, D. (2024). AI and English language teaching: Affordances and challenges. British Journal of Educational Technology, 55(6), 2503-2529. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13460
  • Dooly, M. (2016a). Proyectos didácticos para aprender lenguas. In D. Masats & L. Nussbaum (Eds.),Enseñanza y aprendizaje de las lenguas extranjeras en educación secundaria obligatoria (pp.169-193). Síntesis.
  • Dooly, M. (2016b). Desarrollo de destrezas comunicativas. In D. Masats & L. Nussbaum (Eds.), Enseñanza y aprendizaje de las lenguas extranjeras en educación secundaria obligatoria (pp.195-223). Síntesis.
  • Dooly, M. (2018). “I do which the question”: Students’ innovative use of technology resources in the language classroom. Language Learning & Technology, 22 (1), 184-217.
  • Dooly, M. (2022). The evolution of virtual exchange and assessment practices. In A. Czura & M. Dooly (Eds.) Assessing virtual exchange in foreign language courses at tertiary level (pp. 47-61). Research-publishing.net.https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2022.59.1409
  • Dooly, M. (2023). Language teaching, language learning and virtual exchange in an age of complexity. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 12(3), 1-18. DOI: 10.4018/IJCALLT.31645
  • Dooly, M. & Darvin, R. (2022). Intercultural communicative competence in the digital age: critical digital literacy and inquiry-based pedagogy, Language and Intercultural Communication, 22(3), 354-366. https://doi.org/10.1080/14708477.2022.2063304
  • Dooly, M. & Masats, D. (2020). 'What do you zinc about the project?': Examples of technology-enhanced project-based language learning. In G. Beckett & T. Slater (Eds.), Global perspectives on project-based language learning, teaching, and assessment: Key approaches, technology tools, and frameworks (pp. 126–145). NY/Milton Park, Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Dooly, M. (2023). Language teaching, language learning and virtual exchange in an age of complexity. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 12(3), 1-18. DOI: 10.4018/IJCALLT.31645
  • Dooly, M. (2026). Integrating technology and project-based learning for 21st-century teaching. In G.H. Beckett & H.K. Pae (eds). Project-based learning in language and content teacher education: Interdisciplinary and multimodal perspectives (pp. 234-248. Routledge.
  • Dooly, M. & Comas-Quinn, A. (2024). Accesibilidad a la tecnología y justicia social/Access to technology andsocial justice. In J. Muñoz-Basols, M. Fuertes Gutiérrez & Luis Cerezo (Eds.) La enseñanza del español mediada por tecnología. De la justicia social a la Inteligencia Artificial (IA) (pp. 23-47). Routledge.
  • Dooly, M. & López Vera, M. (2024). La realidad virtual (RV) en el aula de la lengua inglesa: un estudio etnográfico. Didáctica. Lengua y Literatura, 36, 201-213. https://doi.org/10.5209/dill.8876
  • Dooly, M. & O'Dowd, R. (Eds.) (2018a). In this together: Teachers’ experiences with transnational, telecollaborative language learning projects.New York/Bern: Peter Lang.
  • Dooly, M. & O'Dowd, R. (2018b). Telecollaboration in the foreign language classroom: A review of its origins and its application to language teaching practices. In M. Dooly & R. O'Dowd (Eds.) In this together: Teachers’ experiences with transnational, telecollaborative language learning projects. New Peter Lang.
  • Dooly, M., Thrasher, T., & Sadler, R. (2023). \"'Whoa! Incredible!': Language learning experiences in Virtual Reality\", RELC Journal, SI: Teaching with Technology in the Post-Pandemic Digital Age, 54(2), early view.https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882231167610
  • Dooly, M. & Sadler, R. (2016). Becoming little scientists: Technologically-enhanced project-based language learning. Language Learning & Technology, 20(1):54-78.
  • Dooly, M. & Sadler, R. (2019). Preparing English student-teachers with digital and collaborative knowledge: An illustrative synopsis. In D. Masats, M. Mont & N. Gonzalez-Acevedo (Eds.), Joint efforts for innovation: Working together to improve foreign language teaching in the 21st century (pp. 21-28). Rothersthorpe: Paragon Publishing. Paragon Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3064130
  • Dooly, M., & Vinagre, M. (2021). Research into practice: Virtual exchange in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching, 1-15. doi:10.1017/S0261444821000069
  • The EVALUATE Group. (2019). Evaluating the impact of virtual exchange on initial teacher education: a European policy experiment. Research-publishing.net. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2019.29.9782490057337
  • Griffith, N. (2005). 100 ideas for teaching languages. Continuum.
  • Masats, D. (2016a). Recursos y materiales para aprender lenguas. In D. Masats & L. Nussbaum (Eds.), Enseñanza y aprendizaje de las lenguas extranjeras en educación secundaria obligatoria (pp. 225-251). Síntesis.
  • Masats, D. (2016b). Gestión de la comunicación en las aulas. In D. Masats & L. Nussbaum (Eds.),Enseñanza y aprendizaje de las lenguas extranjeras en educación secundaria obligatoria (pp.143-168). Síntesis.
  • Michaelsen, A.S. (2021). The digital classroom. Transforming the way we learn. Routledge.
  • Mont, M., Dooly, M. & Masats, D. (2026). Enhancing foreign language learning through AI-driven telecollaboration.​ Journal of Responsible Technology, 100153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrt.2026.100153.
  • Mont, M, Dooly, M. & Ejeme, O. (2025). Empowering youth through language, AI and sustainable advocacy: A telecollaborative approach. In Carol A. Chapelle, Gulbahar H. Beckett & Bethany E. Gray (Eds.) Researching generative AI in applied linguistics (pp. 103-121). Iowa State University Digital Press. DOI: 10.31274/isudp.2025.211.06
  • Mont, M. & Gonzalez-Acevedo, N. (2019). Coding toys while learning English: Programming with very young learners. In D. Masats, M. Mont & N. Gonzalez-Acevedo (Eds.), Joint efforts for innovation: Working together to improve foreign language teaching in the 21st century (pp. 59-65). Paragon Publishing. Paragon Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3064130
  • O'Dowd, R. & Dooly, M. (2020). Intercultural communicative competence through telecollaboration and virtual exchange. In J. Jackson (ed.) The Routledge handbook of language and intercultural communication, 2nd ed. (pp.361-375). Routledge.
  • Sadler, R. (2012). Virtual worlds for language learning: From theory to practice. Peter Lang.
  • Sadler, R. & Dooly, M. (2022). Telecollaboration. In Marta González-Lloret & Nicole Ziegler (Eds.). Routledge Handbook of SLA &Technology (246-257). Taylor & Francis/Routledge.
  • Sadler, R. & Thrasher, T. (2021). Teaching Languages with Virtual Reality: Things you may need to know. Calico Infobytes. https://calico.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Infobyte_December_2021.pdf
  • Saville-Troike, M. & Barto, K. (2017). Introducing second language acquisition (Cambridge Introductions to Language and Linguistics) 3rd Edition. Cambridge University Press.
  • Wigham, C.R. & Whyte, S. (2024). Teacher role in synchronous oral interaction: Young learner telecollaboration. Language Learning & Technology, 28(1), 1–27. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/73599

Software

The focus of this course is the use of technology-mediated language teaching and learning therefore the approach is through an exploration of technology. This implies the use of new apps and technology throughout the course. Apart from pre-selected tools, new apps to be explored will be determined through negotiation between students and teachers.

Students should bring laptops to class if at all possible. If not feasible, the teachers will work with the students to find alternative solutions on days when laptops are necessary.


Established organizational tools for the course:

  • VLE: Moodle
  • Virtual Exchange: Zoom, TEAMS or similar

Interactive course agenda: accessible through computer, tablet or cellphone


Recommended technology workshops (can be shared):

  • Cellphones and/or tablets (for geocache, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality environments)


Tools/technology that will be provided:

  • VR headsets
  • 360º cameras
  • tablets (in groups)

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 90 English first semester afternoon