Oh dear. I wasn't going to bother answerin but, on second thoughts, I thought I'd set a few things straight:

1) Phil Beadle uttered the words mainly male in the radio interview with Joe Dale on the BBC, to which you are obviously referring and, again, obviously falling for despite the fact that it is simply innacurate. In reality, probably the oppositte applies, only you didn't bother checking the facts.

The facts are that most of the "geeks" posting on these forums about ICT are women. In fact, most of the MFL bloggers I follow are indeed ladies.

A bit of of a blunder there then...

 2) Joe Dale's feet are firmly on planet Earth, in the 21st century... did you not notice the date? Joe would be the first to tell you that using ICT for ICT's sake is pointless and, even, counterproductive. The key is to use ICT effectively... can't believe I am having to write this...

3) You say that in your view "children do not have the skills to maintain and create a blog"... blimey... Facebook has got it all wrong and it's all just a figment of our collective imaginations...

In any case, most of us using a blog for MFL teaching and learning, create it and maintain it ourselves for the benefit of our pupils, to showcase their work and to help them with new links and resources. Another thing you got wrong...

4) "l would really like to witness for myself a class all writing in the target language on their newly created blogs..." Your wish is granted, follow this link... no need to travel.. you can see it using this thing called the internet... 

How about a class using video and computers as a tool to promote speaking? Follow this link

How about a class creating animations to promote writing? Follow this link

How about a class using speaking avatars to practice, erm, well... speaking? Follow this link

Please, please, PLEASE! get your facts right! 

Dear delhaye,

Thank you for starting this thought-provoking thread. To see an example of how MFL teachers use technology in the classroom, you could have a look at the CILT video case studies on effective use of ICT which I and others took part in last year.

http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2008/09/cilt-video-case.html

Here are some more case studies you may find interesting from the CILT 14-19 website, concerning topics such as blogging, podcasting and using a Flip video camera

http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2008/05/blogs-and-podca.html

As for Twitter, I’ve compiled a list of language teachers (most of whom are female) from the UK who use the micro-blogging tool to share ideas and network with each other as part of their personal learning network (PLN)

actualleigh, adamsutcliffe, aliceayel, amandasalt, aurelagazel, bellaale, blagona, CarpsofStDay, charte, daisybundle, danieleur, dernley, dominic_mcg, estherhardman, froggy29400, gaelle15, gorsey, helenmyers, huguettemf, icpjones, jendav, jjpadvis, josepicardo, jowinchester, Kath52, kaymcmeekin, langwitch, louiseCrossley, lisibo, lynnehorn, lwelsh, mariefrance, markpentleton, moodlefairy, mrslwalker, mrsnpalmer, neildjones, nicpearson, petitejoueuse, PrinceLanguages, reesiepie, sam_enerve, sghani, spanishsam, strychy, suzibewell, tortugueta, veneziabonita

See these links for further info about creating your own PLN

http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2009/03/creating-your-pln-using-twitter-.html

http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2008/12/nui-galway-modern-languages-symposium.html

Government policies have also been encouraging the use of ICT in MFL too. The following quote comes from the Dearing Review for example:

Young people’s familiarity with ICT offers a great opportunity to language teachers. It seems to us that a determined commitment to use this world, which is so familiar to young people, is a key to increasing the engagement of young people of all ages with languages. New technologies can facilitate real contacts with schools and young people in other countries. They can also provide stimulus for creative and interactive work.

In a recent Ofsted report on the use of ICT in primary and secondary schools, it was noted that:

In the schools visited, students almost always enjoyed working with ICT and were well engaged by tasks that enabled them to do so. Using ICT contributed effectively to their personal development. In sharing ideas, it helped to develop the skills of working independently and cooperatively. ICT was particularly successful in motivating disaffected boys and improving their attitudes to learning, for example through giving them opportunities to record podcasts in modern foreign languages.

See link: - http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2009/03/ofsted-praise-podcasting-in-mfl.html

Last Wednesday’s Guardian article on the leaked report on the reforms to the primary curriculum also made it clear that teachers were expected to be more ambitious with their use of ICT in the future and in particular that by the time pupils leave KS2 they should be familiar with such technologies as blogs, podcasts, Wikipedia and Twitter. See link for my post about this:

http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2009/03/going-live-on-bbc-radio-4-pm-programme.html

See this post about the Nodehill French Grammar podcasts we made for more information:

http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2007/06/nodehill_french.html

Hope this clarifies mine and others’ practice. The important thing here is we are all in this together. More and more young people are dropping languages and we need to work as a supportive network do try our hardest to improve uptake.

Best wishes

Joe

Well this arguement reminds me about the old smoking arguement. When it was quite obvious that smoking was bad for one's health, some people would always point that they had an auntie who lived to a hundred and smoked forty a day.There ia a parallel with ICT and MFL whereby a few students would produce some of work of quality using Facebook/Twitter. However, the vast majority would not because they are not interested in languages.They would prefer to do other more "relevant" things. (The government acknowledged this and therefore languages are no longer compulsory in KS4)

 Why are they not bothered? Well one can get an excellent job without a foreign language or go to one of the the UK's top universities without a foreign language. I wondered how many of France's top bosses speak English? Probably a lot more than the British equivalent.I wonder if I can study Finance and Economics at top business school in Germany with no knowledge of English? You can in the UK no problem.

Keep it up if you want and good luck. Unfortunatley until our society values foreign languages all these technical tricks are doomed to fail.

PS

I love the Internet and I have really improved my language skills.

So

Hear hear.

I am female and I love using ICT to enhance the teaching of MFL in secondary education (or primary!). Kids are so adaptable to technology, and in most cases are often more used to using computers that most of the school staff, so why not add it to the (dry) diet of languages which we have to serve at KS4 (as Geekie says).

Who says we have to stand in front of a class and lecture them on how to conjugate verbs? Why can we not create games online? Why can we not encourage pupils to learn through fun, motivating and challenging activities? And if it happens to be through ICT....well, why the hell not?

Lingo Lass

Female

And fellow ICT Geek!