Digital and Technology-Enhanced ELT Materials

Abstract

In this digital and connected age of rapidly proliferating technologies and globalization, education now requires equipping learners with 21st-century skills such as digital literacy, critical thinking, and collaboration. It is now also the trend that in English Language Teaching (ELT), traditional methods have ceased to be sufficient in providing authentic exposure to learning in the mainstream classroom. Consequently, the integration of digital and technology-assisted multimedia materials in ELT has become mainstream. Such a transformation, from teacher-led lessons to hands-on learning and from solitary classrooms to interconnected global networks, is based on student-centered and interactive learning theories. Teachers are at the heart of developing context-specific content in their curriculum, incorporating blended learning, and fostering a lifelong evolution of information literacy and digital skills. There is still much work to be done, of course. Still, government initiatives and professional development programs are among the solutions being explored to address infrastructure gaps, teacher readiness, and data privacy. Digital and technology-enhanced ELT materials not only enhance learners' participation, flexibility, and engagement in their learning but also equip them with the skills necessary to engage effectively in a digitally connected world, making their integration essential for future use in language education.