An EFL Teachers's Voyage to the SAMR Model

Last week I delivered a Tech training session, and I started with a brief talk about the SAMR model. As I was reading about Dr. Ruben Puentedura's model, I realized that I find it hard to give examples of digital tasks for each level of the framework for my teaching environment - EFL teaching in a language institution. I do not believe that  teachers need to know how to classify every task he/she designs. However, knowing about the framework can only enrich one`s practice. On this post I will classify some tasks that I have been using with my students this semester

Substitution

In the substitution level, one can use technology to do something that could be done without it.

A dictation using what`s app

Drawing pictures for a pictionary with show me

Using notes for writing a composition. 

Last month I delivered a lesson in which my students had to write a letter to a pen-pal in Australia. I asked them to use notability to write and add pictures of themselves. They were happier doing the task this way than just doing on their notebooks because it was more visually appealing.

Augmentation

Students sent their work to me and I used the features within the app to correct them and give them guidance to write a little more. In class students took a digital quiz to help them correct the mistakes they made. These tasks helped my students reach their outcome because they were eager to play the game over and over, and this repetition helped them automatize the target language.

Modification

On this stage, tech is used to modify the tasks. Students can use apps to register information in different formats. The question a teacher might ask here is: How does this modification change students`s outcome?

On the following class, I asked my students to work in groups to create a digital image to sent to our pen-pal. They worked eagerly to record the videos, chose links of songs they like and wanted to share. Some girls were brushing their hair and getting all reading for recording. Here is what a group produced. 

Transformation

On this stage, tech is paramount for the delivering the tasks to a level that without it the tasks could not be performed. The question a teacher might ask here to validate all the work is: How does this task improve learners` outcome? Our pen-pal has made a video answering our questions, and my students were really surprised to learn that a real boy in Australia understood them and cared to answer! Motivation at peak and hopefully they will remember more them the target language in this task.

For some inspiring ideas also read this post on the invisible IPad