English foreign language skills refer to the main skills needed to become proficient in a foreign language. The Common European Framework of References (CEFR) identifies five skills (Listening, Reading, Spoken Interaction, Spoken Production and Writing) divided into six levels, from beginner to proficient user (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2). The levels are defined through ‘can-do’ descriptors and the descriptors specify progressive mastery of each skill.
Published in Chapter:
Integrating Virtual Exchange Practices and Digital Instructional Tools in EFL Courses at University Level
Anca Daniela Frumuselu (Universitat de Lleida, Spain) and
Andrea Roxana Bellot (Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain)
Copyright: © 2022
|Pages: 17
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-4205-0.ch015
Abstract
Given the massive use of social media during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, EFL teachers could take advantage of this and bring intercultural encounters in the EFL classroom through virtual exchanges. The chapter aims to present a pedagogical proposal for virtual exchange practices in EFL courses at university level. First, it will start with an overview of the COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) approach. Then, it will bring upfront the main areas of investigation related to telecollaboration and virtual exchange practices. Finally, this chapter will provide a versatile EFL pedagogical proposal, easily adaptable to any particular virtual exchange project to match specific curriculum needs. This proposal is based on real practice and grounded theory of how this approach and the digital tools can be maximized in the current EFL teaching context, highlighting the need of integrating e-learning environments in the regular EFL classroom, either taught in online or face-to-face modality.