Digital Training for Language Teachers: An Exploration into Online Writing Tutorials,

Abstract

Use of technology in education has increased and it aims at transforming the delivery of knowledge to the learners by empowering the teachers. However, majority of language teachers who have been given access to the online tools of language teaching and learning feel helpless in absence of proper training and exposure before experimenting it with the students. The present paper deals with teaching of writing skills. While discussing this, the paper also sheds light on how in- service teachers need to be given an exposure to effective implementation of online writing tutorials. The paper also discusses how face to face writing tutorials differ from online tutorials. While providing digital training the teachers will be trained in proper planning of the tasks and circulating precise instruction sheets to the students. Moreover, to make the tutorial standardised, the efficacy of the tasks and rubrics to be measured through proper validity and reliability tests. One pilot study has been conducted among teachers to ascertain the efficiency of this new mode of instruction. The paper also discusses the results of the findings for ascertaining the effectiveness of this exposure.