The Instituto Cultural Mexicano Norteamericano, which has about 2,000 students per month learning English on a variety of schedules, now has 30 “Smart Boards,” enough for almost all of its classrooms due to the consulate’s contribution worth 40,000 dollars. The interactive white boards allow teachers to connect them to a computer for responsive lessons, the possibility of watching videos, access to Power Point presentations, or pretty much any other teaching tool that can be enhanced with online access.
The school previously used only traditional teaching tools, like workbooks and recorded dialogues. Teacher Miguel Perez said he’s already seeing a difference having used the technology in recent months.
Students are able to visualize the language, listen to videos and get more involved with the process. In a demonstration of the Smart Boards, Perez showed short clips from the popular U.S. TV show “The Big Bang Theory” that provided examples of English clauses beginning with the word “if.”Students are also able to input information directly into the Smart Board. They can complete exercises, like picking the correct use of words or phrases such as “a bit,” “many” or “much” to complete sentences.
“This really allows the students to actively participate in the class,” Perez said. “They’re not just sitting there taking notes.”
The school’s director Adán Ravelero stressed that the new technology does not replace the need for an effective teacher; rather it’s a tool that helps students grasp complicated concepts of language.
It’s part of the Instituto Cultural Mexicano Norteamericano’s mission to increase Guadalajara residents’ access to English learning resources. For many in the city, it’s difficult to find an affordable school, and even then the knowledge of the teacher might be limited.
Ravelero and U.S. Consul General Susan Abeyta both stressed the importance of sharing cultural knowledge between the United States and Mexico at a demonstration of the Smart Boards Wednesday morning. As the institute works to keep its lessons affordable, it doesn’t have excess cash to immediately tap into the latest available technology.
The consulate has an ongoing relationship with the institute, as it aims to provide lessons to middle class Guadalajara residents, said Consulate spokesman Madison Conoley.
“For us, proficiency in English is a gateway to educational opportunities and cultural exchange,” Conoley said.
The institute, on Avenida Enrique Diaz de Leon just across the street from Templo Expiatorio, also offers Spanish lessons to foreigners.