“We’re communication teachers!”: The meaningful integration of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in intermediate English pedagogy

The purpose of this study was to explore the reported practices of Ontario intermediate English teachers who integrate Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) into their pedagogies. This research study was conducted using a qualitative research approach. It involved a literature review and semi-structured interviews with three Ontario grade 9 and 10 English teachers who self-identified as freely choosing to integrate ICT in all aspects of their pedagogies. The findings of this project include intermediate English teachers’ reports of integrating ICT in their pedagogies because it engaged students, facilitated student-centered learning environments, and helped them instruct about the different kinds of literacies students encounter and are required to use. Additional findings include teachers’ reports of inadequate support for ICT integrations from schools and school boards, the necessity for teachers to balance ICT integration with traditional teaching methods, and that the most beneficial professional development occurs in informal settings that are not necessarily English subject-specific. These findings imply that some Greater Toronto Area schools may not be receiving enough funding from school boards to support school-wide ICT purchases and English departments may be left without necessary tools for ICT integration. Likewise, these findings also indicate that some Ontario English teachers may not know where to find beneficial professional development resources, events, or opportunities about ICT integration in English