The Pearl Side of Online Portfolios: A Descriptive Study on the Rich Experience of Using Pearltrees by Master Students of Teaching English as a Foreign Language

ABSTRACT

Teaching English to ESL teachers is a challenging task for a number of reasons, the lack of connection between the target language and the native one being one of the most challenging factors (Ferlazzo & Sypnieski, 2013). Therefore, teachers are supposed to be innovators in creating the tools that could boost the learning process, as well as eliminate the factors that may possibly inhibit it in any way. In the era of information technology, a variety of digital tools that a teacher can use for empowering students to learn languages have emerged. PearlTrees is one of these tools; allowing sharing information fast and communicating efficiently, the specified site can be viewed as a perfect tool for enhancing ESL teachers’ skills through shared knowledge, peer assessment (Daniels, 2002), scaffolding (Combs, 2004) and support from the teacher, and active participation.