In many countries of the world the school administrators plan carefully to find sufficient funds to purchase computers for their schools and find appropriate programs for their students. They are well aware that if their students are going to be prepared for the world of tomorrow, then they should have some knowledge of computers – their advantages and their dangers. Perhaps this is especially important for English Second Language students who are attending English classes either in their own country or in an English speaking country. This article suggests approaches for getting started with classroom computers on a very small budget.

Let’s Look at Possibilities for Finding Computers at a Reduced Price
Some computer companies that specialize in educational products are interested in providing a number of computers at a reduced price. This opportunity varies from country to country but perhaps it is worth investigating.

Used computers are available in many computer stores. Contacting them and asking to be notified when some become available might be worth trying. Even though this would mean having computers of different ages and types, it’s likely that the same programs could be loaded into them. If these were available at a very reasonable rate then they would be better than having no computers at all.

Children love to work at a computer. They will put a great deal of effort into their work in order to have a chance to use one. There aren’t many things that can compete with the effectiveness of a computer as a motivator and a teacher. Although it can’t replace a teacher it is a magical teaching aid. A computer program can hold a student’s attention more effectively than a classroom teacher. Even those with a short attention span will stay with a good program for perhaps ten to twenty minutes.

What Types of Programs Are Appropriate for Young English Second Language Students?
Listening to and watching a video that presents a story is a good approach. If a series of pictures or videos accompanies a narrated story then the story becomes real for them and they understand the English without thinking about it. Have them watch and listen to a story a number of times, then help them to retell the story in very simple sentences.

Ideas for Teachers Who Don’t Have Access to Ready-made Programs
Perhaps you have a classroom computer but limited software that allows only the writing of English plus some spell checking capability. Take advantage of the motivational capacity of even the most basic computer. You might be surprised at the students’ responses.

Look on the Internet for Free Material
You will find free samples of:
- printable ESL material
- on-line ESL programs
Although these may not be as complete as you would like they are a beginning and will help with the selection of programs when your organization is able to purchase them.

Types of Assignments
Most of the assignments listed below will require the students to cooperate in small groups, use dictionaries and request some teacher assistance. All planning and draft copies would first be done on paper. It’s best if their paper work is checked before they do the typing.
Some types of assignments to try:
- students working to write a paragraph
- students working in pairs to write a story
- students can plan role-plays in small groups

Adapt any of the ideas outlined in this article to meet your needs. If you have very limited resources, you are not alone. Many unique approaches to computer use have evolved from a very simple beginning.