The Web is not yet so good for discovering dictionaries, though some do exist. Solutions to problems over copyright and charging need to be found first. For learners, the web site for the US News network, CNN, provides sets of work sheets relating to that day's broadcast which can be quickly downloaded. ICQ is a freely-available live chat programme enabling users to select their chat partners from all over the world. Real Audio and Video allow the broadcast of streams of news-bulletins from live radio and recordings of news clips.
Questions still remain, however.
For the moment the vast number of unmediated sites and the low range of dedicated sites means that paper-based materials still reign. However, the element of motivation that IT arouses ensures that many learners will continue to access the Internet and thus develop linguistically perhaps in spite of its only partial presence in schools. For the most part the Internet is still there for teachers to explore exploit more fully. In 'Review of ELT' Vol 6, No 1, 1996. To learn more about Wayne Trotman and his writings please click here .