TV is technology

This might seem like an obvious point, but TV is technology.  It's also ubiquitous and easy to use and even students who don't have access to computers probably have access to TV.

TV gets a bad rap, but it's short-sighted to overlook its ability to create a common language, a reference point, and a way to get kids' attention.  For instance, I often introduce lessons with a short clip from a well-known TV show (I especially like The Simpsons, because after 22 seasons there aren't a lot of topics the show hasn't covered in one way or another!)  Kids really enjoy seeing familiar images, and it's a surprisingly effective way to activate prior knowledge and get a conversation started.

I can think of lots of other ways to use TV, once I'm teaching an English class of my own.  For instance, I might assign students to watch a Saturday morning cartoon, and identify the characters, plot, tone, and theme.  For students who have trouble applying these terms to literature it might help them to apply the same terms to the familiar and fun medium of television.

I could also ask students to watch the evening news and compare the TV coverage with the news they read in the paper and/or online.  Or I could ask students to watch two or three sitcoms and compare/contrast the humor of the TV shows with the humor in one of Shakespeare's comedies (misunderstandings/situational irony, jokes about people having romantic interest in one another, name-calling/teasing, physical humor, etc).

Often when we talk about incorporating technology into our classes, we jump straight to the Internet or digital cameras or Smart Boards.  But even older technology like TV presents lots of opportunity to "jazz up" lessons and help students make connections with knowledge in ways that feel accessible and relevant to them.