Summary of CALL

Unit 1: Introduction to Computer-Assisted Language Learning.

WHAT IS CALL?

CALL is the acronym for computer-assisted language learning. Although, as we will see below, the field or significant parts of it sometimes go by other names, CALL seems to be the most widely accepted generic term. In this foundation course, CALL will be used in a broad sense to refer to any endeavor involving the computer in some significant way in language teaching and learning.

ACRONYMS AND ATTITUDES

CALL - Computer-assisted language learning, sometimes expanded as computer-aided language learning

CELL - Computer-enhanced language learning: suggests the computer's role is to make learning better

TELL - Technology-enhanced language learning: this accommodates more than just computers, often bringing in video and seeing the computer as just one part of a larger system. It is increasingly popular as a generic term: for instance, while TESOL has a CALL Interest Section, California TESOL has a TELL Interest Group.

TALL - Technology-assisted language learning: variant of CALL and TELL

CALI - Computer-assisted language instruction: with "instruction" in it, it's more teaching oriented.

Behavioristic CALL

• Repeated exposure to the same material is beneficial or even essential to learning
• A computer is ideal for carrying out repeated drills, since the machine does not get bored with presenting the same material and since it can provide immediate non-judgmental feedback
• A computer can present such material on an individualized basis, allowing students to proceed at their own pace and freeing up class time for other activities

Communicative CALL

• focuses more on using forms rather than on the forms themselves;
• teaches grammar implicitly rather than explicitly;
• allows and encourages students to generate original utterances rather than just manipulate prefabricated language;
• does not judge and evaluate everything the students nor reward them with congratulatory messages, lights, or bells;
• avoids telling students they are wrong and is flexible to a variety of student responses;
• uses the target language exclusively and creates an environment in which using the target language feels natural, both on and off the screen; and will never try to do anything that a book can do just as well.

Integrative CALL

Integrative approaches to CALL are based on two important technological developments of the last decade - multimedia computers and the Internet. Multimedia technology - exemplified today by the CD-ROM - allows a variety of media (text, graphics, sound, animation, and video) to be accessed on a single machine. What makes multimedia even more powerful is that it also entails hypermedia. That means that the multimedia resources are all linked together and that learners can navigate their own path simply by pointing and clicking a mouse.

Unit 2: Courseware Evaluation, Development, and Implementation

Development, evaluation, and implementation are part of a logical progression in any situation that has an end product.

DEVELOPMENT MODULE

Courseware development refers to the process of going from the idea of creating a piece of tutorial software through the final product. It should be informed by general principles of instructional design. However, I believe it is also critically important to recognize the

pedagogical aspects specific to language learning that traditional instructional design approaches may overlook.

the development module, both the evaluation and implementation modules rely on versions of Richards and Rodgers' categories of approach, design, and procedure.

EVALUATION MODULE

Evaluation involves three kinds of considerations. A crucial aspect is to understand what the courseware does first before attempting to judge it: this is, not surprisingly, difficult to do because as soon as we start interacting with a program we want to judge it. If an evaluator wants to approach the problem a little more objectively, the first consideration then is the operational description of the software, which essentially focuses on the procedure level elements.

IMPLEMENTATION MODULE

Implementation considerations are relevant during the evaluation process, but they become crucial when deciding how best to use software that is available. Some of the key questions to address in implementation are the following.

- What is the setting in which the students will be using the software (classroom, lab, home, etc.?)

 - What kinds of training or preparatory activities are warranted? - What kinds of follow-up activities either in or out of class will there be?

- Given the options provided by the program, how much control will the teacher exert, and how much control will be left to the learner?

Unit 3: Computer Mediated Communication

In one category of tool uses, computer-mediated communication, or CMC, computers are a means through which teachers communicate with learners, learners communicate with one another and learners may even communicate with native speakers. That communication takes place through variations in the following elements: timing (synchronous or asynchronous), number and patterning of participants (one to one, one to many, or many to many), and medium (text, voice, or video). In addition, the physical properties of the device may offer a significant variable, such as the difference between email on a computer and text messaging on a cell phone. In this unit we will briefly examine the options and then go over some of the rationale for various uses to support language learning.

Unit 4: CALL on the Web

We have been looking at CALL software and activities involving it regardless of whether it is accessible through disk, the Internet in general (like email) or the World Wide Web. This unit looks into the Web in more depth. The reason is that the Web represents the largest collection (by far!) of material that is accessible almost anytime and anywhere by almost anyone having a browser equipped computer and an Internet connection. The Web is also where you find the most common tool applications for CALL, in particular the browsers and online video players that give access to a seemingly endless collection of both dedicated and authentic English language material

DISADVANTAGES OF THE WEB

Because of the hype surrounding it for language learning, it is useful to begin with some of the disadvantages of the Web over alternatives

·      Text-based material on the Web is sometimes not as easy to read as material in paper format because of font color and background choices.

·      Sound and video sometimes take a noticeable time to transfer, even on fast connections. Newer forms of streaming have improved this dramatically, but the Web is still not as responsive as a CD-ROM, DVD or the hard drive on a TiVo or other digital video recorder.

·      Sound and video are typically compressed to speed up transfer: depending on the degree of compression and other factors they can be of noticeably lower quality than the original. This can affect their suitability for supporting language learning. Also some of the free material on sites like www.youtube.com were of poor audio or video quality even in their original state (for example, if taken with a mobile phone) .

ADVANTAGES OF THE WEB

Despite the disadvantages, there are many good reasons for using the Web for certain language learning activities.

·      There is anytime, anywhere access (for some people at least).

·      There are enormous amounts of free material.

·      Material can be found that is current.

Unit 5: CALL and Language Skills

Skills-oriented language teaching remains a common approach for classes as well as for self-learning, and computer-assisted language learning is no exception. In this unit, we look at how both tool and tutor software can be used to support specific skills.

LISTENING: There are a number of useful dedicated ESL listening sites: three of my favorites are www.esl-lab.com, www.elllo.org, and www.lingual.net.

SPEAKING: Asynchronous speaking practice is possible through www.wimba.com, using Internet voice mail, or simply attaching sound files to email.

READING: Online graded readers such as those at www.eslreading.org/.

WRITING: Blank screen (where the monitor is turned off and students type in their ideas without being distracted) and other production techniques, such as using graphic organizers or concept mapping: http://library.usu.edu/instruct/tutorials/cm/CMinstruction1.htm.

GRAMMAR: Workbook-style exercises (on disk and online): online examples can be seen at www.grammar-quizzes.com/.

Unit 6: CALL Research

As suggested above, most CAI (computer-assisted instruction) and early CALL research focused on comparing computer users with a control group typically using traditional methods. The results were mixed, often showing no significant difference, sometimes favoring the computer users, and occasionally favoring the traditional approaches (see Dunkel 1991).

Over time researchers began to argue against comparative research (see for example Chapelle and Jamieson 1989), stating that the number of variables was too great. There are now many areas being researched using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods (although interest in comparative research remains, particularly in comparing face-to-face interaction with CMC). The results vary widely, and according to several research reviews (Felix 2005; Hubbard 2005; Huh and Hu 2005) the field is hampered by widespread problems with research designs and reporting.

Research has continued in all areas of CALL but recently has focused on several identifiable areas, such as:

·      Computer mediated communication; especially, interaction in synchronous chat settings and email in tandem settings.

·      Visual, text and sound annotation to promote comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.

·      Effectiveness of online collaborative and constructivist activities, including development of communities

Unit 7: CALL Learner Training

OVERVIEW CALL has given us some amazing possibilities for improving language learning. However, these possibilities create a problem. Absent a teacher, students using computers are typically given more control over their own learning. Due to the newness of computer environments and the range of choices in many CALL applications, they are arguably unprepared to take on this responsibility. The result is that students may not use the computers in ways that are effective for achieving language learning objectives, and it is even less likely that they will use them in ways that are most effective.

One way out of this dilemma is to spend time training learners in dealing appropriately with this new environment. In the process, we may be able not only to help them with their CALL use, but also help them in general to become more effective autonomous learners. Surprisingly, this is not a well-developed area of CALL. However, it is important enough in my experience to warrant significant attention. As Jones (1999) remarked with respect to using CALL materials in self-access centers, "it seems very likely that for most students CALL will need more learner training and more of the teacher’s presence than any other operations..."