CALL

DEFINITION OF COMPUTER – ASSITED LANGUAGE LEARNING (CALL)

• a form of computer – based learning which carries two important features : bidirectional learning individualized learning. It is not a method. CALL materials are tools for learning. The focus of CALL is lesrning, and not teching. CALL materials are used in teching to facilitate the language learning process. It is a student – centered accelerated learning.

CURRENT AND PAST LANGUAGE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

I. Buenos Entonces
II. Rosetta Stone (software)
III. Rocket Languages (Software)
IV. Fluenz

THEORETICAL BASIS FOR CALL INSTRUCTION DESIGN

• Computers have become so widespread in school and homes, and their uses have expanded so dramatically that the majority of language teachers now think about the implications. Technology can bring about changes in the teching methodologies of foreign language beyond simply automating fill-in-the-gap exercises. The use of the computer in and of itself does not constitute a teaching method, but rather the computer forces pedagogy to develop in new ways that exploit the computer’s benefits and that work around its limitations. To exploit the computer’s potential, we need language teaching specialists who can promote a complementary relationship between computer technology and appropriate pedagogic programs.

USE OF CAL FOR THE FOUR SKILLS

A number of studies have been done concering how the use of CALL affects the development of language learners four skills :
I. Listening
II. Speaking
III. Reading
IV. Writing



ADVANTAGES OF CALL

• Motivation
• Adapting learning to the student
• Authenticity
• Critical thinking skills

PROBLEMS AND CRITICISMS OF CALL INSTRUCTION

• The problem with cost and the simple availability of technologycal resources such as the internet
• The limitations that current computer technology has can be problematic as well
• The technology is far from that point
• Most of the problems that appear in the literature on CALL have more to do with teacher expectations and apprehensions abouut what computers can do for the language learner and teacher.

THREE PHRASES OF CALL

• Behavioristic CALL
• Communicative CALL
• Steps toward integrative CALL : multimedia
Steps toward integrative CALL : the Internet


A TYPOLOGY OF CALL PROGRAMS AND APPLICATIONS

Computer as Tutor

• Grammar
• Listening
• Pronunciation
• Reading
• Text reconstruction
• Vocabulary
• Writing
• Comprehensive
• Computer as Stimulus

COMPUTER AS TOOL

• Word processing
• Grammar Checkers
• Concordancers
• Collaborative writing
• Reference
• Internet
• Authoring

CONCLUSION

The history of CALL suggests that the computer can serve a variety of uses for language teaching. It can be a tutor which offers language drills or skill practice : or a tool for writing and research. With the advent of the Internet, it can also be a medium of global communication and a source of limitless authentic materials.