Running Head: COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING

Computer Assisted Language Learning Joshua Hernandez UNICA

COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING Abstract

The creation of technology has enhanced the human race with the ability to learn different languages through the use of computers and the internet. This paper will take a look at the history that Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has had. It will also look at the advantages and disadvantages that CALL has. This idea of using technology to teach languages has been spreading to schools and homes, (Warschauer, 1996) and has caused language teachers to become aware that there is a need to make this program successful. This paper will show some of the aspects that are taken into account as people study different languages to be able to communicate. This paper will give more insight on why CALL has become such an effective and popular tool nowadays. Keywords: Technology, methodologies, communicate. Interactive, arduous, dominating, extinction

COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING

Computer Assisted Language Learning The achievement of communication successfully between different languages has been an important topic these last few decades. The use of technology has created an opportunity that many never imagined for the learning of different important languages. Language teachers have been taking into account that the use of the Computer Assisted Language Learning network will grant an ease in learning different languages. Being developed in that last 30 years, CALL has been going through some modifications. It could be said that it has been through a three stage period. The first stage being behaviorist CALL, the second being communicative CALL and the last one being integrative CALL. These methods were not the prevailing ones in the process of developing the program. But they did influence in different aspects. The first phase, which is the behaviorist phase, centers itself around the idea of drill and practice. This focuses on repetitive language drills. The people who would be studying the language would be repeatedly exposed to the same material and since the use of computers was the way to learn, the computer was ideal for the repetition of drills that people needed. Having the computer also gave the liberty for people to go at the pace that was good for them. There were different tutoring systems that were used in the behaviorist phase. One of these was called the PLATO system. It was one of the most sophisticated and it included vocabulary drills, brief grammar explanations and drills, and translations tests at various intervals (Warschauer, 1996). But this face was soon rejected at the theoretical level and at the pedagogical

COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING level and also because there were new possibilities with the microcomputer

technology. These phase led to what became known as the communicative phase. This program was developed in the 1970s and the 1980s. The people involved with this second phase thought that the drill and practice idea limited the authentic communication, as Warschauer put it (1996). The focus of this phase was to teach grammar clearly expressed and demonstrated. Its also helps to create an environment in which the language feels natural and easy to understand. The system avoids telling the students if they are wrong and therefore it is very flexible with the answers that are given. In this second phase there were different models applied, such as the skill practice, secondly the computer as a stimulus, and lastly computer as workhouse. The first model consisted in the student choosing, controlling and interacting with the material given. The next model focused on stimulating the discussion, writing and critical thinking of the student. Lastly, the third model central point was to empower the learner to use or understand the language (Warschauer, 1996). The last phase that CALL has worked with is called integrative CALL. This phase has used two very important recent technologies of the last decades. These are the internet and the multimedia computers. Both of the components have been the dominating factors that have shaped CALL in these past few decades. As many programs in this world there are advantages and disadvantages to CALL. It is important to note that this program offers the possibility of self-accessing material that will improve different areas in the linguistic realm. This is of great use for the autonomous person, but it also presents a problem. Many teachers believe that the material seen through a computer should be presented by a trained teacher. The computer is just the tool used to present the new material. Another interesting advantage that CALL offers is that teaching materials take a new role. For example

COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING

the requirements of a certain project are adapted to the specific needs of a student. This allows a more interactive setting. The evolution of technology has spurred a change in the methodological level and the teaching procedures. But these changes put into risk what would be the fluency, interaction, culture baggage and risks of the learning process of the students. Many argue that by using a computer to help people learn a language to communicate will ultimately create an extinction of the student-centered setting. The question of what is the kind of environment that is going to be created by means of the computer (Domingo, 2011) is at hand. But the projects is still on its developing even though it is spreading quickly to many schools and homes. This fact does provide some backup to show that there are people who think that CALL is a valuable program. The development of CALL has had an arduous process since it began back in the 1960s. Creating the idea that people can learn to communicate through such a program is of great advantage for those who want to face the world with the some many different adventures it carries. Although it can present some disadvantages, the program opens the doors for many people who never thought of communicating with someone on the other side of the world.

COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING

References

Domingo, N. (2011). Terra. Retrieved August 29, 2011, from http://www.terra.es/personal/nostat/ Warschauer, M. (1996). ICT for Langue Teachers. Retrieved August 28, 2011, from http://www.ict4lt.org/en/warschauer.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_R9eXC_D8I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSt3D-z0a4U http://vimeo.com/3533703

COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING

COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING