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Computer Aided Language LearningIntroduction Computer Aided Language Learning (CALL) can be defined as the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning1. The applications encompassed by CALL are vast, spanning from drill and practice programs to interactive whiteboards to web-based virtual learning environments. This article presents a brief history of CALL, highlights its impacts on EFL teaching methodologies and provides suggestions on how EFL teachers can use CALL to enhance their student?s experiences. Brief History of CALL The origins of CALL date back to the 1960s. During the 1960s and 1970s CALL applications were restricted to large Universities with mainframe computers. In the late 1970s the arrival of personal computers made CALL applications available to a much wider audience. Early CALL programs focused on providing a stimulus to the user who, in turn, would respond using a keyboard or a mouse2. While the 1980s and early 1990s saw much advancement with respect to CALL programs it was the popularization of the World Wide Web in the late 1990s and 2000s that enabled the range and use of CALL programs to explode. Today CALL applications enable students to access virtual classrooms for distance education, conduct on-line training and assessment exercises, access on-line dictionaries and encyclopedias and connect with other students from around the world via chat and other social media. There are now many professional associations that are dedicated to the advancement of CALL. Impact to EFL Teachers and Suggestions for Effective Use of CALL There is much debate amongst experts and teachers concerning the extent to which CALL applications should be employed in EFL classrooms. While most recognize that the computer brings a wealth of resources to a teacher?s fingertips some argue CALL can be counterproductive because successful learning is dependent on students actively participating and interacting with each other and the teacher in the classroom3. Obviously, when students are working on the computer they are not interacting with other human beings. However, many EFL teachers are able to overcome this barrier by employing CALL applications as one part of their teaching strategies. The ability to display authentic texts and have students listen to audio and watch video provides valuable exposure to English that would otherwise be much more difficult, or perhaps not possible, in the classroom. Many teachers use the computer in conjunction with an overhead projector to enable the entire class to review grammar sheets and other exercises. Teachers who are fortunate enough to have access to an interactive whiteboard can avoid the drawbacks of traditional chalkboards by not having to write on the board during the class, which enables them to pay more attention to the subject and their students. Furthermore, the teacher is able to save a picture of the whiteboard and email it to class members afterwards. The advent of on-line textbooks provides students with a more affordable alternative to traditional textbooks, and a teacher can take advantage of intranets to do things such as post the course syllabus, assign homework, engage in discussion forums, post bulletins and share other course-related materials. Lastly, the internet is full of endless resources that a teacher can provide to the students with respect to pursuing English exercises, authentic materials, connecting with other students and practicing for various English assessments. As you can see, while CALL has greatly enhanced an EFL teacher?s resources and communication options it has not replaced the need for or diminished the value of traditional face-to-face teaching and student interaction. Conclusion The digital revolution and the onset of the information age have already impacted life and society in profound ways over the past two decades and these changes will continue to occur. Recent research suggests that there is one computer to every four students in classrooms throughout the United States4. There is no doubt that the use of CALL in the EFL classroom will continue to increase and; therefore, this important technology cannot be ignored by EFL teachers. The successful EFL teacher will leverage CALL by using it to make their lessons more efficient and student-centered, as opposed to trying to use it as a replacement to the teacher-student relationship. ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Levy M. (1997) CALL: context and conceptualisation, Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2. Graham Davies: CALL:Computer Assisted Language Learning, http://www.llas.ac.uk/resources/gpg/61#toc_1 3. Kenneth Beare: CALL Use in the ESL/EFL Classroom, http://esl.about.com/od/esleflteachingtechnique/a/t_usecall.htm 4. Ian Quillen, Katie Ash & Michelle Davies, Computers in the Classroom: Then and Now, http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2009/04/computers_in_the_classroom_the_1.html
