This collection of research in on-line communication for second language learning inlcudes use of electronic mail, real-time writing and the World Wide Web. It analyses the theories underlying computer-assisted learning.
This important and accessible book identifies the key elements in the quest for best practice in online language teaching. The authors, all of them international experts who have made significant contributions to the debate about how to exploit the new technologies, consider online language teaching from three crucial perspectives: design, tools and pedagogy. Their recommendations are such that they can actually be realised in spite of the limitations of today's educational environments. The book demonstrates that the new technologies offer far greater potential for authentic encounters and constructivist learning than even the best classroom simulations; that automated exercise and feedback structures can be individualised and meaningful; and that if we have to teach fully by distance, these ventures no longer need to represent impoverished versions of live classes but can engender a strong sense of community. To achieve this we need to understand what elements constitute good design both in technical and pedagogical terms, to think seriously about providing the best feedback possible, and to have the courage to take the risks associated with letting go of traditional learner/teacher relationships.
Assistive technologies have become increasingly important for people with disabilities in recent years. This book is the result of over a decade of research into computational approaches to assistive technology. Its chapters are based on a number of graduate theses, successfully completed over the past dozen or so years under the supervision of Kanlaya Naruedomkul of Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand and Nick Cercone of York University, Toronto, Canada. Some applications in the chapters use Thai language examples, but the techniques employed are not restricted to any single language. Each chapter is based on the Ph.D. work of a former or current student, suitably updated and presented for interested readers. The book is divided into four sections. Following an introduction, which includes a review of assistive technology products, part two covers applications, and includes chapters on alternative sign text MT for language learning, lexical simplification using word sense disambiguation and detecting and rating dementia through lexical analysis of spontaneous speech. Part three deals with theories and systems, and includes: granules for learning behavior, rough sets methods and applications for medical data and multimedia support systems as assistive technology for hearing impaired students. Part four presents a conclusion which includes a look into the future. Although this book is not a comprehensive treatise on assistive technology, it nevertheless provides a fascinating look at recent research, and will be of interest to all those whose work involves the application of assistive technologies for people with disabilities.
This research-led textbook investigates the use of new technologies for language learning, linking theory to practice. The book synthesises previous technology use (including Computer Assisted Language Learning) theory and research, and describes practical applications for both second and foreign language classrooms, including detailed examples of these applications and the procedures for evaluating them.
After decades of being overlooked, corpus evidence is becoming an important component of the teaching and learning of languages. Above all, the profession needs guidance in the practicalities of using corpora, interpreting the results and applying them to the problems and opportunities of the classroom. This book is intensely practical, written mainly by a new generation of language teachers who are acknowledged experts in central aspects of the discipline. It offers advice on what to do in the classroom, how to cope with teachers' queries about language, what corpora to use including learner corpora and spoken corpora and how to handle the variability of language; it reports on some current research and explains how the access software is constructed, including an opportunity for the practitioner to write small but useful programs; and it takes a look into the future of corpora in language teaching.
This book explores implications for applied linguistics of recent developments in technologies used in second language teaching and assessment, language analysis, and language use. Focusing primarily on English language learning, the book identifies significant areas of interplay between technology and applied linguistics, and it explores current perspectives on perennial questions such as how theory and research on second language acquisition can help to inform technology-based language learning practices, how the multifaceted learning accomplished through technology can be evaluated, and how theoretical perspectives can offer insight on data obtained from research on interaction with and through technology. The book illustrates how the interplay between technology and applied linguistics can amplify and expand applied linguists’ understanding of fundamental issues in the field. Through discussion of computer-assisted approaches for investigating second language learning tasks and assessment, it illustrates how technology can be used as a tool for applied linguistics research.
This work creates a foundation for the study and practice of computer-assisted language learning and provides an overview of ways to conceptualize and to conduct research in Call. It posits that all approaches to research have a place, and that researchers, teachers, and students have a role in the study of computer-enhanced language learning.
This volume gives language teachers, software designers, and researchers who wish to use technology in second or foreign language education the information they need to absorb what has been achieved so far and to make sense of it. It is designed to enable the kind of critical reading of a substantial literature that leads to a balanced and detailed knowledge of the field. Chapter by chapter, the book builds, through description, analysis, examples, and discussion, a detailed picture of modern CALL. In this book, the label “CALL” is interpreted broadly to include technology-enhanced language learning, Web-enhanced language learning, and information and communication technologies for language learning. The work is distinguished by its attention to a range of languages rather than just English. The authors first set the scene and introduce major areas of interest and growth in CALL, and then look in depth at seven important dimensions: design, evaluation, computer-mediated communication, theory, research, practice, and technology. Chapters on each of these topics include a description that reviews the recent literature, identifies themes, and presents representative projects that illustrate the dimension, followed by a discussion that provides in-depth analysis, and a conclusion offering suggestions for further work. Detailed references and links connect the description and discussion with original works and primary sources so the reader can follow up easily on areas of personal interest. Two concluding chapters discuss how the various dimensions might be brought together, the first from a practical point of view, the second with a view to the development of CALL as a whole.
"This book discusses the basis of a broad framework for the development and management of Computer Aided Language Learning (CALL) environments, covering domains as diverse as education, information systems, psychology, sociology, linguistics, artificial intelligence and e-learning"--Provided by publisher.
This collection of scholarly articles by leading researchers offers empirical data and analysis of complex issues related to providing feedback during the writing process.