ESL teacher perceptions and attitudes toward using computer-assisted language learning (CALL): Recommendations for effective CALL practice.

摘要

The explosive growth of educational technology has brought to the forefront new and exciting language learning opportunities for educators and students. To be on the cutting edge of language instruction, teachers are now expected to develop new and innovative teaching practices that use computers to assist in the acquisition of second and foreign languages. With the momentum that the field is experiencing, it is an opportune time to evaluate how language teachers are integrating CALL and responding to the ever-changing landscape. This research project explored ESL teacher perceptions and attitudes towards CALL in one university-affiliated ESL program and how CALL was being integrated into that ESL curriculum. A twenty-one page CALL survey was distributed to a group of nineteen teachers in the ESL program. Follow-up interviews with three of the teachers were used to explore issues in greater depth. The results indicated that, generally, teachers see CALL as potentially valuable and are using a variety of computer applications in their classrooms; however, teachers also experience barriers that inhibit the effective and widespread use of CALL in this program. These barriers, as well suggestions for overcoming them, are discussed.