Sabrina's e-portfolio

Kern, R. (2006). Perspectives on technology in learning and teaching languages. TESOL Quarterly, 40 (1), 183-210.

     Some theories and critical issues are raised in the journal to discuss the status of technology in language learning and teaching. In the beginning, the definition of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) was confined to “applications of the computer.” Then the role of computer-assisted language learning changes to a broader one that it refers to the relationship between computer technologies and language learning. However, Zhao (2003) pointed out some questions of effectiveness of technology such as definition of technology and influence of other mediating factors by doing meta-analysis. The responses to these issues are that it is not the technology itself that is effective or ineffective but the particular ways in which the technology is used. Based on the description, the key point is that how we use technologies effectively and efficiently to facilitate our teaching and learning. In recent years, the research of CALL has been primarily on concordance and corpus analysis.

    After reading the article, I get some reflection about computer-assisted language learning. Corpus is a very useful tool that can help learners to check some collocation and word frequency. However, it is not widely applied into our English classes in Taiwan. In my opinion, English teachers should not be confined to materials that are designed by publishers but have to provide more authentic contexts and materials for students to know. In that case, corpus would be helpful. Nowadays, because technologies develop rapidly, learners easily have access to a variety of multimedia and websites. Technologies serve as a main channel for them to have instantaneous communication and receive feedback. Therefore, language learning will not only occur in the classroom but also exist in daily life interaction. Nevertheless, the Internet is full of too much information regardless of positive or negative. Sometimes the information on the Internet may mislead their learning. In short, technology would assist language learning but we should determine how to employ it carefully.