25.940, Review: Applied Ling; Computational Ling; Language Acquisition: Thomas (et al., eds.) (2012)

Tue Feb 25 15:58:49 UTC 2014

LINGUIST List: Vol-25-940. Tue Feb 25 2014. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 25.940, Review: Applied Ling; Computational Ling; Language Acquisition: Thomas (et al., eds.) (2012)

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Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2014 10:57:54
From: Ferit Kilickaya [ferit.kilickaya at gmail.com]
Subject: Contemporary Computer-Assisted Language Learning

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Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/23/23-5346.html

EDITOR: Michael  Thomas
EDITOR: Hayo  Reinders
EDITOR: Mark  Warschauer
TITLE: Contemporary Computer-Assisted Language Learning
SERIES TITLE: Contemporary Studies in Linguistics
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury Publishing (formerly The Continuum International Publishing Group)
YEAR: 2012

REVIEWER: Ferit Kilickaya, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University

SUMMARY

This book, edited by Michael Thomas, Hayo Reinders, and Mark Warschauer,
explores the parameters of contemporary Computer Assisted Language Learning
(CALL), focusing on different areas of CALL, how these different areas shape
CALL, as well as how the latest research approaches help explore different
areas. The book of composed of three parts and 19 chapters in total. Readers
are provided the opportunity to read chapters independently of the other
chapters as the structure of the book is organized thematically, with the
parts entitled ‘The CALL Context’, ‘CALL Learning Environments’, and ‘CALL in
Language Education’.

Chapter 1, by the editors, is entitled ‘Contemporary computer-assisted
language learning: The role of digital media and incremental change’, and
serves as the introduction to the book, touching briefly upon the main themes
of CALL, aspects of contemporary CALL, and how digital media and social CALL
have evolved. This chapter supplies the foundation for the next chapters by
providing a brief and effective introduction to CALL.

In Chapter 2, ‘Historical perspectives on CALL’, the authors, Graham Davies,
Sue E. K. Otto, and Bernd Rüschoff, provide a rich overview of developments in
CALL and how these developments have shaped CALL during the last three
decades. The authors also take into consideration the technologies available,
second language acquisition, and theories of language education. In this
perspective, the authors not only discuss the origin of the term ‘CALL’ with a
detailed history from the 1980s to the present but also enable readers to
reconsider technology and second language learning by portraying past and
recent developments.

In Chapter 3, entitled ‘Researching language learning in the age of social
media’, the authors, Carla Meskill and Joy Quah, highlight the varied
perspectives and approaches in CALL research used in online and social
environments, focusing on the online environment and its specifications,
online social and affective dimensions, as well as pedagogical processes.
While presenting this review of perspectives and approaches, the authors
provide a solid discussion of the current methodological approaches and
techniques.

Chapter 4, ‘Second language teacher education for CALL: An alignment of
practice and theory’, deals with how teacher education for CALL can be aligned
to sociocultural theory and argues that CALL training should be geared more
towards an educational perspective. The authors, Gary Motteram, Diane Slaouti,
and Zeynep Onat-Stelma, provide a concise review of the field of teacher
education, and highlight how sociocultural theory can contribute to teacher
education for CALL through a study that explores the practices of adult
teachers of languages using technology in General English, TOEFL, and TOEIC
exam classes.

In Chapter 5, ‘Research on computers in language testing: Past, present and
future’, the author, James Dean Brown, focuses on the role of computers in
language testing. He examines the developments in computer-based language
testing, considering trends, developments and directions in both the past and
the future, with particular emphasis on current practices such as testing
vocabulary, speaking or oral skills, writing, listening and reading.

Chapter 6, entitled ‘Materials design in CALL: Social presence in online
environments’, discusses how material design and the choice of tasks can
affect social presence in online environments integrated into CALL, CMC-based
teacher education, and learner participation in online interaction.  The
authors, Mirjam Hauck and Sylvia Warnecke, examine the findings of a study
involving a tutor training class in teaching English for Academic Purposes,
making use of the Community Indicators Framework by Galley et al. (2011),
which includes four broad aspects related to participants’ online presence:
participation, cohesion, identity, and creative capability.

In Part II, under the theme of ‘CALL Learning Environments’, Chapter 7,
‘Telecollaboration and CALL’, examines online communication tools that bring
students of different countries together overcoming geographical restrictions.
The author, Robert O’Dowd, provides a critical review of the models and
configurations of online communication and exchange in foreign language
classrooms. He suggests that we should reconsider the role of
telecollaboration in formal education and current classroom practices with
respect to several factors such as observable and assessable student activity,
tasks that can be integrated into classroom interaction, as well as the
advantages of telecollaborative activity.

In Chapter 8, ‘Distance CALL online’, Marie-Noëlle Lamy discusses the diverse
nature of distance CALL and highlights the fact that it can be delivered in
various forms such as online and in a blended approach. Taking the flexibility
of distance CALL into consideration and building around a learning design
approach, the author provides an integrated model of distance language
learning.

In Chapter 9, ‘Language learning in virtual worlds: Research and practice’,
Randall Sadler and Melinda Dooly bring a different perspective to social
presence (cf. Chapter 6) and discuss the opportunities that virtual worlds
provide to language learners. The authors provide an overview of the research
on and development of virtual worlds followed by a discussion of language and
content learning.  They draw on their research projects on the use of virtual
worlds that provide children the opportunity to observe, interact, and explore
by using a virtual art gallery.

In Chapter 10, ‘Digital games and language learning’, Chun Lai, Ruhui Ni, and
Yong Zhao move the discussion to a very interesting and attractive perspective
in CALL: digital games. The authors review current developments in digital
games, examine pedagogical issues in several commercial games, and discuss
what the future holds for digital game-based language learning.  They focus on
the balance between playing games and maximizing learning through these games.

In Chapter 11, ‘Mobile-assisted language learning’, Glenn Stockwell discusses
the role of mobile technologies in language learning. It is widely
acknowledged that distance language learning and CALL have taken one step
further with innovations such as mobile devices. In this chapter, the author
reviews how mobile devices affect language learning, advantages of using
mobile devices, and issues of concern that need to be taken into consideration
while utilizing mobile devices such as MP3 players, PDAs, and mobile phones.

Dafne Gonzalez and Rubena St. Louis deal with an important issue in CALL in
Chapter 12, ‘CALL in low-tech contexts’: technology-limited contexts and how
to overcome these limitations. The authors enrich the discussion on low-tech
environments through the findings of a survey conducted in several countries
where technology is not widely available, reflecting their use of CALL in
their own contexts. The findings indicate that slow internet access proves to
be an obstacle that can be overcome by doing activities that do not require
fast internet access such as creating blogs and sending emails, and by helping
teachers in technology-limited contexts to gain experience through online
communities and special interest groups.

Part III is ‘CALL in language education’. Chapter 13, ‘Intelligent CALL’, is
engaged with the contribution of artificial intelligence to CALL, focusing on
resources for both language learning and researchers. The authors, Mathias
Schulze and Trude Heift, frame their discussion on Intelligent CALL within
second language acquisition, taking interaction and noticing (that is,
consciously registering the input) into consideration. The authors also enrich
their discussion by providing resources for researchers, focusing on learner
and reference corpora.

In Chapter 14, ‘Technology-enhanced reading environments’, Youngmin Park,
Binbin Zheng, Joshua Lawrence, and Mark Warschauer present an overview of
reading supported by digital media such as visual-syntactic text formatting
and blogging. The first part of the discussion is allocated to major
components of reading such as word decoding and language comprehension,
leading to a summary of research on computer-assisted reading in each
component, while the second part focuses on the use of digital
materials/technologies that enrich second language reading.

Chapter 15, ‘The role of technology in teaching and researching writing’,
deals with writing and the available technological tools. The authors, Volker
Hegelheimer and Jooyoung Lee, summarize various technological developments and
tools such as automated essay evaluation and online environments for
collaborative writing that inform teaching second language writing, and
discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these technological tools.

In Chapter 16, ‘CALL and less commonly taught languages’, Richard M. Robin
examines the impact of the latest technologies, particularly web-based tools,
on the less commonly taught languages. He considers specific features of these
languages and the tools available in the Web 2.0 environment such as Google
translator, Google as a corpus and concordance, as well as the courses
available in distance and hybrid environments.

Chapter 17, entitled ‘CALL and digital feedback’, looks at the issue of
providing feedback in the language classroom. The authors, Paige Ware and Greg
Kessler, examine the feedback provided in synchronous and asynchronous
environments and critically analyze the three dimensions of digital feedback,
namely, modes of feedback delivery, focus of feedback provided, and strategies
for delivering feedback on the skills of writing and speaking.

In Chapter 18, ‘Task-based language teaching and CALL’, Michael Thomas
provides a brief overview of the relationship between CALL and task-based
language teaching and how they inform each other, reporting on the results of
a case study that was conducted with Japanese learners of English. The author
questions previous research findings indicating that Asian English language
learners are found to be resistant to interactive learning environments and
draws attention to the importance of proficiency in activities within a
task-based approach.

Chapter 19, ‘CALL and learner autonomy: Affordances and constraints’, is
concerned with the importance of the role of learner autonomy in language
learning and teaching. The authors, Hayo Reinders and Philip Hubbard, provide
a quick but efficient review of their topic, analyze the potential limitations
of technology on the development of learner autonomy, and discuss possible
ways to overcome these limitations: providing appropriate training, selecting
appropriate materials, encouraging peer interaction and collaborations, and
enhancing learners’ cognitive, social, and affective strategies.

EVALUATION

The major strength of the book lies in the state-of-the-art discussions on
important issues in CALL. These discussions not only remind us of past
developments but also link these developments to current practices in the CALL
world, providing a good sense of the relationship of CALL to second language
learning teaching and learning. The chapters introduce a literature review of
previous studies as well as current trends, combining theory and practice,
which will be beneficial as supplementary reading to graduate students as well
as to scholars interested in any aspect of CALL research. The references
provided at the end of each chapter also provide the readers with the
opportunity to further their knowledge.

The chapters are organized thematically, starting by setting the context for
CALL research and its history and then moving to more advanced issues such as
telecollaboration and CALL, and CALL and learner autonomy. Almost all chapters
consider current research practices in both low- and high-tech environments
around the world, and will lead researchers in this field to reconsider their
perspectives on issues such as providing digital feedback and learner
autonomy.  The only thing that might be suggested would be the inclusion of a
chapter at the end of the book, outlining and combining what has been explored
and suggested in previous chapters.

Overall, the book proves to be invaluable reading for anyone interested in
keeping up with current developments in the field of CALL. Although the title
of the volume does not include the word “handbook” or imply that it is a
handbook, I would claim that the volume serves the role and aim of similar
handbooks which are available. Thus, the book will be of utmost value for
researchers and graduate students alike to figure out how technology and
specific techniques and strategies should be employed to best serve students’
needs in language learning.  The volume is surely one of the most important
and useful books available on the market.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Ferit Kılıçkaya is currently working as an assistant professor at the
department of English language teaching at Mehmet Akif Ersoy University,
Burdur, Turkey. His main area of interest includes computer-assisted language
learning and testing, language teacher education, and language teaching
methodology. He has published several book chapters, articles, and reviews in
journals such as British Journal of Educational Technology, Educational
Technology & Society, Teaching English with Technology, and Educational
Studies.

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