The aim of developing CALL is not to provide language learners with novelty, (a novelty which in many cases has already disappeared), but is to improve the quality of language teaching. The aim is not to show how ingenious we are in creating software but to use the computer to help us implement educational aims. More use needs to be made by programmers of educational psychology, methodology and linguistic science.
The research in this book refl ects a convergence of two long-standing interests of mine: language learning and the organization of social interaction. Classrooms represent a unique opportunity to see the intersection of these two interests. The technological capacities of the corpus of data I’ve had to work with (the Multimedia Adult English Learner Corpus, Reder, 2005) allow for focused investigations of learner–learner interaction in and around language learning tasks. This corpus of classroom video recorded interaction that includes six camera views of each classroom is allow researchers and practitioners new insights into what learning looks like in the classroom.
The purpose of this book is twofold: First, it is to introduce the reader to Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (SCT) and Mikhail Bakhtin’s literary theory. These theories constitute the foundation for an alternative framework for theory, research, teaching, and testing in second language acquisition (SLA). Second, it is to discuss the existing cognitive bias in SLA theory and research.
Two recent movements in applied linguistics/learner-centered language teaching and a renewed interest in the authenticity, interactiveness, and impact of language assessments have come together to bring about a greater concern for and interest in expanding the role of the learner or test-taker in the assessment process. Learner-centered teaching has focused not only on the types of learning activities or tasks with which learners interact in language classes, but also on greater involvement of learners in directing their own learning. Interest in facilitating self-directed learning has led to the development of self-access or independent learning centers, where learners work by themselves, in pairs, and in small groups, interacting in a wide variety of activities involving a vast array of technologies, from tape and video players to live satellite transmissions to the most sophisticated computer-based multimedia learning programs, as well as human tutors and group facilitators. What has often been slighted in both learner-centered classroom activities and self-access centers is the development of appropriate assessment procedures in which learners are not only test-takers but also active participants in the assessment process. The chapters in this volume provide some useful insights into this issue and suggest a number of approaches for greater involvement of learners in the assessment process. Interest among language testers in making language assessments more authentic and interactive, and for facilitating positive impact on test-takers, has led to renewed interest in assessment procedures such as self-assessment and portfolios, and research into the application of research
The planning of this volume started out in response to the question: What are the implications of second language acquisition research for language teaching? The aim of the book is therefore to give this question an in-depth consideration from various points of view. The discussion centres around issues such as whether and how teaching, teaching materials and testing can be planned and executed in ways that are more favourable for the individual learners, if known facts about second language acquisition are taken into account. As the title of the book suggests, it is divided into two parts. Part I deals with those factors which concern syllabus design, teaching materials, and teaching itself. Part II is concerned with assessment testing.
