Computer Assisted Language Learning: How Can It Assist Us?

Abstract

This paper is written from the perspective of a teacher of Chinese language, interested in computer assisted language learning but sometimes frustrated that materials for character based languages have tended to be few and expensive. The use of CALL in Chinese language teaching is in its infancy, but we can turn this situation to our advantage, by learning from and building on the experience gained in other languages. This process would involve a review of our goals and motives for using CALL; a survey of the range of possible uses of CALL, to help us decide which ones may be appropriate to our needs or suitable for our particular situation; andan examination of the practical and educational factors which will affect our approach and our decision-making. Such an exercise may also be helpful in assessing the possibilities for introducing CALL in contexts and cultures where it is currently little used. This paper offers preliminary thoughts on some of these issues, and illustrates them with reference to an ongoing project to develop CALL materials for a distance learning course in Chinese.