Reflection 1: The History of CALL

 

     As computers have become a widespread learning tool in schools, the necessity for computer literacy has also become obvious. Hence this has spark an interest in language teachers too also start using the new technologies as their pedagogical approach tool in their teaching methods. CALL thus has provided an incredible boost in offering a wide variety of educational programs, resources, multimedia software programs and computer software tutorials (grammar drills, vocabulary, listening and pronunciation exercises etc).

     The first field of CALL has straddled since the 1960's and the 1970's and it underwent through three important phases; the Behaviorist phase, the Communicative phase and the Integrative phase. The Behaviorist CALL was implemented in the 1960's and the 1970's, so as  proposed by B.F. Skinner in (1957), Behaviorist Call emphasizes behaviorist learning methods where the computer is seen as a mechanical tutor to the learner and alongside creating an environment that stimulates the learning process. The principal use of Behaviorist Call is the drill and practice methodology. For Behaviorist, they believe that the learners are passive; the learners will only acquire new information in a structured environment that will stimulate them. In other words, the learners should be stimulated again and again in order for them to acquire new information and this comes in form of: dialogues and pattern drills, grammar translation, audio-lingual teaching and etc.

     Communicative CALL (multimedia) however is more process oriented than product oriented; more interested in knowing, 'How did they acquire the (example) grammar?, than, 'Did they acquire grammar? Yes or no'. Seeing that Communicative CALL encourages learners to their own learning discovery (learner-centered approach), Communicative CALL programs provides skill practice in a non-drill format; language games, reading and text reconstruction. For example in spelling and grammar exercises, instead of giving them the rules, the learners should also know how to use the rules and thus produce their own sentences and utterances. In this phase, the computer is still used as a mechanical tool but it gives the learners their own choices, control and interaction in order for them to make their own environment to stimulate their learning process.

     In the current Integrative CALL (Internet) phase by Warshaver (1996), technology based multimedia computer is integrated in the learning process. It is a task-based, a content-based and a project-based Integrative CALL method that combines text, graphic, sound, animation and video in a learner-learner interaction learning environment. Computer are used only as a tool for interactive communication for the learners. For example, learners can interact with other native language learners via international or local network by accessing virtual chatrooms (Skype, Facebook etc).

    To conclude, CALL suggests that the computer can serve a variety of uses for language teaching and learning. It can be a mechanical tutor which offers language drills and skill practice, a stimulus for discussion and interaction, and  a tool for writing and research. And with the advent of the Internet, it can also be a medium of global communication for the learners to interact with other native learners, and also as an easy-access library filled with limitless sources and materials.