Computer Assisted Language Learning: Context and Conceptualization

So far, the development of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has been fragmented. In these pages, Michael Levy sets CALL in its proper historical and interdisciplinary contexts, providing a comprehensive overview of the topic. Drawing on published work as well as an international survey among CALL practitioners in eighteen countries, he looks at the relationship between CALL's theory and application, its conceptual and practical roles as tutor and tool. Levy also discusses CALL's implications for computer programming.

Most books on CALL focus on specific projects, and do so mainly from a theoretical point of view, but this unique text considers CALL as a whole, analyzing the utility of the computer in language learning and teaching. A detailed review of the current literature is matched with an in-depth examination of the tutor-tool framework.

An ideal introduction to the procedure and performance of CALL as a multi-faceted reflection of today's ever-evolving technology, Levy's study will appeal to students, researchers, and teachers of Applied Linguistics.

Michael Levy is a Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at the Center for Language Teaching and Research, University of Queensland, Australia. He has written several articles on CALL and related subjects.