1. CALL
(Computer-Assisted Language Learning)
Instructor
Thom Thibeault, Ph.D.

2. Fill in the blank with the correct ending:
1. yo habl___
A. a
B. o
C. e
The Stone Age of CALL
CALL was originally very primitive because hardware was primitive. Computers could display only text, no graphics. The first computers didn’t have a
mouse, You entered your answer by typing in the letter of the correct answer. Also, there were few software development tools. Development tools
were complicated to use and required an extensive technical background.
The first implementations of CALL consisted mainly of grammar drills, often called ‘Drill & Kill’.

3. Welcome to the 21st Century!
Second Life
Nowadays, computers are much more advanced and, with the Internet & Web, it's even possible to explore virtual worlds that recreate cities
around the world and let you talk to people anywhere in the world in real time. Click on the image above to see a video about language learning in
a virtual world.

4. Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL
When it comes to
technology, things
are always changing,
and they always will.
For this reason, you need to always be working at keeping up to date. You will often have to relearn old skills because of new tools or methods.
Attend conferences and webinars. Google keywords to find Web sites that deal with relevant topics. Join professional organizations (see our
Moodle site for a list) and read professional Journals (also listed on our Moodle site).

5. The most important skill in
CALL is learning how to figure
things out on your own.
You will eventually reach a level of expertise where there are few people who can help you solve problems. It’s more likely that other people will
turn to you for help. You have to develop trouble-shooting skills. For example, use HELP features found in software. These often include tutorials.
Use a search engine to find information or tutorials. Check YouTube for tutorials.
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

6. Find out where to go or whom to ask to get
the info that you need.
You may have to go to many places and
ask many people before you get the
answer.
By networking with other professionals, you can find the ones who can help you in certain areas. Check out online forums. You can find them using
a search engine. Type in the word ‘forums’ and then enter the topic (forums powerpoint)
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

7. - Check the HELP features!
- Use Google / Baidu
- Use YouTube / Youku
- Search for Forums
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

8. CALL requires a high tolerance
for frustration! $#@&!!
Whenever you work with technology, you can’t assume that things will always work the way they’re supposed to or the way you think they should. If
you have a problem, try to break the problem down into small parts and then work on each part. Sometimes you just have to shut down the computer
or quit the software and start up again. Sometimes the problem is the result of software bugs or viruses or hardware incompatibilities. Sometimes the
problem exists because of knowledge gaps. Sometimes you’re just too tired to see things clearly. In that case, quit what you’re doing and get some
sleep. The rest will make a difference.
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

9. Working on CALL
assignment...
Don't let this
happen to
you!!
Click on the image to see what happened to this CALL student who couldn’t handle the frustration…well…OK…maybe we wasn’t really a CALL
student but the frustration was real!

10. GOOGLE & YouTube are
your best friends.
(Well, maybe 2nd
& 3rd
best friends)
That’s the third time I’ve mentioned this so it must be important! In short, the answer is out there. It may take time to find it but your Web mining skills
may be the only resource you have for getting the information that you’re looking for.
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

11. In China Baidu & Youku are
your best friends.
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

12. "Computers will not replace teachers.
However, teachers who use computers
will replace teachers who don't."
-Ray Clifford
Defense Language Institute
Some teachers are fascinated by what the technology allows them to do in foreign language instruction. They want to try out some of the new
possibilities. Some teachers are used to doing things the way they’ve always done them. Many feel overwhelmed by the technology or don’t trust their
tech skills enough to implement CALL. Many job ads for language teachers now ask for CALL skills. Some real examples are coming up…
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

13. "... We both found really good jobs, and I will be teaching English at a
private high school. The hours and the salary are excellent so I
have no complaints. I will be teaching all grades of high school and
everything (reading, writing, listening, speaking)."
"They even offered me more money because of the Computer-
Assisted Language Learning class I took (they asked me to do some
exams online on Quia) so encourage all students to take that class!!"
--Andrea Athanasiou (CALL student, SIU ‘08)
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

14. "She asked me why she should hire me
over the other hundred applicants
interested in the job. I showed her what I
could do with CALL, so she hired me."
--Hind Rmail (CALL Student, SIU ‘11)
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

15. "... I have TWO job interviews on
Monday. Both of them said they are
interested in me because of my
experience in CALL. You were right:) of
course. "
--Terah Keim (CALL Student, SIU ‘12)
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

16. "If you don't use PEDAGOGICAL CREATIVITY in CALL,
all the technology in the world isn't going to serve you (or
your students)."
--Thom Thibeault
I can’t overemphasize this. You can master the technology but
your pedagogical creativity allows you to find innovative ways of
implementing it…ways that will enrich the learning experience of
your students. Most CALL technology is not generally ready to
use out of the box. That’s why you have to think outside the box
when preparing CALL materials for your students.
Some Random Things You Should Know About CALL

17. Different ways to implement CALL
●Use commercially
produced materials.
●Repurpose
commercially produced
materials.
●Create your own materials using assets
created by others.
●Create your own materials from scratch.
In this course, you’ll learn more about these different ways of implementing CALL. The first part of the course will focus on creating and editing ‘assets’
(images, audio, video). Then we’ll focus on using those assets in different learning environments (online quizzes & activities, hypermedia, presentation
software, etc.).

18. Creating & Editing Assets
Images
Video
Sound

19. Learning Environments
PowerPoint
Quia Web
FLAn Hypermedia

20. Online Resources
We’ll also explore online CALL resources…

21. The End