通过机辅与课堂教学的结合模式提高英语听说能力的个案研究.docx

M.A. Thesis Introduction Nowhere is fundamental change more apparent than in the area of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). In its early days, CALL was driven by technology and technologist. Proponents of CALL tended to focus on the “Computer Assisted” portion of the acronym rather than the “language learning” portion. Technology seemed to offer solutions that could be plugged-in and delivered through a box and game-like interaction. Learning would be fun and relatively effortless, and the role of teachers would diminish. However, technical limitations and the lack of a reliable delivery and support infrastructure led to an adventurous but unstable environment where much money was wasted. Institutions invested in systems that were either underutilized or were used in ways that had little benefit for education other than to keep students occupied. As for teachers, they were seldom consulted or provided with training, partly because there were few in academia with relevant experience and partly because teachers, with justification, regarded CALL with skepticism and fear. There was an implicit belief that teachers and CALL were competing for the same role – CALL versus classroom only – rather than in a partnership where each approach “ assisted” the other. What is missed by many was the recognition that the most effective use of technology is not just to do things in new ways. Rather, the real opportunity was to examine how the new tools of technology had broken through the page and text barrier, allowing the development of a new range of listening-based interactions. This created theoretical opportunities for fundamental changes in language learning, including a rethinking of the relationship between the four skills and the learning synergies between them. What is needed is a learning theory and a model to guide the 1 M.A. Thesis application of technology. This has led to large scale, government-sponsored research initiatives that are redefining the role of l