Constructivism-based Design And Application Of CALL Courseware

CALL (computer-assisted language learning) has existed for about 40 years and has undergone a series of stages that are directly connected to the developments of SLA theories and methodologies. Educational courseware has played an important role in language learning. In spite of a wide range of commercial software programs available to language teachers, there are few to satisfy what language teachers really need. In view of weaknesses of CALL courseware, this paper encourages language teacher to entail more to improve the design and application of courseware under the guidance of current learning theory, constructivism. Because teaching with courseware has multiplex application modes, this paper has analyzed five CALL teaching modes and specified correspondent design principles of instructional software based on constructivism. Also in this paper, take the classroom courseware for example, the author has an overview of the whole process during which teachers participate in the development of effective courseware products. Before courseware is put into use in classrooms, some suggestions for selecting and integrating of CALL courseware and some key criteria for teachers to apply courseware in second language learning and teaching are highlighted in this paper from the perspectives of content and methodology, instructional approach, learners' fit, as well as pragmatic use. What is notable is that in Chapter VI of the paper, by reviewing and evaluating some influential courseware present in both academic and commercial fields, both home and abroad as well, specific approaches of courseware application which will help learners to improve language skills, including reading, listening, and speaking are offered. Many new ideas and insights will be gathered or highlighted to justify the models of CALL and the principles of courseware design on the basis of constructivism.