The Application Of Computer-assisted Language Learning(CALL) In Chinese Secondary School English Classes

Although communicative teaching method has gained weight in foreign languageteaching nowadays, the traditional grammar-translation method still dominatesEnglish class in most secondary schools in China, which has resulted in numerous"deaf and dumb" English learners. The dissatisfaction with the method and theincreasing demand for talents who can use English for real communication in today'sChina urge English teachers and learners to turn their attention to touching real-lifeEnglish and improving their communicative competency. Nevertheless, in the sametraditional classroom it is hard to form an ideal environment for foreign languagelearners to practise their communicative competency.Recent years, computer technological advances have made new ways of teachingand learning language become possible. The Internet and the rise ofcomputer-mediated communication in particular have provided an ideal learningenvironment for foreign language learning: offering rich authentic language materials,making real-world situational context, providing representations in multiplemodalities, facilitating collaborative activity among students and real-lifecommunication, etc. As the availability of computer hardware and software has grown,more and more English teachers have been engaged in or are trying the practice andresearch of computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The real application ofCALL in Chinese English teaching, however, does not seem to go as practitioners'expectation. Some problems from CALL classes are preventing many Englishteachers applying this innovative teaching mode. Therefore, this study aims toproduce a systematic model of CALL application in Chinese secondary schoolEnglish classes so as to improve the quality of English teaching and learning in oursecondary schools.The thesis consists of four chapters.Chapter one reviews the related literature of CALL, including the historicaldevelopment of CALL in language teaching and learning at home and abroad. Byreviewing the background of CALL, this part makes clear the degree to which CALLapplications have been developed in terms of theoretical and empirical research andpractice so as to prove the significance and necessity of the study.Chapter two offers a systematic theoretical discussion of the matter and theirrelationships as well in order to interpret the feasibility of CALL use in languageteaching and learning theoretically.Chapter three investigates the current situation of CALL application in Englishclass at 15 secondary schools of Shandong Province from such aspects as their CALLequipment in classrooms, the teachers' attitude toward CALL, teachers' technical andtheoretical knowledge of CALL, the teachers' frequency of applying CALL, theteachers' difficulties in the use of CALL and the teachers' suggestions for the effectiveuse of CALL in the English classes. Thus, a solid foundation will be laid for ourmodel development in Chapter four.Chapter four, based on the historical development of CALL discussed in ChapterOne, and the theoretical discussion about the matter in Chapter Two, and the currentsituation about the CALL application in Chapter Three, outlines a systematic model ofapplying CALL in Chinese secondary school English classes, which is far fromperfect though.The conclusion drawn from this research is to fully take effect of advantages ofCALL in foreign language teaching requires CALL practitioners' faculty to thinkabout the teaching/learning process in new ways as well as to master the technologyitself. Under the better hardware and software conditions for CALL and the guidanceof new teaching concept of fostering learners' active participation and learningautonomy in the process of meaning and knowledge construction, with appropriateteaching strategies and techniques, CALL will become a useful teaching aid forforeign language teachers and widely prevalent in foreign language teaching in China.