Week 1: CALL's thought

My reading log based on the article: Computers and language learning: an overview by Mark Warschauer and Deborah Healey.

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When I started reading this article I thought what could have computers and language learning in common? but, I had never analyzed how much the technology help us to teach and learn a foreign language.
However, CALL (computer-assisted language learning) have been divided into 3 stages. One of this is behavioristic CALL; it was based on behaviorist theories of learning, in which the idea of repetition is essential to learn. Also, students who used computers were able to work at their own rhythm as it was like a mechanical tutor. The second stage was communicative CALL. The promoters implement a new software and included on it new programs to improve the language teaching; an it was useful because students were stimulated to increase their language through communication. The last stage is integrative CALL, What is important here is implement new strategies (like task-based, project-based, etc.) to integrate various skills to students.

Something I learn and I would like to share with a colleague is that not just students have been benefited with what technology offers because teachers can use it too. Although, is true that we can create our own materials by hand (such as crossword, word search,etc.) but, it takes too much time while doing it, and that is why the computer facilitate us because we can prepare all those materials in less time.

Besides, what surprised me in this article was how people who are in charge of those programs are wondering themselves about how could we help others? which strategies could we apply in this program?, what activity can we create with this topic so that people can have fun? I mean, it seems like they ask themselves those questions before creating a program.