The CALL Package idea is all new to me and I will try to explain it as clearly as I can so bear with me. I will then create my own Multimedia CALL package outlining my wish list for a language learning website.

Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) may be defined as the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning  (Reference: Levy, 1997, p.1). For Starters, to me CALL is an enhanced technological and modern way of learning languages. Its a new platform or dimension of study from the old way of drilling and practicing rules and words from books. .There are many resources available to us online to be a part of this CALL package. I have already mentioned four language learning platforms in my last blog past that qualify to this subject.

 

My multimedia CALL Package.

CALL has been used and is used  as a teaching and learning resource therefore it has an educational purpose. It can control the individuals own learning progress and can accelerate the learning for fast learners and can be used as remedial work for slower learners. There are many advantages and limitations on the other hand of this language learning platform but my task is to create an Ideal Multimedia CALL package, therefore clichés and limits aside…

 

My CALL wish list…

1. User-Friendly
2. Free of use
3. Resources for grammar and useful phrases
4. Providing tests
5. Checklist

 

1.User-Friendly

An appealing and easy to use website sells itself to the user. Firstly, as all of us have mobile phones these days, for this reason a website should have a mobile optimized website for ease of use. If you are a student, i don`t have to mention about lack of time therefore a good  teaching app may be a very precious tool to achieve success. And what do most websites forget about? The answer is the blind, disabled or elderly. These users typically use screen readers to access the internet and there are simple web design techniques that can be applied to make sure that a website can be accessed by everyone. Along with that there should be plenty of eye-catching pictures or gifs that can stay in long term memory to avoid this. 

2. Free of use

The last thing a student wants to do when paying rent, shopping only in Aldi and paying car insurance is choosing a paid language learning website. Its an immediate turn off. What we really need is a free of use website with all the valuable resources that will help us learn. Do we pay for YouTube or Memrise?  No but at the same they have many helpful resources then what we need is more of those websites to enhance language learning.

3.Resource for grammar and useful phrases. 

Now, the main point of a CALL language learning resource is to be effective. To achieve this a website should have a package of many useful phrases that are used in everyday life. Along with that there should be an explanation of when and how to use them. It is easy to listen and get used to hearing a language but grammar is much more complex. Other than that rewriting rules and trying to learn them, practicing exercises in that given topic is very helpful therefore an ideal CALL website should provide interactive activities and videos with explanation.

4. Provision of tests

For a students own record, its important to have the option to check their own progress. Obviously these online tests are not as strained as the ones done in class and checked by a teacher therefore a student has the chance to check how much they know about a certain topic themselves and be better prepared.

5. Checklist

To all of the people who like to make up numerous to-do lists and never actually stick to them, this would be an amazing bonus. Imagine having a to do list on a sidebar and all the resources available on the same site. Absolute dream. This feature would save time and its harder to loose it than a piece of paper. It would give us the opportunity to set goals for ourselves and achieve them.

Funny Gif  : checked.

I hope you enjoyed this post and remember to look for some of those features on language learning websites.

Till next week x