Psycholinguistically Motivated CALL Activities

Document Type

Book Chapter

Abstract

Since the 1980s, researchers and practitioners in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) have progressively embraced the psycholinguisticallymotivated methodological principles of task-based language teaching (TBLT). The field of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has been no exception, and educational resources have gradually evolved from behavioristic “drill and kill” e-tutors to more carefully designed psycholinguistics-based e-tutors and sophisticated videogames and simulations that use authentic tasks. The extant empirical literature, however, shows that several of these more modern resources (in terms of technology and SLA theoretical foundation) have not always promoted second language (L2) development. To investigate this, in the present chapterwe compare the effects of different CALL resources on L2 development and discuss their results in light of psycholinguistic underpinnings. Based on this analysis, we underscore the importance of effectively combining task-essentialness, corrective feedback, and individualized instruction to promote the use of developmentally helpful cognitive processes, and advocate for a balance between more and less controlled CALL activities to facilitate time-effective instruction.

Rights

© Walter de Gruyter 2016

Cerezo, L., Moreno, N., & P. Leow, R. (2016). Psycholinguistically motivated CALL activities. In R. Leow, L. Cerezo & M. Baralt (Eds.), A Psycholinguistic Approach to Technology and Language Learning (pp. 243-257). Boston, MA: De Gruyter Mouton

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