On CALL: A Review of Computer-Assisted Language Learning in U.S. Colleges and Universities.

This paper examines 22 empirical computer-assisted language learning (CALL) studies published between 1989 and 1994, and 13 reviews and syntheses published between 1987 and 1992, pertaining to CALL in higher education in the United States. A "three streams" framework helps to place CALL in a larger context and illustrate its several dimensions. Any specific CALL program involves decisions in relation to developments in at lea.it three fields: educational psychology; linguistics; and computer technology. These three fields may be conceptualized as streams, where each stream flows more or less independently of the others, but where the practice of CALL at any given time requires making a passage across all three. An interpretive summary of five major findings from the review of the empirical CALL studies is offered: (1) captioning video segments can dramatically boost student comprehension; (2) CALL can connect students with other people inside and outside of the classroom, promoting natural and spontaneous communication in the target language; (3) the type of CALL fe-!dback provided to students can play a central role in learning; (4) student attitudes toward CALL are not consistently linked to student achievement using CALL; and (5) CALL can substantially improve achievement as compared with traditional instruction. This paper also provides three general conclusions, each accompanied by recommendations for future CALL practice and research. Appendices include the material sear-h procedure; captioning information; supplementary findings from the empirical studies; individual summaries of empirical studies; and individual summaries of CALL and Computer-Assistcd Instruction (CAI) reviews. (Contains 43 references.) (Author/AEF) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. **********************************************************************