Language Teacher Education and Technology: Approaches and Practices

Description

Language teachers’ competencies in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) are a crucial factor affecting their own implementation of CALL. However, there is still a concern that many language teachers are not adequately prepared to make effective use of CALL or to identify and evaluate potential CALL solutions. This can be the result of many different factors and raises the question of how to train teachers to develop their CALL knowledge and skills to a greater degree. The discussion of approaches to training language teachers in the use of technology adopted in areas of Australia, the UK and the US provides valuable insights for those already involved in this area, and inspiration for those who have some interest in carrying out this kind of training, but as yet have little or no experience. This book explores the current status of CALL teacher education and discusses issues and challenges CALL teacher educators face in their own contexts. Specifically, it looks at postgraduate CALL courses offered at different universities to find ways of improving CALL teacher training. It represents the first overview of a topic that is relevant to most postgraduate courses in Applied Linguistics or TESOL across the globe. The use of technology for language learning and teaching is increasingly common but, as is so often the case, training for teachers in how to use that technology remains limited, to a large extent by lack of expertise among trainers. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents List of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Preface 1. Teacher Training in Computer- Assisted Language Learning: Voices of Teacher Educators 2. Language and Technology: Theory and Practice, Options and Issues in Computer- Assisted Language Learning 3. Blended Approaches to Teaching Languages with Computers 4. CALL Research, Practice and Teachers’ Roles 5. Language Learning and Technology: A Thirty- Year Journey 6. Balancing Theory and Practice: Developing Competent, Reflective CALL Practitioners 7. Training Teachers to Create and Use Materials for Computer- Assisted Language Learning 8. Preparing CALL Professionals: A Survey Course in a CALL Degree Programme 9. Teacher Training with CALL Online (Distance): A Project- and Standards- Based Approach 10. An Invitation to CALL: Foundations of Computer- Assisted Language Learning 11. Should We Offer a CALL Course? Index