Policies, Practices, and Protocols for the Implementation of Technology Into Language Learning

Many research studies show that the use of technology inside and outside classrooms makes teaching and learning more engaging and motivating. Technology can provide learners with endless opportunities, for instance, it can (a) improve the learners' learning experience; (b) simplify access to educational resources; (c) enhance the learners' autonomous learning; meet the learners' individual learning needs, and (d) prepare the learners for future career success when using it to foster the 21st-century skills. However, the range and number of technologies currently available can yield challenges for educators if they do not know how to effectively integrate them into their teaching pedagogy. Therefore, this book, Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) explores language with technology focusing on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context and sharing with educators everywhere how the effective use of technology can bring a positive transformation to the class dynamics and the students' learning process. With that being said, to professionally assist learners master all of the four language skills; learners need to be able to communicate in the target language fluently. This, of course, involves developing the learners' language proficiency through interactions and providing them with authentic opportunities for learning that go beyond repetition and memorization of grammatical patterns in isolation. To assist language learners in mastering these sets of competencies, they need to be given the opportunities to understand and use the language appropriately and to communicate in authentic social environments using a variety of well-planned activities. The effective integration of technology in language teaching and learning could support achieving the above-mentioned competencies and more. Luckily, there are many useful and easy to use educational technology tools that are available for all language teachers, educators, and learners to use during class time and/or independently. These tools are increasing rabidly that teachers might feel intimated and choose to avoid learning about them and integrating them in their teaching pedagogy and instead they would feel comfortable keeping with the traditional methods of teaching. Therefore, in this book, CALL experts will provide language teachers with some useful and easy to use technology tools for teaching and learning; support the recommendation with practical ideas such as mini-lesson plans to leverage the use of that specific technology; and promote all or any of the learners' 21st-century skills, e.g., building strong interpersonal communication skills, working as effective team players, thinking and creating in an innovative way, thinking critically about what they are doing and learning and more. The book is intended for all language teachers and educators, language program directors and administrators, Computer Assisted Language (CALL) coaches, university professors, instructional technology coaches, language instructional technology specialists, and all graduate and undergraduate students who are interested in teaching language through technology. Each chapter should include practical tips and ideas to support best practices for each soft skill and language strand with the use of technology.