Computer assisted language learning: Models and applications

Abstract

The English Language Teaching Unit (EL TU) of the University of Qatar is launching a one-year English foundation program for the students of the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics. The objective of this program is to enable the students of these two faculties to pursue their studies in English medium. The program includes a computer-based multimedia component to reinforce the mainstream English curriculum. As most of the teachers of the Unit are not well versed in the use of the computer for classroom purposes, the author of this paper sees no better time to present an overview of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL). The purpose of the discussion in this paper is to help both teachers and administrators develop a minimal working knowledge of CALL methodology and content.