Week 6 Reflection: Theory-driven CALL and the Development Process

The reading first listed views of theorists about CALL design models: some emphasize comprehension-based; some argue for integrated framework; some opt for guide theory-driven CALL; some propose generic model. There are a lot of voices towards elements of design of CALL ranging from hierarchical and linear to the non-hierarchical and circular approach on handling elements in a framework; and the dicrete parts or procedural approach in development process of CALL programme. The author conducted a survey to ask for CALL practioners, who mostly are language teachers, about their view on how CALL theories affect the development of CALL materials.
Quite a lot of respondents preferred designing CALL matrial arising from the particular problem they like to solve; some respond to theoritical framework. There is a divide of view towards sequential or dicrete parts in the development process. On the whole, there is not a unified tendency of views.
Actually when I am thinking of applying a CALL programme in teaching, I usually refer to the needs of my students first. By the way, CALL has to serve the real teaching and learning context. I seldom choose CALL materials making reference to CALL theories. In designing CALL materials, I personally do not mind whether the process is in loop cycle, linear, sequential or not in any order. The utimate goal is to design really useful and applicable CALL material which can respond to the goal of the lesson. But I really admit that this article does raise some issues that teachers can pay attention to in the development process so that we will not miss out some important elements. For example, the role of media in the designing stage is very crucial, especially in this era. If we overlook it in the planning stage , we might need to fix it well and waste our effort in the development process.