5. Call (Computer Aided Language Learning) issues

Nowadays it is hard to imagine our society without computers and the Internet. It has become a usual thing to have a computer at home and at school. Once you have a computer connected to the Internet, you get an access to the infinite amount of information. You can read news or books; look for any kind of information, listen to the radio etc. In fact the computer is an interactive tool that can be used by anyone and almost in any field. I mean also for learning and teaching purposes. The Internet is introduced as a comparatively new tool in teaching English. It is not widely spread but still it has a potential to become an essential teaching resource for the future and present teachers. The Internet can be used differently. Teachers can use it for gathering information for their classes, including teaching plans and materials for classroom use. They can subscribe to mailing lists and electronic journals by e-mail and keep contacts with other teachers from all over the world. At present, there are a variety of computer applications available including vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation tutors, spell checkers, electronic workbooks, writing and reading programs, as well as various authoring packages to allow instructors to create their own exercises to supplement existing language courses. The interactive and multimedia capabilities of the computer make it an attractive teaching/learning tool. Computers can provide immediate feedback to students and students can work at an individualized pace. Software can be designed to include sound, graphics, video, and animation. Moreover, information enabling learners to select the exercises or concepts they wish to review.

Despite the advantages and widespread use of CALL, it continues to suffer from criticisms for several reasons. Many believe that learning and practicing grammar rules of a foreign language through fill-in-the-blank exercises, for example, does little to improve a speaker's ability to produce grammatically appropriate utterances. Others point out that CALL suffers from its rigidity in light of the complexities of natural languages. Recently, however, we are beginning to see encouraging and promising results in the area of CALL software development. Interactive video and programs which provide more authentic and communicative task-based activities are being created, which are more in line with the current theoretical and pedagogical views of learning.

Nowadays the I. communication is becoming a bad habit for many people,in spite of I. opens a lot of possibilities, also virtual life draws our attention away from the real life (отвлекать внимание). Virtual communication becomes more and more popular. It’s now becoming a fashion, and the main hobby is to seat in front of computer.

The I. has been used by some l-ge instructors in creative ways - one of these innovations being use of electronic mail (e-mail), a specific feature of the I. Overall, e-mail can encourage students to use computers in realistic, authentic situations in order to develop communicative, and thinking skills. E-mail is easy to use and even teachers intimidated (запуганные) by computers can quickly become adept at using e-mail with their students.

Writing on e-mail can therefore be used to generate ideas about a topic, or can enable learners to free-write without any impositions. E-mail can also be used in various conference-type formats or to generate discussion. E-mail can also be used to communicate long-distance with language learners in other schools, or other countries for that matter, to communicate with native speakers. During the communication with native speakers we absorb foreign culture that is the necessary condition in learning languages. The acquaintance with other cultures broadens our world, interests, makes our life more interesting and diversified. Such communication is also possible due to communication possibilities: except e-mails, communicational programs like QIP, Skype, where it’s possible not only to write to your communicative partner but also to speak to him and see him, no matter where he is living.

The internet breaks down cultural boundaries across the world. The Internet is associated with the process of cultural globalization because it allows interaction and communication between people with very different lifestyles and from very different cultures.