clusions.
2 CALL （Computer-Assisted Language Learning）
2.1 The Introduction of CALL
2.1.1 The Role of Computers and Language Learning
Learner-based or learner-centered education shows a widespread trend and belief
of modern education. Being able to implement an effective teaching methodology, to provide a good learning environment to keep learners highly motivated and to help them learn the contents of courses well is the goal of all those who are concerned with education. In recent years, with the amazing and booming development of computer technology, Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) has aroused intense interest worldwide. In addition, technological advances in both hardware and software go on to serve to expand the capabilities of this powerful medium. The computer is a new and useful resource to help enhance, promote, and facilitate learning. Richard Schreck and Lanice Schreck (1991) contend that the computer has fostered high expectations of more effective, more relevant, more motivation, and more innovative new learning experiences. Adopting the Computer-Assisted Instruction can not only match the requirements of distinct learners but also adapt the differences among individual learners to accomplish the best learning effect. The computer has been widely introduced into language learning and teaching as well. Its influence and impact on language learning and teaching are worthy of notice. On one hand, a language learner usually expects some improvements CAI will make in his or her language learning. On the other hand, a language teacher is concerned about what benefits CAI will bring to his or her classroom. The application of CAI in language learning is called Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL). CALL, as its name reveals, refers to language learning with aids from the computer. With the help of special capabilities of the computer, language learning and teaching are expected to be improved or adapted to a certain extent.
In the past few years, the number of teachers and students using Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has increased quite a lot and numerous articles have been written about the role of technology in language teaching and learning in the 21st century. Although the potential of the computer for language use has not been fully explored yet and the average students and teachers still make limited use of computers, it is apparent that we have entered a new information age in which the links between the computer and language learning and teaching have already been established.
2.1.2 The History of CALL
The development of Computer-Assisted Language Learning over the last forty years can be viewed as a reflection of the level of technology development. CALL has been developed and used for language teaching and learning since the 1960’s. It has played an important role in the field of language learning. According to warschauer & Healey, the development of CALL can be generally divided into three main stages or models: behavioristic CALL, communicative CALL, and integrative CALL (Warschauer M. & Healey D. 1998:57). Each stage corresponds to a certain level of technology and certain pedagogical theories.
a) Behavioristic CALL.
The first phase of Computer-Assisted Language Learning, conceived In the 1950s and implemented in the 1960s and ‘70s, was based on the then-dominant behavior-structuralism. It featured repetitious language drills, and aimed at the so-called drill-and-practice method under the principle of stimulus-response and habit formation. The computer was thought of as a mechanical tutor since it was treated as a vehicle for delivering instructional materials to students (Taylor, 1980). Behavioristic CALL was first designed and implemented in the era of the mainframe and the best-known tutoria
