Abstract:

PCs have become a widespread technical tool in foreign language training (FLT), comparable to language labs or video recorders. Authoring programs enable the creation of learning programs, tailored to the specific needs of a certain group of learners and -- of the greatest benefit -- they can be made by the teacher.

A typology of authoring programs in CALL with their different features (reconstruction, rearrangement, matching, transformation, multiple choice, vocabulary data bank, simulation) will be presented. Examples from widespread authoring programs demonstrate the teacher's programming effort and various screen presentation methods. An overview of programming possibilities shows the general potential of authoring programs. A catalog of requirements of teaching/learning-software helps to evaluate technical performance and efficiency.

Author: Karl H. Brücher