The Effect of Computer‐Assisted Instruction on ESL Reading Achievement

Kleinmann, Howard H.

doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.1987.tb00366.x

Cited by 17 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 8 publications

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“…There was no differential effect on English literacy achievement when Hmong ESL adults learned reading through three media, video, photos with flash cards, or teacher demonstration with objects (Griffin, 1990). And computer-assisted instruction (using exercises on reading concepts) was found to be more beneficial for English reading achievement for thirdthrough sixth-grade Hispanic migrant children when used as a supplement to other reading instruction (Saracho, 1982), but not for college-aged ESL students representing 12 different native languages when used instead of other reading lab work (Kleinmann, 1987).…”

Section: Making Reading Lessons Congruent With Aspects Of Students' Bmentioning

confidence: 99%

English-as-a-Second-Language Reading Instruction in the United States: A Research Review

Fitzgerald

1995

Journal of Reading Behavior

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The purpose of this review is to characterize research and portray findings on English-as-a-second-language (ESL) reading instruction in the United States. The spectrum of research on ESL reading instruction in the United States might best be characterized as having considerable breadth, but little depth. However, some tentative themes emerged. Among the most important statements that could be made were the following. First, some broad classroom parameters were discerned: Students may work mainly in small groups, stressing word recognition and oral reading; typical instructional discourse patterns may be incompatible with common home-discourse patterns; and teachers may work with lower ESL groups in different ways and stress lower level skills even more as compared to higher ESL groups. Second, research contributed little clarification on issues surrounding the role and timing of native-language reading instruction and ESL reading instruction for ESL reading achievement. Third, instruction targeting specific student knowledge, such as vocabulary knowledge, background knowledge, and text-structure knowledge, was generally effective. Fourth, there was a paucity of information about important issues related to ESL reading in teacher materials. Purpose, Definitions, and DelimitationsThe purpose of this article is to characterize research and portray findings from studies on English-as-a-second-language (ESL) reading instruction in the United States. The definition of United States ESL learners used for this review is individuals residing in the United States who meet the federal government's definition of "limited English proficient" (Public Law 100-297, April 28, 1988, 102 115 116 Journal of Reading BehaviorStatute 276, 20 USC 3283, Section 7003): ESL learners (a) are not born in the United States, (b) have native languages other than English, (c) come from environments where English was not dominant, or (d) are American Indian or Alaskan natives from environments where languages other than English impact their English proficiency levels. Recently, the government has also allowed program funding for Hawaiian-and Haitian-Creole speakers under the rubric of "limited English proficient." In this article, the term ESL learners is used as a special case of the phrase, "language minorities," which in general refers to individuals who are living in a place where they do not speak the majority's language.The focus on English reading in this review does not carry an implied author advocacy of an "English only" position.

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Section: Making Reading Lessons Congruent With Aspects Of Students' Bmentioning

confidence: 99%

English-as-a-Second-Language Reading Instruction in the United States: A Research Review

Fitzgerald

1995

Journal of Reading Behavior

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The comparative effectiveness of CAI on collegiate academic performance

Christmann

Badgett

2000

J. Comput. High. Educ.

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Computers and language learning: an overview

1998

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Recent years have shown an explosion of interest in using computers for language teaching and learning. A decade ago, the use of computers in the language classroom was of concern only to a small number of specialists. However, with the advent of multimedia computing and the Internet, the role of computers in language instruction has now become an important issue confronting large numbers of language teachers throughout the world. This article will provide an overview of current teaching practices and research related to the uses of computers in the language classroom. It will be divided into four main parts: (1) a brief history of computerassisted language learning (CALL), (2) a survey of current practices and research, (3) a prospectus toward the 21st century, and (4) a list of resources for further information. The History of CALL Computers have been used for language teaching since the 1960s. This 30+ year history can be roughly divided into three main stages: behavioristic CALL, communicative CALL, and integrative CALL. Each stage corresponds to a certain level of technology as well as a certain pedagogical approach. Behavioristic CALL, conceived in the 1950s and implemented in the 1960s and 1970s, could be considered a sub-component of the broader field of computer-assisted instruction. Informed by the behaviorist learning model, this mode of CALL featured repetitive language drills, referred to as drill-and-practice (or, pejoratively, as "drill-and-kill"). In this paradigm, especially popular in the United States, the computer was viewed as a mechanical tutor which never grew tired or judgmental and allowed students to work at an individual pace. Though behaviorist CALL eventually gravitated to the personal computer, it was first designed and implemented in the era of the mainframe. The best-known tutorial system, PLATO, ran on its own special hardware consisting of a central computer and terminals and featured extensive drills, grammatical explanations, and translation tests at various intervals (Ahmad, Corbett, Rogers, & Sussex, 1985). The next stage, communicative CALL, emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, at the same time that behavioristic approaches to language teaching were being rejected at both the theoretical and pedagogical level, and when new personal computers were creating greater possibilities for individual work. Proponents of communicative CALL stressed that computer-based activities should focus more on using forms than on the forms themselves, teach grammar implicitly rather than implicitly, allow and encourage students to generate original utterances rather than just manipulate prefabricated language, and use the target language predominantly or even exclusively (Jones & Fortescue, 1987; Phillips, 1987; Underwood, 1984). Communicative CALL corresponded to cognitive theories which stressed that learning was a process of discovery, expression, and development. Popular CALL software developed in this period included text reconstruction programs (which allowed students working alone o...

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The Effect of Computer‐Assisted Instruction on ESL Reading Achievement

Cited by 17 publications

References 8 publications

English-as-a-Second-Language Reading Instruction in the United States: A Research Review

English-as-a-Second-Language Reading Instruction in the United States: A Research Review

The comparative effectiveness of CAI on collegiate academic performance

Computers and language learning: an overview

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