Attitudes of L22 learning undergraduates towards CALL3

Abstract

The rapid development in language learning is interlinked with significant advances in ICT4. These advances provide the tools and assistance of teaching L2. In this context, CALL courseware becomes vital. Thus many institutions around the world have introduced CALL courseware in L2 classrooms as a way of providing supplementary resources in enhancing L2 acquisition of the students. This methodology is integrated in Sri Lankan university curricula due to its effectiveness, compared to traditional methods and techniques in teaching. Yet it is relatively new to the undergraduates and only few universities use this method. Though it is said to be advantageous, it is essential to know the attitudes of the undergraduates towards CALL as it is still to be surveyed. This research explores the attitudes of 25 undergraduates (ELTU 11032) in the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Kelaniya towards CALL, as a recent exposure for them in learning L2. Thereby it seeks to construe how the undergraduates perceive the role of CALL compared to classroom teaching in a traditional classroom setting. It also identifies the degree of their enthusiasm while discovering the difficulties they face in using CALL materials and the limitations (if any) of such courseware. The data were gathered by a questionnaire and interviews conducted with randomly selected undergraduates, and the results will be interpreted qualitatively. Through the questionnaire and interview data, this study examines the possibility of enhancing the usage of CALL courseware to upgrade the undergraduates’ language proficiency. This research concludes by highlighting some key factors to consider when integrating CALL into L2 courses and some suggestions for further study.