TECHNOLOGY IN THE SERVICE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING: THE CASE OF THE LANGUAGE LABORATORY

Abstract

Foreign language learning lends itself naturally to the use of media. Linguists stress the primacy of speech over writing in language: children can listen and speak before they learn to read and write and all languages of the world are spoken, but not all have a writing system. Accordingly, foreign-language educators have been heavily involved in the use of audio equipment. They welcomed the first audio device, the phonograph, and have immediately adopted other advances in audio technology such as magnetic tape and digital media. (Delcoque, Annan, & Bramoulle´, 2000). Unfortunately, the history of the use of technology to teach languages has not been duly noted by historians of educational technology. Paul Saettler, in his definitive The Evolution of American Educational Technology, only makes passing references to foreign-language teaching, and language laboratories are granted merely one paragraph (p. 187). It will be demonstrated that this disregard is startling in view of the extensive use and massive investment in instructional equipment by foreign-language educators. Moreover, it will be shown that the research that accompanied these commitments has not been appreciated by the larger educational technology community.