Using Multimedia in the Foreign Language Classroom | Page 10

the learner closer to a state of competence known as ‘handover’ which will
enable her, eventually, to complete such a task on her own and thus develop as
an autonomous learner. According to Meskill (2005), scaffolding can be
facilitated by virtue of the physical properties of the computer as what appears
on screen can not only provide individualized help and modeling ways for the
accomplishment of a task but, also, it can facilitate making salient relevant
features while keeping the students’ attention in the moment.
 CALL can help students adapt to the new kinds of communication. As
networked computers create possibilities for new kinds of communication, and
considering that most of this communication is conducted in English, Kern and
Warschauer (2000) emphasise that students should be exposed to these forms of
communication in the classroom. This will allow students enter into new
authentic discourse communities, something which can contribute not only to
their socialization but also to their lifelong learning in general and language
learning, in particular. As for the issue concerniong whether students should be
given pre-course instruction before they are asked to use the computer,
Motteram and Slaouti (2000, Unit 7) claim that it is more appropriate to relate
as soon as possible the functions associated with the keys with aspects of
developing text as this makes the learning of computer skills a purposeful and
motivating activity.
After the benefits which can result f