Hubbard and Levy have compiled this expansive edited volume on teacher education in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) as part of Spada and Hulstjin's “Language Learning and Teaching” series. This volume, which compiles theoretical and practical solutions as well as data-driven arguments for the inclusion of CALL in teacher training curricula, is not for teachers who want to learn about CALL; it is aimed at professionals who provide, or want to provide, CALL training to language teachers.
The contributions in Hubbard and Levy's volume build on Blake's (2001) statement that the job market in foreign language teaching increasingly requires candidates to have an understanding of CALL. In a very pertinent example, Kessler reports that, at the 2006 major conference for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), 60% of the job postings that required a master's (MA) degree in TESOL required at least some CALL expertise; however, only 16% of the MA TESOL programs he investigated had a CALL course. This apparent discrepancy is an important message that this volume sends to teacher preparation programs and program directors. Additionally, various revisions in standards of teacher preparation in the United States and in Europe also imply the need for more CALL expertise from future language teachers and, hence, more CALL training in teacher training programs, as Murphy-Judy and Youngs discuss in this volume. The contributions thus address issues and suggest solutions for adequate language teacher preparation for today's job market.
The edited volume is divided into five parts: (a) foundations for teacher education in CALL; (b) CALL degree programs; (c) CALL preservice courses; (d) CALL in-service projects, courses, and workshops; and (e) alternatives to formal CALL training. Hubbard and Levy identify five major problematic areas in CALL teacher education: (a) the need for pedagogical and technical training (i.e., technology is only beneficial for language learning when implemented following sound pedagogical principals); (b) the short life span of training due to technological advances (i.e., the technology a teacher might learn in training might be outdated before he or she ever enters the workforce); (c) the need for realistic CALL training (i.e., teacher trainers and CALL researchers need to acknowledge that the ideal technological world does not exist in most teaching contexts); (d) the language teacher as a CALL learner (i.e., effective CALL requires teachers to continuously learn about CALL); and (e) the need to integrate CALL across the teacher training curriculum (i.e., teacher training programs need to set a good example for integrating CALL activities). These different topics are presented from different perspectives and supported by research.
The volume is introduced by a foreword from Chapelle and is concluded with a list of resources for CALL teacher education. Each chapter is prefaced by the editors to provide a chapter context. These prefaces allow the chapters to stand alone easily. However, reading the complete volume offers an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of CALL in the teacher training curriculum, as these pertain to real teaching contexts and different models of implementation.
As CALL teacher trainers, the editors and the contributors build on their own experiences as well as on existing and new research. The volume serves as a useful handbook for designing teacher education programs that prepare teachers for CALL. At the same time, it also provides arguments and statistics for CALL professionals to persuade program administrators of the need for CALL courses or an integration of CALL across the language teacher curriculum.
Particularly interesting about this volume is the discussion of CALL training issues around the world and across levels. Furthermore, a chapter by Jones and Youngs discusses special teacher training needs for online teachers, because methods courses normally do not prepare teachers for online courses differently, even though the role of the teacher is dramatically different in an online setting versus in a traditional classroom setting.
Although expansive in its scope of topics, the material of the volume is so specialized that it primarily addresses the small target audience of CALL professionals. Yet, given this target audience, this volume's usefulness might be limited because it is preaching to the choir. On the other hand, individual chapters can be useful for a wide range of courses such as teaching methods, language policy, education policy, teacher training, curriculum design, CALL, and program administration. Furthermore, it is a valuable resource for MA TESOL and foreign language teacher certification program directors. The intertwining of policies, research, theoretical frameworks, and practical experiences makes this edited volume a valuable reference.
