Looking for a Needle in a Haystack: CALL and Advanced Language Proficiency

Abstract

The goal of this meta-analysis is to evaluate how instructional technology has impacted advanced second language (AL2) development. Although numerous meta-analyses have been conducted within the CALL literature over the past two decades, they primarily focus upon learning outcomes and related effect sizes. None focus on advanced learning per se. Where AL2 is even mentioned, which is only rarely, little or no attention is paid to critical research parameters within the studies that are analyzed. Most notably, in summarizing learning outcomes, the linguistic competence of learners claimed to be at advanced level is simply taken at face value. So, too, no consideration is given to the difficulty level of tasks undertaken by students or their appropriateness to students' claimed proficiency. It is the intent of this general overview of the contribution of CALL to AL2 to address these issues through a comprehensive analysis of the publications in four prominent CALL journals (CALICO, CALL, Language Learning & Technology, and ReCALL) over some 30 years. In so doing, the Performance Descriptors (PD) and NCSSFL-Can-Do Statements (CDS) of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' (ACTFL) are adopted as external criteria for establishing student competence level, task difficulty and appropriateness. This study concludes that not only are CALL AL2 studies extremely limited in number and focus, but also that they suffer from serious design flaws that call into question a great portion of the claims made regarding the contribution of instructional technology to the furthering of advanced-level foreign language competence.

A longitudinal analysis of highly cited papers in four CALL journals

“…Proficiency. In keeping with the results of Burston and Arispe (2018), our findings indicate that almost 60% of the studies do not report the proficiency levelor, if they do, use vague terms that complicate categorization. With limited information, we adopted the general descriptors the authors themselves use (e.g.…”

Can Spanish programs evaluate oral proficiency gains for all learners? An empirical analysis of traditional and nontraditional Spanish majors' oral proficiency development

“…Even though studies have shown that most L2s would not achieve the Superior level by the time they finish their bachelor's degrees (Malone et al, 2005), research is needed to investigate what happens to students who start their career at an advanced level of proficiency, as is the case for most ESAs and NSs as well as for many SHLLs. Furthermore, until recently, research has focused primarily on Novice and Intermediate levels; few empirical studies have investigated Advanced levels (Burston & Arispe, 2018; Montrul, 2013; Swender et al, 2014).…”

CALL research: Where are we now?

“…The research reported shows that the majority of CALL teaching is aimed at beginners and intermediate students, and focuses on the key language skills. Advanced skills and more complex topics are less frequently addressed (see, e.g., Burston & Arispe, 2018). Yet the latter remain important in the wider language teaching world.…”