Theory and Design in a Multimedia CALL Project in Cross-Cultural Pragmatics

Though a number of developers have recommended that CALL programs be theory-driven (for discussion see Levy, 1997b, pp.216–221), the particular ways in which theory might lead to specific CALL design decisions have, in the main, not been investigated for programs intended for use in real educational settings. This paper explores this issue in connection with a multimedia project designed to assist overseas non-native speakers of English who are commencing study at university in Australia. An integrated design framework for the project is described with special emphasis on how theories on the nature of language and language learning relate to the construction of the program. Specific theoretical bases are described. For language, they include McCarthy's work on language as discourse (1991, 1994) and studies in pragmatics, particulary those of Grice (1975). For language learning, they include Schmidt's work on ‘noticing’ (1990, 1993) and Cumming's work on levels of learning and transfer (1993). The paper concludes with the preliminary results of an evaluation of the program.