"TELL ME MORE"
accessed 23/8/11 at http://www.tellmemorestore.co.uk/Articles.asp?ID=247
Tellmemore is a comprehensive Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) software package offering language learning in 9 languages at ten levels. In the preamble on the home page, it claims to be the top-selling product of its kind in Europe with over seven million users including corporations, governments, schools, universities and libraries. Chapelle, (2001) asserts that recognised second language acquisition theory should be applied to CALL products and Tellmemore claims to deliver a program with a proven pedagogical approach, that of Communicative Language Teaching. The program is delivered under the acronym P.R.I.M.E which represents Progressive, Real-world, Interactive, Motivation and Effective. A guided tour explains the layout of activities and a free, seven day trial accesses whichever level and unit interested customers want to try.
In the beginner to intermediate level, units such as greetings, the alphabet, age, countries, occupations, my family and pets were offered providing authentic application of learning to manageable and meaningful situations (Murray and Barnes, 1998). Progression through each part of the unit titled Introductory Skills 1 is made prior to advancement. This particular level contains 9 hours 44 minutes of activity which involves all macro-skills but listening and speaking as the prominent foci.
The activities are diverse with opportunities to complete comprehension exercises, picture-word association, crosswords and word scrambles. Many exercises in all units allow listening to spoken words, making several attempts at production and hearing back the attempts along-with analytical data provided by way of pictures showing placement of lips and tongue for sound production and wave form diagrams which illustrate weaknesses in pronunciation allowing for learner self-correction. The International Phonetic Alphabet is also utilised in speech pronunciation exercises. All activities have a high level of interactivity ensuring fun and engagement. The native speaker has a North American accent resulting in suprasegmental features such as stress and pronunciation being slightly different from Australian and British English perpetuating some cultural stereotypes such as the difference in production of the /t/ and /d/ sound as in “writer” (Murray and Barnes, 1998).
Feedback to each activity is instantaneous allowing for repetition or progression. Tests are provided to assess starting level or to measure competency against official standards through practice for standardised tests according to the Council of Europe Levels equivalents.
Tellmemore would suit classroom integration providing opportunities for self-paced learning.
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