When we decided to put this issue together, we called for contributions from CALL researchers and practitioners who were ‘‥concerned with the teaching of grammar in the post-communicative world…’. We were aware of the contentious nature of such a description – it suggests that the communicative approach is not, perhaps, a complete answer to the question of how to teach languages. Amongst the correspondence we entered into, subsequently, were some exchanges with colleagues who believed we were advocating a retrogressive step. It is only comparatively recently, they pointed out, that language learners have been freed from the shackles of piece-meal learning, drilling, correction and self-monitoring, and allowed to focus on ‘the challenge of communication’

In choosing a title for this paper, we have consciously copied the name of the series of biannual conferences, started at Lancaster in 1994, which aim to bring together those who have an interest in the application of corpora to the teaching of language and linguistics. Already, those conferences have set in train a series of publications – conference proceedings (Wilson and McEnery, 1994; Botley, Glass, McEnery and Wilson, 1996), a general selection of papers (Wichmann, Knowles, McEnery and Fligelstone, 1997) and a collection of papers related to multilingual copora (Botley, McEnery and Wilson, 1997). The aim of this paper is to summarize the progress to date in the field of teaching and language corpora, both as a general introduction and as a gateway to the more comprehensive literature which is developing. As such, this paper owes a considerable debt to all of the participants at the past two conferences.

This paper analyses new research into learner-assisted testing. The results of this research, in addition to advances in computer technology and programming, have opened up the possibility of helping students to learn more effectively by providing immediate feedback or further information in the form of clues or hints. The implications of these developments regarding a formative approach to assessment and autonomous learning are reviewed. Finally, innovative approaches within computer-based assessment of language learning, such as modules entirely taught through the use of computer courseware and CAL methods, and applications of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) to foreign language learning, are discussed.

In this paper we consider how corpora may be of use in the teaching of grammar of the pre-tertiary level. Corpora are becoming well established in teaching in Universities. Corpora also have a role to play in secondary education, in that they can help decide how and what to teach, as well as changing the way in which puplis learn and providing the possibility of open-ended machine-aided tuition. Corpora also seem to provide what UK goverment sponsored reports on teaching grammar have called for – a data-driven approach to the subject.

This article describes an email project between undergraduate non-specialist learners of Spanish and English in England and Spain. Students took part in a discussion forum and worked with a tandem partner exchanging information, ideas and corrections of each other's language. The project revealed a range of experiences and a case study of one particularly successful participant is presented. The contribution of email tandem learning to CALL within the communicative curriculum is also discussed. It is proposed that such learning plays a different role from classroom language learning, providing a bridge between the classroom and the natural language setting.

We argue that grammar is an important element of language learning and that adult learners need a combination of exposure and cognitive learning processes. We addres the pragmatics of reource driven grammar teaching and identify grammar as suitable for independent study if computer based. With reference to a hypertext grammar package developed at the University of North London, we argue that the interactivity of hypertext-based grammar bridges the gap between embedded grammar teaching and theoretical explanation of language. Which allow an intuitive gateway to grammar learning.

This paper describes how teachers without specialist computing skills can create their own computer delivered multimedia learning applications using a word processor and digital information from a variety of sources. These home-made multimedia applications can exploit video, sound clips, animations, photos, and graphics. Examples of such DIY multimedia learning materials are shown, their method of creation described and possible benefits of their use for CALL and self-access put forward.

The paper reviews selected Web sites for French grammar, from the student' point of view. The investigation looks at the content of sites and potential for learning.The conclusion is that the Web for French is both underused and chaotic but there is evidence that, with imagination, it could become a useful resource.

This paper examines the relationship between Information Technology (IT) and an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course. This relationship is examined in the context of pre-sessional summer courses at British Universities. The paper provides a rationale for the inclusion of an IT component on an EAP course, and considers why a number of IT areas are not yet being fully exploited by EAP units at British Universities.

The genesis of the ASTCOVEA project for French and German grammar learning under Phase 2 of TLIP is explained and the paper goes on to describe the design and structure of the system, showing representative screen shots and giving an example of how the system may be used to explore a particular grammar point in German. The point is mode, in condusion, that the ASTCOVEA approach can readily be adopted for other languages, including EFL, without major new programming.

In September 1995 the Language Institute at the University of Hull and British Telecommunications plc began working together on a major research project with the aim developing an environment to support distance teaching and learning. Project MERLIN is exploring the latest commincations techologies to support interaction and collaboration between groups of remote learners, and between these learneers and their tutor. These technologies include: computer conferencing, dynamic HTML and the integration of specifically designed database and telephone-conferencing facilities with the World Wide Web interface.

This article attempts to define Expert CALL, siting in between traditional data-based CALL and intelligent CALL (ICALL). It relies on the concapts of expert knowledge and expert interaction and feedback. These are explored in the context of inflexional morphology, using as reference the auther's own ‘The Spanish Verb’ program. An electic computational algorithm, rather than a fully-fledged linguistic for malism suffices to deliver a stable and reliable lingustic knowledge basa on which to base Expert CALL applications. A similar ‘intermediate technology’ approach to syntax may bypass current difficulties encountered by ICALL to deliver linguistic reliabity.

RECALL aims at providing intelligent error feedback to learners' input in a role-play scenario. This is achieved by integrating three intelligent modules into into system: a Diagnosis Module which analyses the learners' input, a Learner Module which reocrds errors made by the learner, and a Tutoring Module which provides exercises and offers feedback. In this paper the functionality of the RECALL system is described and the approach to error classification as well as the actual implementation of this approach is discussed. A pedagogical perspective on the navigational and teaching capabilities of RECALL are considered.