Understanding Adult English as an Additional Language (EAL) Learners’ Perception of CALL on EAL Learning

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the adult immigrant English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners’ perception of the use of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) tools in an adult education program at a community college in the south suburbs of Chicago. The research topic stems from three main areas: the increase in the number of adult immigrants in the United States over the past few years, the need to understand learner’s perceptions regarding digital literacy in adult education programs, and the need to explore the perceptions of adult language learners to make appropriate decisions regarding the quality of English language programs offered for EAL learners. There has been numerous research published in the field of CALL. However, minimal research was conducted to understand the perception of underrepresented groups of adult learners, who immigrate from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, in regard to CALL and their readiness and level of comfort when it comes to digital literacy and utilization of CALL tools in their language learning journey. The participants were recruited through purposeful sampling from three EAL proficiency levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The researcher focused on immigrants who speak Arabic as their first language (L1). Therefore, only students with Arabic as their L1 were recruited. The data was collected through interviews, class observations, and questionnaires. Then, the data was analyzed by using the six principles of andragogy as the main analysis framework. The findings of this research reveal that learners across all proficiency levels hold a positive perception towards CALL tools for various reasons including the accessibility of CALL tools, the ease of use for CALL tools, and the ability to personalize the content through CALL tools to meet learners’ individual needs. However, the findings also reflect the importance of taking certain measures by decision-makers and educators to ensure that CALL tools remain an asset to the curriculum rather than a substitute. The study adds to the current body of literature by providing a voice that reflects the perceptions of an underrepresented group of learners on CALL tools, which are becoming an integral part of every classroom. A further discussion of limitations and implications is also provided for researchers and practitioners in the field of EAL to consider when designing curriculum for EAL adult learners, ultimately guiding more effective, inclusive, and impactful educational practices.