Technology, Lifelong Learning, and Effective Foreign Language Instruction Under the Memory Efficient Approach

Abstract

This chapter presents a method for foreign language (FL) teachers to implement currently available technologies as instructional tools in a FL language classroom using the memory efficient approach (MEA) to enhance instruction, and help students to become lifelong FL learners. Providing historical backgrounds of the FL acquisition or learning theory as well as technological implementation for FL instruction, the chapter suggests MEA with eclectic methodology for FL instruction. Under the MEA, the methods for “skill-using” and “skill-getting” (Rivers, 1985) are employed; thus, appropriate methods as well as appropriate instructional tools—technological and nontechnological—are selected according to the learning objective or goal. In addition, introducing emerging technologies that may be utilized for instruction in the FL area, the chapter will demonstrate a method to implement technologies in advanced Japanese courses as well as in elementary Japanese courses using MEA.