What is Virtual Volunteering

Results from second language acquisition (SLA) research have shown that an L2 is best acquired when learners have opportunities to use L2 grammar and vocabulary in a manner that is meaningful and relevant to their lived lives. One promising approach to L2 instruction that appears to achieve this end is service-learning. As service-learning is an emerging field of study, there is a need for descriptions on how CALL-based technology can be implemented and evaluated in a service-learning classroom. The first part of this chapter describes service-learning and how CALL-based technology is used to achieve service and learning objectives and TESOL CALL standards. The second part of this chapter describes five CALL-based activities used by service-learning instructors to help their students meaningfully engage with each other and the content. The third part concludes the chapter by offering advice on how teachers could effectively implement CALL-based technology in service-learning classes.