I first used the Internet in fall 1993, as a Fulbright Scholar at Charles University in Prague. I immediately recognized that the Internet would radically transform second language teaching and learning, and within a year had written my first book on the topic, E-Mail for English Teaching. The book galvanized a wave of growing interest in the relationship of the Internet to language learning, and was soon followed by many more books on the topic by applied linguists or educators. This volume, though, represents one of the first that specifically analyzes the relationship of new technologies to the teaching of languages for specific purposes (LSP), and, in doing so, makes an important contribution. The overall impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on second language learning can be summarized in two ways, both of which have special significance for teaching LSP. First, ICT has transformed the context of language learning. The stunning growth of the Internet-resulting in 24 trillion email messages sent in 2005, and more than 600 billion Web pages and 50 million blogs online in the same year-has helped make possible the development of English as the world's first global language.
In the last years, we have witnessed significant advances in technology, which have not only changed our world but also become part of modern life. And like any other aspect of our lives, our work in the field of Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP) has also been transformed by technology, especially by the use of computers in our daily tasks as teachers and researchers.
The purpose of this volume is to offer an overview of an ample variety of applications of IT in the field of LSP. It is addressed to a wide audience that includes LSP teachers and researchers, although the contents may also be relevant to applied linguists working in other fields. This book contains research studies as well as educational experiences and proposals, presented from different perspectives and backgrounds (both geographical and cultural), all of which are theoretically grounded and with a clear and sound rationale. Thus, the reader will find a variety of educational projects and research studies situated in specific educational contexts and in particular geographical locations. Although not intended for generalization, they are valuable technology-based educational solutions that offer new insight and reflections that will help readers create their own tools and carry out further research. For this reason, the book focuses on central topics that have awakened the interest of LSP professionals. In turn, this thematic selection has helped us organize the chapters into related sections covering the main areas of research and practice in the field.
