An Interview with Dr. Carol A. Chapelle

Editorial Board members Yoko Saito and Monika Ekiert recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Carol Chapelle, who was the guest speaker at the 2005 APPLE Lecture sponsored by the Programs in TESOL and Applied Linguistics at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Dr. Chapelle is Second Vice-President of the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL), and former editor of TESOL Quarterly (1999-2004). Her research explores issues at the intersection of computer technology and applied linguistics. Dr. Chapelle's recent books are: Computer applications in second language acquisition: Foundations for teaching, testing, and research (Cambridge University Press, 2001) and English language learning and technology: Lectures on applied linguistics in the age of information and communication technology (John Benjamins, 2003).

We thank Dr. Chapelle for taking time out from her hectic day in New York City to talk to us, Dr. Jim Purpura and Taejoon Park for their input on the interview questions, and K. Philip Choong for his technical assistance in recording and editing the interview.

Click on each of the questions below to listen to the interview.

How did you first become interested in TESOL and Applied Linguistics?

What areas in Applied Linguistics do you identify most with?

What changes do you see in the field of language testing?

Tell us more about your new book Assessing language through technology. What were you trying to accomplish with it?

As an expert in CALL, how do you integrate technology into practice in your own teaching?

What research topics in Applied Linguistics haven’t you touched upon yet, but would like to some day?

What was your favorite part of working on TESOL Quarterly?

What is it that defines the niche occupied by TESOL Quarterly?

What advice would you offer to graduate students about publishing in mainstream journals in our field?

We know your department at Iowa State University has recently announced a new Ph.D. program in Applied Linguistics & Technology. Why such a specialized Ph.D.?

How do you find the time to write all these articles and books when you have so many responsibilities as a professor, an editor, and a vice-president of the AAAL?