Second Language Acquisition and Digital Learning in Asia

Abstract

This perspective article describes current situations, issues, and challenges on the second language education and digital learning, focusing on Asia. Twenty years have passed since the beginning of the 21st century. This century is projected to be the Asian century because of the growing status of politics, economy, and culture in the region which has become indispensable in the globalisation process. In this century, young students the world over are the digital generation, and undoubtedly it becomes increasingly essential for the educator to design an effective learning environment by incorporating digital resources to simultaneously take advantage of widely accepted findings in contemporary pedagogies and the second language (L2) theories. The present article discusses the theory-practice-evaluation link in language learning by highlighting some digital classroom practices such as e-tandem and e-movie production and explaining how to align the ensuring activities with pedagogical objectives. New technologies open up great potential for education, yet we need to overcome various challenges posed by the rapid pace of technological innovation as well as changes in the region’s political and financial status.