by Jarek Krajka
Maria Curie-Sklodowska University,
Lublin, Poland
jkrajka@batory.plo.lublin.pl

It is my pleasure as the Editor-in-Chief of Teaching English with Technology, a quarterly electronic journal for teachers of English, to present you with the new July issue of the Journal. It coincides with extremely hot time for language teachers at schools and universities – the end of the year, final exams, university entrance exams. Apart from these, many teachers in Poland are preparing for exams for the next level of teachers' professional development scheme. Currently there are four levels: "nauczyciel stazysta" (internship teacher), "nauczyciel kontraktowy" (contract teacher), "nauczyciel mianowany" (nominated teacher) and "nauczyciel dyplomowany" (diploma teacher). In order to get promoted, a number of requirements have to be fulfilled, different for different levels. One of these pertains to the subject study of our Journal – "possessing the knowledge of ICT and demonstrating its effective use in teacher's work", together with such subareas as mastering the knowledge of how to operate the computer, most widespread office applications, ELT multimedia and the knowledge of using ICT in English language teaching. Teaching English with Technology addresses this issue, by publishing practical and ready-to-use lesson plans, reviews of interesting websites, articles on the use of widely accessible software, research articles providing theoretical foundations for practical technology-enhanced projects. Also, our Journal has tried to contribute to the process of teacher development, by publishing teachers' works in different columns, which is one of the many ways of satisfying the demands for diploma teacher level.

This issue provides a more theoretical background in the field of Computer-Assisted Language Learning. Readers can enjoy the article by Hee-Jung Jung, from Washington State University , Pullman , USA , entitled "Overview of Computer-Assisted Language Learning Research with Second Language Acquisition Perspectives". The author explores various CALL trends in reference to three second language acquisition ( SLA ) perspectives: Input, Output and Interaction perspectives.

Another theoretical view is offered by Gina Mikel Petrie, also from Washington State University, Pullman, USA, who, in her article "Speech Recognition Software: Its Possible Impact on the Language Learning Classroom", provides a thorough description of the state of the art of speech recognition software, with the focus on history, social, educational and language learning contexts.

A more practical perspective is demonstrated by Anna Franca Plastina, representing Universita degli Studi della Calabria, Rende ( Cosenza ), Italy , who shows the application of CALL in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in her article "CALL-ing EAP Skills".

In "A Word from a Techie" section, Guo Shesen, Luoyang University , Henan , P.R. China, shows how to enhance the capabilities of an Internet browser with a spell-checking tool.

Galina Kavaliauskiene, from Universitas Studiorum Polona Vilnensis, Vilnius , Lithuania ,  presents a lesson plan "Learner-Generated Quizzes", which effectively uses one of the many Web-based quiz making tools.

"Software" section features also a software review of "Quick Placement Test," a computer-adaptive testing package, written by Andrzej Zychla from Teachers' Training College of Foreign Languages, Zielona Gora University , Zielona Gora , Poland .

Finally, the humble undersigned, Jarek Krajka from Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland, reports from two important events in the field of Computer-Assisted Language Learning: a seminar "Computer-Mediated Lexicography", held in Castello, Spain, and a conference "ICT in ELT – 2^nd International Conference Teaching Teachers to Teach Through Technology 6T/60", organized in Gliwice, Poland.

It is hoped that a wide variety of issues covered in this month's edition of Teaching English with Technology will satisfy varying tastes of our readers and provide them with inspiring ideas for holidays.

I wish you good reading and good summer rest.