Providing web-based multilingual lexical learning materials with a regional culture oriented focus

This presentation introduces a CALL Multilingual Visual Dictionary (MLVD) CALL project which is being developed at Okinawa University, and is funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEXT). The project began in 2005 with a perceived need on the part of teachers and students at the university for language materials that reflect Okinawan and Japanese culture. The project involves the compilation of a visual dictionary with entries in three languages: English Chinese and Japanese. Visuals include still photos and short videos. The dictionary is organised by themes. These allow us to explore various cultural artifacts and customs within authentic settings. The organisation of the units differs according to the main themes. The learning materials are a mixture of web-based and classroom based materials. In this presentation I explain the organization of several units, show examples of the visuals and practice activities.