• materials and software for language learning and language teaching
• multi-lingual proofing tools
• multi-lingual wordprocessors
• multi-lingual operating sytems
• multi-lingual voice recognition software
• multi-lingual web design tools
• multi-lingual desktop publishing

Nowadays, there is a wide variety of materials available for learning languages. Modern materials and software such as  CD ROMs, DVDs, cassettes, and videos, provide colour, variety and sources of authentic input (examples of real language used by native speakers).  Traditional materials are mainly text-based and tend to focus more on reading and writing skills e.g. course books, work books, text books, graded readers, and grammar exercises - these can also be very useful.  All these materials are designed for language learners, but we should not forget that there is is huge amount of authentic material designed for native speakers which can be used for advanced learners, and adapted for those who are less proficient: books, magazines, newspapers, games, music, films, radio, and tv .

When selecting materials for language learning you should try to find those that match your:

• language level e.g. advanced level
• age group e.g. adult 
• reason for learning the language e.g. to improve your letter writing ability
• preferred approach e.g. like to do repetitive exercises
• mode of learning e.g. self-study
• price range e.g. £15 to £25
• equipment available e.g. using Windows 95+

You can also consult the CTI and CILT databases.

Cambridge ELT

Churchill House First Certificate English Program (freeware), Churchill House 1999.
Prepare for Paper 3, section 4 (error correction) by checking sentences for errors with prepositions, quantifiers, articles, pronouns, verbs etc. Windows 95 or later. 

freeENGLISH Free English drill and practice software for download. 

Grammar Slammer (shareware), J. Bair 1996.
"Answers the questions grammar checkers can't". Assistance with (American) grammar, as a Windows Help file. There are also versions tailored to run as macros in Word for Windows, WordPerfect for Windows, AmiPro and Lotus Word Pro.

Hot Potatoes  Authoring software.

Kristina's Scripts for Educators  Free Perl CGI programs.

LeeWare English Series (shareware), LeeWare 1996.
Basic Windows programs to practice homonyms, antonyms, synonyms, syllables, prefix & suffix, contractions, possessives, subject & predicate, types of sentences, simple & compound sentences, sentence ending punctuation, punctuation in a series, quotation marks, nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, interjections, prepositions and vowels & consonants.

Lingonets(freeware), Lingonets 1997.
Lexical gapfill puzzles to promote learning of word groups associated by common setting or situation (thematic clusters). Recall is prompted by category labels, and students can get help from synonyms, definitions and typical sentence contexts. A password (available by e-mail) is needed to start the browser, and fifty or so puzzles can be downloaded. 

Longman ELT

Macromedia  Downloadable software for writing web pages....

Mantex(demos and free documents).
Demonstration versions of English Language, HelpDisk! and Study Skills packages to help overseas and native students with essay writing and studying. Plus free downloadable documents on a wide variety of similar topics, and articles & reviews on writing, design and typography. 

Oxford University Press ELT

Scripts for Educators To develop writing skills

Skill Lab v2.0 , Skillware 1995.
English skills training: spelling difficult words, using correct words and recognising word roots. Extra modules can be purchased. 

TEFL Pitstop. Free EFL teaching materials and CALL software. 

TESOL Software Database  A searchable, and alphabetically browsable, database of TESOL software for all levels. (Oregon State University, USA). 

WordWeb(freeware), Antony Lewis 1998.
Powerful English thesaurus and dictionary, featuring 120,000 root words and 100,000 sets of synonyms.