Using Apps in Language Teaching

Using  apps  in  language  teaching  

by Pete Sharma
© Cambridge By  Pete  Sharma  Press 2013
University
©  Cambridge  University  Press  2013  

 
 
Many   of   today's   language   students   own   a   smartphone   and/or   a   tablet   such   as   an   iPad.   They   can   use  
online  app  stores  such  as  Apple’s  AppStore  or  Google  Play  to  download  any  number  of  apps.  Many  
of  these  apps  could  be  beneficial  in  their  efforts  to  learn  a  language,  inside  or  outside  the  classroom.    
This  article  will  explore  the  role  of  apps  in  language  teaching  and  learning.  

1.   What's  an  app?  

 
"There's   an   App   for   just   about   everything!"   An   app   is   a   piece   of   software   which   runs   on   a  
smartphone  or  a  tablet.  Apps  are  associated  with  'mobile  learning',  learning  on  the  move.  
 
2.   Useful  distinctions  
 
A  number  of  useful  distinctions  can  be  made  when  considering  apps:  
 
• There  are  various  operating  systems,  such  as  Apple's  iOS,  Google’s  Android  and  Microsoft’s  
Windows   Phone.   Although   it   is   important   not   to   assume   that   an   app   on  the   teacher's   phone  
will   necessarily   run   on   their   students'   phones,   most   popular   apps   will   work   on   more   than  
one  system.  
 
• Thousands  of  apps  are  free;  others  you  need  to  pay  for,  often  a  nominal  fee,  typically  from  
$0.99  to  $2.99,  and  upwards.    
 
• Most  apps  are  made  with  a  real-­‐world  purpose  in  mind;  others  have  been  created  by  English  
Language  Teaching  publishers  for  use  by  language  learners.  
 
• Some  apps  are  free-­‐standing,  so  they  are  downloaded  to  your  device  and  ready  to  work  as  
soon   as   you   click   on   them.   Others   require   an   Internet   connection   in   order   to   function   –
tapping   to   activate   them   will   produce   a   message   asking   you   to   connect   to   the   Internet   in  
order  to  proceed.  
 
• One   crucial   consideration   is   whether   the   app   will   be   used   in   class,   as   part   of   a   lesson,   or  
whether  it  will  be  used  outside  the  classroom.  Many  apps  are  designed  for  individuals  to  use  
anywhere,  at  any  time,  and  so  lend  themselves  to  being  accessed  on  the  road.  
 
 Using Apps in Language Teaching

by Pete Sharma
© Cambridge University Press 2013

3.    Classifying  apps  
 
The  number  of  apps  is  increasing  daily,  and  already  running  into  thousands.  It  is  difficult  to  classify  
fully  all  the  different  kinds  of  apps  out  there,  but  one  popular  magazine  on  apps  uses  the  following  
categories:  lifestyle;  productivity  tools;  entertainment  and  games;  media.  There  are  also  educational  
apps,  travel  apps,  social  media  apps,  such  as  the  Twitter  app,  and  many  others.    
 
To   these   categories   we   can   add   apps   created   by   ELT   publishers   to   accompany   a   specific   product,  
such  as  a  course;  dictionary  apps;  apps  to  support  an  exam  such  as  IELTS;  language  games  and  apps  
with  an  interactive  version  of  the  phonemic  chart.    
   
4.    Practical  teaching  ideas  for  using  apps  
 
Students  can  do  extra,  useful  language  practice  on  the  move  with  an  app  such  as  Vocabulary  in  Use  
from  Cambridge  University  Press.  This  app  contains  many  of  the  matching  exercises  associated  with  
web-­‐based  materials,  and  is  ideal  for  consolidating  work  covered  in  class.  
 
There   are   a   number   of   apps   for   storing   vocabulary.   One   such   app,   MyWordBook   (British   Council   /  
Cambridge),   allows   students   to   input   the   new   words   they   cover   in   class   and   systematically   review  
these  words  using  the  app.    
 
One   useful   type   of   app   is   a   QR-­‐code   reader.   QR-­‐codes,   which   are   easy   for   teachers   to   create,   can  
encode   any   type   of   text   e.g.   words,   phrases,   sentences,   website   addresses.   A   QR   code   reader   app  
uses   the   phone   or   tablet’s   camera   to   capture   an   image   of   the   QR   code   and   then   decodes   the  
information.   One   exciting   classroom   activity   involves   students   using   a   QR-­‐code   reader   app   to   find  
treasure  hunt  clues.  
 
Students   using   the   excellent   TED.com   app   can   store   their   selection   of   the   many   presentations   in  
order   to   listen   to   them   later,   off-­‐line.   The   students   can   use   the   pause   and   replay   parts   of   the  
presentations,  and  often  access  an  interactive  transcript.    
 
Dragon   Dictation   is   a   great   speech-­‐to   text   app.   The   teacher   can   dictate   some   sentences   for   students  
to  read  into  the  app.  The  aim  is  to  see  if  they  can  speak  clearly  enough  for  the  software  to  recognise  
their  utterance  accurately  and  produce  text.    
 
There   are   several   apps   which   have   an   interactive   version   of   the   phonemic   chart.   These   allow  
students   to   practise   the   phonemes   most   difficult   for   them,   away   from   the   classroom.   ELT   gaming  
apps  are  popular,  and  recycle  vocabulary  in  fun  ways  for  students.    
 
There   can   be   little   doubt   that   the   area   of   apps   is   one   of   the   most   exciting   in   language   teaching  
today.    
 
 Using Apps in Language Teaching

by Pete Sharma
© Cambridge University Press 2013

References  
 
Hockly,  N  (2011)  'Teaching  the  mobile  generation'  in  IATEFL  2010  Harrogate  Conference  Selections  
Ed  Tania  Pattison    
 
Some  of  the  ideas  in  this  article  are  from  the  forthcoming  e-­‐book  'Apptivities  for  Business  English'  by  
Pete  Sharma  and  Barney  Barrett,  published  by  The  Round