Can Language Learning Applications Help Improve English?

CAN LANGUAGE-LEARNING APPLICATIONS HELP TO IMPROVE PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL?

 

ABSTRACT

In today´s globalized world, knowing another language opens the door to a vast number of opportunities no matter nationality. This study focuses on language-learning applications since they are an innovative way to learn another language. The investigation needed for this study was done online using Google Scholar and the following sources: ¨Scientists Are More Creative than You Might Imagine¨ and ¨Do Schools Kill Creativity¨. Language applications can be an excellent way to study a language like English, because those apps motivate young people more than the traditional language class. These applications facilitate the learning of another language in a fun and dynamic way and they will allow the learners to share, debate, create, give opinions, and create a much more creative and participative space. They allow the learners connect in them account on all electronic devices and do not lose progress.

Keywords: Applications, language, creative, innovative

INTRODUCTION

¨Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom¨ (Roger Bacon). Currently, we live in a globalized world where everyone is connected. If someone want to communicate,  they have to know that persons language. Knowing another language is a great academic and professional advantage. Many students want to know another language but they do not because they do not have money to pay for a language course or do not have time to do so. Due to this need, several technology companies created language learning aplications. Perhaps they are not as effective as a lenguage learning course, but with effort they work. Managing another language fluently will make the learner feel amazing about himself because a new world opens. The learner can talk to a lot of people from other countries, watch movies, read books or browse websites. Knowing more than one language makes a person smarter, because that person works parts of him brain that would otherwise be stopped. Language applications are an efficient way for learning new languages like English, for three reasons: they are dynamic and instructive; they allow students to practice their skills; and they can be used on all electronic devices.

In essence, the communication of the future will be based in a language that many people talk, so the advantages of a person will depend on how well know that idiom.

For these reasons, this research paper is dedicate to know effectiveness and efficiency of language learning applications because they are an example of creativity and innovation that we will need for communication, and it represents the biggest challenge for developing persons .

LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLICATIONS ARE DYNAMIC AND INSTRUCTIVE

First of all, Language learning applications are dynamic and instructive than a language course to obtain proficiency in another language because the last is a traditional class. The technological advances are an excellent tool that benefits the educational system, since more and more college professors that resort to the service of effective applications to carry out the teaching-learning process in college students. Humanity tries to improve and make the way to generate knowledge more flexible, using the constant technological movement to satisfy the communicative needs that originates the society, so that the mobile technologies have served as base to restructure the educational panorama, contributing to the education.

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION HAS NEVER MADE LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE EASIER

One reason is Technology innovation has made learning a foreign language easier because: ¨Today, multimedia features found in e-learning environments incorporate new ways to learn, including: videos, audio, tools, and much more. Plus, multimedia can increase students’ retention rates and correct mistakes before they turn into bad and embarrassing habits¨ (eLearning INDUSTRY, 2013). The learning is not subject to the physical space of the class nor to the strict hours of the teaching of the matter. College students can create and optimize resources with a few Apps given avoiding the traditional use of textbooks, and adapting these new techniques to the teaching-learning process, making it more visual, creative, and participatory.

Ken Robinson, educator, writer and British lecturer, says: “people educate their children and want to exploit all of their skills in 15 or 20 years but they do not have a real objective” (Robinson, 2006). In other words, they don’t know how use this skills. The majority of people do not think in creativity as a tool for the future and this is reflected in the schools.

THESE APPS INCLUDES VIDEO GAMES, VIDEOS, GIFS AND THAT MAKE LEARNING FUN TOOLS

Also, these apps includes video games like puzzles, hangman, wordit, wordsearch, videos, gifs and tools that make learning fun. Some apps are Duolingo, Wibbu, Busuu, Babbel, and HiNative. The majority of these games have been designed with learning in mind, which means that when the students use them, they are getting the experience of teaching rolled into one nice app. The great thing about these mobile apps is that the child inside the students will love to pull them out and play for enjoyment. So these applications facilitate the learning of another language in a fun and dynamic way.

LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLICATIONS ALLOW STUDENTS TO PRACTICETHEIR SKILLS

Second of all, Language learning applications allow students to practice their skills because ¨ Online courses offer an “out with the old, in with the new” approach to learning a foreign language¨ (eLearning INDUSTRY, 2013). They offer an introduction to vocabulary and grammar, so they help students gain confidence.

According to Albert Einstein, ¨the best scientists are also artists, so it would be illogical to think that science and art are not related¨ (Ossola, 2014). So, it is so important emphasize the utility of those applications, and to pay special attention to the way that we are learning a foreign language. In other words, the future will be only for the most apt, and with this we refer to the persons who know another language

THESE APPS REMIND DAILY THAT THE STUDENT MUST ENTER AND MEET THEM DAILY GOAL

Also, these apps remind daily that the student must enter and meet the daily goal. If students have not logged in. This helps the user to practice daily, which is fundamental to learning a language. The learner need motivation to learn a second language, and the active and creative participation of the student in the process through the application of individualized learning techniques. Strategies for foreign language learning include skills for memorizing and manipulating key structures of the target language, cognitive strategies for managing and supervising the use of strategies, affective strategies for measuring emotional reactions to learning and for reducing anxiety, and social strategies to maintain the interaction with native speakers and cooperation between students easier. These applications will allow the learners to share, debate, create, give opinions, and create a much more creative and participative space.

LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLICATIONS CAN BE USED ON ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES

THEY ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN A COURSE TO LEARN ENGLISH

Third of all, Language learning applications can be used on all electronic devices ¨ because they run on computer programs, the learner can access online foreign language courses at any time.¨ (eLearning INDUSTRY, 2013).

 THEY ARE SYNCHRONIZED

Another reason to use these apps is because these apps are free. The learner only need an account. One of the most obvious advantages of the use is the easy and speed with which the information is accessed. Another important advantage is the safe storage of personal data, which allows users to save time and quickly access to their preferences, as well as being able to customize the application to their liking. Also, they are synchronized. That means these applications are connected to the internet. The learner´s progress is saved and if a learner does not have cellphone, he only needs another electronic device to sign in and continue learning.

CONCLUSION

In summary, language applications can be an excellent way to study a language like English, because those apps motivate more young people than the traditional language class. There are a number of benefits to using English learning apps to improve language learning skills. They will not even need a tutor on hand to constantly learn English and the learner can access to the account on all electronic devices without problem. These apps are quite funny and to learn playing. That is why they are very useful for learning vocabulary because they are visual and entertaining. For these reasons, I recommend university students who do not have much free time or do not have the sources to pay a course to learn languages that use these applications to improve their level of English mainly.

¨Education as a fundamental development entity, should not be a linear process¨ (Robinson, 2006), those applications should always be updated and synchronized with the need to learn another language. By learning another language we are educating and training for our professional future.

REFERENCES

Robinson, K., (2006). Do Schools Kill Creativity? TED. Recovered from: https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity?language=en [09/12/2016].

elearningindustry. (Aug 19, 2013). Below are 5 essential benefits of learning a foreign language through online courses. Recovered from elearningindustry: https://elearningindustry.com/5-essential-benefits-of-learning-foreign-languages-online [09/12/2016].