Mobile-assisted Language Learning(Mall)

Mobile-assisted Language Learning(Mall)

Modern technology is developing day by day. Almost every person in the world has a mobile phone.

Nowadays mobile phones are not only for talking any more. There are many things that people can do with it i.e. taking pictures, listening to music, watching movies, learn languages and not only.

 English language is considered international and required to know in many countries, so, people prefer to merge the “handy” with useful and make their life easier than before.

How mobile phones can help this to become true?

The first thing I suppose that have to come along with a mobile phone is internet access that we all need as air and water in our lives

In that case it will be possible to install different educational applications via internet access and have them in your mobile phone using them in the street, in a taxi, and actually everywhere you want. Smart mobile devices are very effective tools and help people out in many situations.

For example I have an electronic dictionary installed in my smart phone and it is very comfortable to look up the word I need on the spot and in every moment.

(Sharples et al., 2007, 225) as cited in Olga & Ake(2012)define mobile learning as  “process of coming to know through conversations across multiple contexts among people and personal interactive technologies”.

.

There are many interactive ways to integrate MP in a TEFL classroom that can help to enhance learning skills. For instance,  messaging opinions, google searching simple definitions and info from the internet, making video and photo productions etc.

Though as a teacher I think that using mobile phones in an EFL classroom will have their negative effects a learning process too. For example it is very easy for students to be distracted by games and other entertaining non educational stuff from their mobiles during the class, especially when they are young learners, so I would advise not to use MALL with young learners and do it very carefully with elder ones.
Here is the link to the video of "Ted Talk" about Mobile Learning  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Pmnz7xuOs&list=PL7ECF0A924C502D18