MOBILE PHONES AS SUPPORTIVE TOOLS FOR ESL LEARNING

María José López Aguirre

Week 11: Twenty Ideas for Using Mobile Phones in the Language Classroom

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This week reading present amazing ideas for using mobile phones in language classroom.  My initial reaction to this article was good. I really like the activities that were described in the article due to the fact that mobile phones provide many potential functions which students are familiar with, and offer them the opportunity to enhance their language learning in various skills. Something I want to remember from this article is that there are many programs that have easy access to materials, so that students can practice anytime and anywhere. Also, it is noticeable that learners are more willing to work on their cellphones rather than using computers. Something that really caught my attention was the idea about using the voice memo recorder. Applying that activity students can record interviews or conversations they engage in outside the classroom. Besides, teacher could consider to require students to use the vocabulary or grammar structure they learned in class in order to get them use the language. They also can request students to share the recordings in class, promoting discussion of the same topic, and feedback from teachers and classmates. Something that teachers should acknowledge is that not all the students have access to mobile phones and wireless, so it is important to adapt the activities to their possibilities. To conclude, using mobile phones in the classroom gives students control over their own learning providing practical materials they can use in their spare time outside classroom in order to increase their language proficient.