Effectiveness of using mobile applications in learning English

Country/ Research
Article title Author Year Theory Sample size Region methods Key findings

Mobile Darsih, E., 2020 Mobile Assisted 6 university Indonesia questionnaires l All participants
assisted & Asikin, Language Learning students (68 and semi- use mobile
language N. A. (MALL), Learner females, 28 structured applications to
learning: EFL Autonomy, males interviews support their
learners’ Motivation English
perceptions learning.
toward the use l Commonly
of mobile used apps:
applications in Kamusku,
learning Google
English Translate, Elsa
Speak,
YouTube,
Zoom, Google
Meet.
l Positive
perceptions:
MALL is
useful,
improves
learning, and is
easy to use
l Challenges:
Some apps
have
limitations in
functionality or
require internet
access.
Effectiveness Ahmet 2016 • Mobile 50 first-year Turkey Sampling Positive Impact: The
of Mobile Başal, Assisted students from Method experimental group
Applications Selahattin Language an English (using mobile
in Vocabulary Yilmaz, Learning Language applications)
Teaching Asli (MALL): Teaching performed
Tanriverdi, The study Department significantly better in
Lutfiye Sari explores of a state the posttest compared
how mobile to the control group
 applications university in (using traditional
can support Turkey. activities).
language
learning.
• Cognitive
Load
Theory:
The study
examines
the
cognitive
processes
involved in
learning
new
vocabulary
through
mobile
applications.
The impact of Kacetl, J., 2019 Mobile Assisted Not specified Not Experimental • Enhanced
mobile & Klimova, Language Learning in the specified in Design Cognitive
learning on B. (MALL) provided the Capacity
cognitive Cognitive Load information provided • Increased
capacity and Theory information Motivation
motivation Motivation Theory • Positive
Impact on
Learning
Outcomes
Academic Honesty Declaration Form
I ___Lau Cheung,11541516___________ (Student Name, Student ID)
declare that this assessment is my own work without substantial
assistance from others, including automated tools such as Chat GPT and
DALL.E 2, except where acknowledged appropriately (e.g., use of
reference).
Literature review
The last few years have witnessed a drastic transformation in the English learning
space, be yond classrooms. The advent of mobile applications has provided learners
with alternative channels to improve their English language skillset beyond schooling.
The aim of this literature review is to evaluate the efficiency of mobile applications in
learning English through three broad areas: determinants for their use, impact on
learner outcomes, and learner difficulties perceived.

Different determinants render mobile applications extremely popular in English

teaching, offering students a range of benefits. Numerous studies have found that
mobility, self-initiation, and utilitarian value positively affect the frequent use of
mobile English learning applications (Park et al., 2011). Mekhzoumi et al. (2018) also
agree with this in light of the fact that performance expectancy, effort expectancy,
social influence, facilitating conditions, and self-management all have effects on
students' intentions to use these applications. Generally, learners exhibit positive
English learning attitudes using mobile applications with terms like flexibility,
enjoyable experience, and convenience (Rinanda et al., 2019). Mobile learning,
relative to other class-based strategies, enhances cognitive skills, motivation,
autonomy, and self-efficacy and allows for personalized instruction and facilitation
of low-achieving students (Kacetl & Klimova, 2019).

Empirical evidence verifies that mobile apps significantly enhance the quality of
English learning. Different studies affirm that these apps improve learners' cognition,
motivation, autonomy, and confidence (Shahryar Banan, 2020; Kacetl & Klimova,
2019). They are highly beneficial for vocabulary learning as they provide visual and
auditory support improving recall (Shehla Anwer Kurd et al., 2023). For example,
Darsih and Asikin (2020) conducted a survey of 96 university students in an English
Education Study Program and found that 72% of them agreed that Mobile-Assisted
Language Learning (MALL) enabled them to complete tasks quicker, and 80% of
them considered MALL useful in learning. In addition, applications like Telegram
Messenger positively impact the performance of English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
students, particularly vocabulary and grammar comprehension (Alkhezzi & Al-
Dousari, 2016). Basal et al. (2016) administered a questionnaire to 50 first-year
students from a Turkish State University Department of English Language Teaching
and reported that the experimental group of learners who utilized mobile applications
performed markedly better than the control group by means of traditional activities in
post-tests. Broadly speaking, research is chiefly intended to validate the effectiveness
of mobile apps to learn English language.
Despite their potential, mobile English language learning applications face several
challenges. Technical issues and unreliable internet connections were significant
hindrances, as identified by Rinanda et al. (2020), while Elaish et al. (2017) raised
issues of quality, usability, price, security, and privacy. Moreover, scarce language
teacher support can hinder meaningful mobile app use because teachers either prohibit
the use of phones in class or do not provide adequate instructions to learn
independently (Alhadhrami, 2016). For these problems to be addressed,
recommendations have been put forth for learners, developers, and researchers to
facilitate successful mobile English language learning (Elaish et al., 2017). Therefore,
overcoming technical issues, quality concerns, and the lack of instructor facilitation is
crucial for su ccessful implementation of mobile learning.

Lastly, although mobile applications have great potential to support improved English
language learning because they are flexible, interactive, and accessible, there is a wide
research gap regarding the particular effect of these applications on improving
learning outcomes.
（542 words）

REFERENCES
Alhadhrami, A. (2016). The role of language teachers in mobile learning and
autonomous learning. Journal of Language Teaching and Learning,
10(2), 150-165.
Alkhezzi, F., & Al-Dousari, W. (2016). The effects of Telegram Messenger on ESP
students' vocabulary and grammar comprehension. Journal of Language
Teaching and Research, 7(2), 123-135.
Basal, A., Yilmaz, S., Tanriverdi, A., & Sari, L. (2016). Effectiveness of mobile
applications in vocabulary teaching. Contemporary Educational
Technology, 7(1), 47-59. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6162
Darsih, E., & Asikin, N. A. (2020). Mobile assisted language learning: EFL learners’
perceptions toward the use of mobile applications in learning English.
English Review: Journal of English Education, 8(2), 183-194.
https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v8i2.2999
Elaish, A., Al-Azawei, A., & Lundqvist, K. (2017). Recommendations for effective
mobile English language learning. Journal of Mobile Learning, 8(3),
210-225.
Kacetl, J., & Klimova, B. (2019). The impact of mobile learning on cognitive capacity
and motivation. Journal of Educational Technology, 12(3), 234-250.
Mekhzoumi, O., Hamzah, M. H., & Krishnasamy, H. N. (2018). Determinants of
Mobile Applications Acceptance for English Language Learning in
Universiti Utara Malaysia. Journal of Advanced Research
Design, 51(1), 1–13.
Park, S., Kim, T., & Lee, B. G. (2011). A study on the influential factors for continual
usage of mobile English learning applications. In 2011 IEEE Asia-
Pacific Services Computing Conference (pp. 56-61).
Rinanda, D., Suparno, S., & Tarjana, S. S. (2019). Students’ perceptions towards
using mobile application in learning speaking. ELS Journal on
Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 2(4), 499–514.
https://doi.org/10.34050/els-jish.v2i4.8232