From Books to Mobile Applications: A New Way of Vocabulary Learning
Abstract
Ramazan Güzel
Intentional vocabulary learning is the most important and essential part of
the foreign language learning. It needs practice and repetition and learners cannot
use language effectively without vocabulary knowledge. Formerly, books were the
source of vocabulary and vocabulary memorizing was the main strategy while
learning foreign language. This strategy was boring, difficult and wouldn’t help
learners much. Today, with the help of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL),
intentional vocabulary learning became easier and more interactive and enjoyable.
The purpose of this study is to identify the most popular mobile applications used in
vocabulary learning. Moreover, duration, frequency of the mobile application usage,
perceptions of the mobile application users and connection between annual income and mobile application usage time were identified in this study. The results showed
that most popular applications are Duolingo and EnglishCentral. Results also
indicated that participants use mobile applications at least once in a month between
0-30 minutes and mostly in the evening. Another result of the study is that there is no
correlation between annual income and time spent for mobile learning, and
participants think that mobile applications improve not only their vocabulary
knowledge but also their speaking skills.
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