Abstract
The ubiquitous nature of mobile devices and the expanding array of mobile learning applications enable the foreign language acquisition to take place outside the traditional classroom environment. This study conducted a mobile-assisted instructional experiment where the design and development of a mobile application were accomplished to serve students with diverse learning needs in a business English communication class, and with special emphasis on the practice and improvement of listening skills. The instruments used in this study include two tests, weekly quizzes and an attitude survey. The findings demonstrated positive effects of the mobile learning on ESP students with regards to their listening comprehension. Most of the students enjoyed having access to the mobile materials specifically designed to improve their learning performance. They perceived such technology-enhanced learning as a practical method for acquiring foreign language skills, because it provided them with an opportunity to accomplish learning tasks anywhere and at any time.
Highlights
Listening is a critical receptive skill to develop in terms of foreign language acquisition
To find the potential value of mobile devices for improving Taiwanese students’ business English listening skills, this study addressed the following questions: 1. Does the language learning environment afforded by mobile media have any effect on the improvement of English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ business listening skills?
This study showed that students who were engaged in the mobile learning environment outperformed those who participated in business English listening tasks without the use of mobile devices
Summary
Listening is a critical receptive skill to develop in terms of foreign language acquisition. As noted by Chen (2007), students study English as a foreign language (EFL) primarily through formal instruction in the classroom, with very little exposure to practical English education beyond formal study. This has forced them to contend with many challenges such as limited exposure to vocabularies, strange and foreign accents, and rapid speech. Listening skills are not often taught in schools These skills are less focused and, so, have received less explicit attention (Moyer, 2006).The wide and accelerating use of multimedia technologies has made it both possible and easy to utilize mobile technology for providing students with flexible learning alternatives and interactive enhancements outside the classroom setting (Kukulska-Hulme & Shield, 2008). The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of mobile devices in improving the listening comprehension of English for specific purposes (ESP) undergraduate students, especially in informal settings outside of the classroom
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of English Language Education
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
