Twenty Ideas for Using Mobile Phone in Language Classroom

On the presents day we cannot reject that mobile phone is very importance for every part of life. Mobile phones are used everywhere by every one. Surely most student have mobile phone which support high technology camera, Internet connection and voice memo. So how teacher can apply the benefit of mobile phone to use in language classroom. The following ideas for using mobile phone for second language learning and focus on developing skills; speaking, listening, writing and reading.The first idea is using the notes feature to collect every day language. Students can take note what they read outside the class and text massage to the teacher so student must to read every. Second is using the camera feature to take the picture of English text that they meet from everywhere and upload and share it to their friends. Third is a use free program like Evernote to organize language simple. Students can use this program to organize personal note on their account and share it with a group of the whole class. Fourth is using voice memo recorder feature to record language from media outlet; TV or radio. Fifth is using voice memo to record conversations outside the classroom. Sixth is using the text-messaging feature to encourage vocabulary learning. Seventh is using free program to make flashcards for mobile phones. Eighth is using the text message for circular writing. Because many students do not like to write so writing from textual communication becomes clear that students write a lot. Ninth is using the text message feature for tandem learning. That is for exchange the language between learner second language and the negative language by using text message. Tenth is using mobile phone to keep a blog. Students can practice writing by make their old blog and add personal experience, place and people met and teacher can give a feedback by comment on their blog.The others, eleventh is using the mobile phone for micro blogging on Twitter. Teach can use Twitter for wide variety assignments for example ask students to reports on their daily activities. Twelfth is using mobile phone for social networking. It is a good way to ask students to post on each other’s page in relation to topic that have just discussed in class. Thirteenth is using the mobile phone for a language exchange by speaking with the native speaker by Skype application.  Fourteenth is using the mobile phone “phlogging” to encourage students to practice individual speaking. Fifteenth is using mobile phone memory to distribute listening material. Student can carry it to listen everywhere. Sixteenth is using mobile phone memory to distribute material like a audio book. Students must be read it and discuss in the class. Seventeenth is using mobile phone to play a game such as scrabble and crossword puzzles that involve a focus on language. Eighteenth is using the voice memo recorder, note and calendar feature to keep a portfolio. Nineteenth is using the mobile phone to check students comprehension and get feedback. and the last one is using mobile phone memory research and data collection.Even if mobile phones have many benefit for using in the classroom for learning language but not all students in class will have mobile phone and concerns about lack of access are valid.  If teacher want to use mobile phone in the class should make sure all students have access to phone that have the capabilities teacher need and most of phone have most feature mentioned above. All of the Twenty idea above allow teacher to offer opportunities for language learning for students by talking advantage of a tool that very popular and everyone have it.  

Rainders Hoyo. Twenty Ideas for Using Mobile Phone in Language Classroom. English teaching Forum 2010. Number 3 :20-33