Learn English with your smartphone

Learning English With  Your Smartphone

As smartphones become more accessible it is becoming easier for more of the population to obtain a smartphone. With this being the truth it shows more and more how smartphones can help and improve our lives. Most smartphones have aspects integrated that make it possible to do pretty much anything that you need to do from taking photos, tracking spending, getting a workout, and even getting an education or improving your English. There are countless apps that can help to improve in education and especially in English in many aspects and many ways. A few of these apps will be investigated to show their functions and how these apps may help you to continue to improve in and master more of the English language. These apps contain three main important aspects that make them a good addition to formal classes including convenience, efficiency, and engaging. In convenience it shows that the app as practically all  smartphone apps are created so that the user may be able to use them in any place and at any time. With efficiency it is shown that the apps are to the point and user-friendly allowing the user to use the app as they intend to do so and in a timely fashion giving them to the point information that helps tremendously in improving their understanding. When looking at being engaging it is seen that many of today’s population is very tech-friendly as some are more than others but these apps’ appeal help those that are more tech-friendly to find tools to help them continue to improve in what they are studying.  Now let me be very clear here these apps are not intended to replace normal class and will be not suitable to do so, therefore, they are good tools to add on to what you are already engaged in to continue to improve your dominance in English.  These apps can be classified into three types including vocabulary/dictionary, speaking/listening, and others.

In regards to apps that can be used to improve vocabulary or are used as dictionaries will help you build your vocabulary and gain a better understanding of the words used in various ways and at various times. Busuu is a wonderful app available on Itunes or on Android app markets to download for free. This app contains more than 3,000 words or expressions that will help you improve your vocabulary as well as the use of that vocabulary. The app also has interactive quizzes to test you on your knowledge of the given vocabulary. Another good feature with this app is that you get the first 20 lessons for free and if you desire to continue using it to improve even more you may do so paying for the remainder of the lessons. MyWordBook is a wonderful app created by the British Council and Cambridge University Press to give English Learners an interactive way to learn, study, and review various vocabulary terms using flashcards that help to give learners a visual aid to learning the various vocabulary terms. This app may also be paired with the Cambridge Dictionary to get more packs of vocabulary terms for free so that you can continue to improve your English skills. This wonderful app is available for Iphone, Android, and Windows phones. The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app unlike most of the others does come at a price. With that said this is one of the most complete dictionaries that English Learners can get their hands on as it is very in depth. This wonderful and slightly pricy app is only available on the Itunes app store. The last of the vocabulary or dictionary apps is the Oxford Deluxe Dictionary and Thesaurus of English which is one of the most complete and well made English dictionaries that can be obtained. This might be one of the most expensive apps that English Learners can get, but it is without doubt the bees knees of English learning apps on the market. This app is also only available on the Itunes app market.

When looking at apps that help speaking and listening there are various beneficial apps that can help students continue to improve their listening and speaking abilities in English. SpeakingPal is an app that is an English Tutor by design that gives short 5 minute courses giving students interactive practice using voice recognition software with recorded phone calls so that the learner may practice listening native speakers or speakers from other countries that may be difficult to understand as the systems also helps them improve their speaking skills. This app is available for  free through the Itunes or Android app markets. The other highly recommended app to practice listening Is Conversation English app available on the Itunes app store. This app has 20 conversational lessons that with a video dialogue where you listen to the type of real world dialogue and answers questions about those dialogues. This app is wonderful in being able to practice conversational English. Another wonderful app that helps to improve listening comprehension is that from TED talks where the user can download the app on Itunes or Android app market and are able to watch various talks about many topics and in various languages. This is a great app because the user is able to choose from different lengths and are able to use subtitles so that they are able to understand as they continue to improve in their English understanding, listening, and vocabulary.

The last sections dealing with various types of apps has some apps that are basic English teaching apps and others are specified in some areas of instruction. Voxy is a wonderful app that uses interactive reading material from articles, books, and other sources to help students to continue improving in their understanding and ability to use various vocabulary terms in different situations. The app also has special games to review material seen throughout the app. There are also short comprehension quizzes so that the learner can gauge if they are understanding correctly the material that is being given to them.

There is another very good app that has been designed to give English Learners specific practice and exercises in preparation for the IELTS exam which is design specifically  for those who desire to take the IELTS exam with specific vocabulary practice which is called the IELTS Master Vocabulary Guide which can go along with the book also created by the Cambridge University Press. This app is only available on the iTunes app store. The final app to be investigated is one also from the Cambridge University Press named the English Grammar in Use Tests app which can go well with the book series that the Cambridge University Press created. This app is very useful for English Learners who desire to have quick on the go grammar exercises and practice to continue to polish their grammar knowledge and use.

There are many ways to learn a new language. It is important to have good sound instruction in an institute or with a competent teacher, but having good apps such as the ones discussed can help to continue to relate the ideas learned in class and to continue to improve in what the student is learning.