More Than Just Word of the Day: Vocabulary Apps for English Learners

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Abstract

The authors present a tool that teachers can use to evaluate the rigor of vocabulary apps for their English learners. The tool asks about effective instructional practices, types of instructional activities, and technology features. The authors used the evaluation tool to examine 53 vocabulary apps for English learners and found overall app quality to be poor. Although most apps included narration (58%), additional features that would benefit students learning English, such as automatic translation to another language or visuals, were largely absent. Finally, the authors present ways that, despite their limitations, vocabulary apps can be used to support English learners’ vocabulary development.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)623-630
Number of pages8
JournalReading Teacher
Volume72
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2019

Keywords

  • 2-Childhood
  • English as a second language
  • English for speakers of other languages < Language learners, First, second etc.
  • English language learners
  • English learners
  • General vocabulary < Vocabulary
  • Instructional strategies; methods and materials
  • Language learners
  • Second-language learning < Language learners
  • Specialized vocabulary < Vocabulary
  • Vocabulary
  • language (L1, L2, etc.) < Language learners

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