The Effects of Mobile Applications on Learning English Phonemes: A Mixed-Methods Study

Although mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) has been identified as an effective method to learn the main skills and sub-skills of English (Khlaisang et al., ۲۰۲۱; Lin & Lin, ۲۰۱۹), few studies have examined the usefulness of MALL tools for learning English phonetics. The present classroom-based investigation, therefore, probed the possibility of exploiting MALL for teaching English phonemes. To this end, ۴۰ intermediate English as foreign language (EFL) students were randomly assigned into two control and experimental groups after taking a teacher-made pre-test containing receptive and productive items for phonemes covered in the first five units of Big English ۵. The test was first piloted with another similar group and its reliability was checked using K-R ۲۱ formula. The students in the experimental group were then taught using a range of MALL tools and apps, including LearnEnglish Sounds Right, Phonetic Keyboard English BETA, Speak English Pronunciation, Phonetic Chart – English Language Club, Unalengua IPA Translator, IPA Mastery: Learn And Master the English IPA, and WhatsApp for doing different tasks during ۱۶ sessions, while the control group underwent the conventional method of the language institute. After the treatment, a similar piloted post-test was administered to both groups. The results of the independent samples t-test indicated that the students in the experimental group outperformed the learners in the control group. The interviews with the students in the control group were also analyzed using MAXQDA to find their perceptions towards the usefulness of MALL for learning English phonemes. Results showed that the learners expressed positive attitudes and reported mobile applications as helpful for learning English phonetics. The findings suggest implications for language teachers, learners, materials writers, and syllabus designers to employ MALL tools as supplementary tools for teaching English phonemes.

کلیدواژه ها:

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning ، English Phonemes ، Students' Perception