New Pedagogies: Mobile Learning in Teaching of English as a Secondary Language

Abstract

The impact of mobile learning as an innovative pedagogical approach in the teaching of English as a Secondary Language (ESL) at the secondary school level. New educational technologies allow mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) to provide adaptable learning experiences that give students beyond-classroom opportunities for flexible and personalized learning with increased engagement. A quantitative approach analyzed language proficiency changes between 120 secondary students where half of them received mobile learning tools while the other half received traditional instruction. The experimental participants used specifically selected mobile applications oriented towards their ESL curriculum during an eight-week research period. Students received reading, writing, listening and speaking skill assessment through pre-test and post-test procedures. The experimental group achieved superior language proficiency score increments through their use of mobile tools as compared to the static control group. Frequency of mobile application usage showed only a mild connection to personal language development which indicates that students achieve better results from high-quality educational interactions than from sheer quantities of usage. Research data indicates mobile learning should act as an additional teaching method in ESL classrooms yet implementation requires professional guidance and equal technology access together with digital competency training for learners. By exploring mobile learning for language acquisition this research adds to existing new pedagogical