Abstract
The main goal of this study was to examine how the 4English mobile app affected 10th-grade students' reading abilities and how they felt about using it to learn to read. At a high school in the province of An Giang, Vietnam, 90 10th graders are chosen and split equally into two groups. The curriculum, materials, school resources, and classroom instruction are the same for both groups. The experimental group is instructed to use the 4English mobile app to improve their reading skills, while the control group is given traditional reading assignments from the teacher. Four research tools employed in the study were a questionnaire, an interview, a pretest, and a posttest. The results demonstrate that the experimental participants performed better in the posttest and had favorable sentiments toward using the 4English mobile app to teach reading.
TopIntroduction
All English learners must be proficient readers if they wish to learn the language since reading is seen as a way for learners to acquire language inputs like vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and other language components to support the other skills (Aryadoust, 2019). Reading is therefore given particular attention among English language learners. However, actual classroom activities demonstrate that the traditional teacher-centered approaches continue to predominate, which limits the outcomes of English reading comprehension (Kumar et al., 2018; Wixson, 2017). Numerous scholars have worked hard to identify more efficient language learning techniques in an effort to address this issue. To enhance reading instruction, more effective methods should be investigated and incorporated into the situations in which EFL students are currently learning to read. According to Pardo (2004), prior knowledge, experience, and approaching a book through a variety of cognitive processes are three variables that may impact the success of understanding a text. Other studies confirm that one of the most crucial subskills that all language learners must master in order to learn a language is reading comprehension (Daniels et al., 2019; Miller & Pennycuff, 2008). Without the ability to comprehend what they are reading in their textbooks, students will not be able to achieve in the classroom. Reading, therefore, is a fundamental ability for success in school and the workplace. The 4English mobile app is anticipated to satisfy students' needs and complement their learning styles because it is based on a social constructivism approach, promoting linguistic knowledge acquisition through independent learning.
Students have access to a wide selection of helpful materials that are available to them in both English and Vietnamese thanks to the 4English mobile app. It has numerous sections, including dictionaries, games, webpages, blogs, and YouTube videos, to mention a few. One of the biggest benefits of this mobile app is that students can read English words and instantly seek the Vietnamese meaning by clicking on any words, phrases, sentences, or even paragraphs they do not understand. Additionally, this app has a blog where the reader may get a wealth of useful lessons on pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Since this software is mobile, students can access the content whenever they want and wherever they want. They can also keep freshly learnt English terms in a designated vocabulary corner for subsequent reference. As a result, because of the benefits described above, the 4English mobile app can be a useful and appropriate tool for English learners to enhance their language learning, particularly reading skills. With the use of the two research questions below, the purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of the 4English mobile app to assist students in improving their reading comprehension:
Key Terms in this Chapter
E-Learning: E-learning (short for electronic learning) refers to digital instruction. E-learning is largely synonymous with distance learning.
Blended Learning: This type of learning combines online learning with face-to-face training. Learners who use a blended method receive thorough, multimodal teaching.
Synchronous: In contrast to “asynchronous,” the term “synchronous” describes learning in which teachers and students converse simultaneously. Synchronous training includes activities like conventional in-person classes.
Mobile Learning: Learning that is mobile in nature created with smartphones and tablets in mind. Although it is mobile-first in nature, it can also be accessible via laptop computers. This includes learning on small screens, requiring less concentration, using more gamified activities to onboard learners, etc.
Gamification: Gamification is the use of game principles from video games or mobile applications to design an entertaining and difficult user experience. Modern education is largely founded on gamification.
Collaborative Learning: Collaborative learning is a community-based educational strategy in which each organization member shares their knowledge and expertise with others. Social learning and peer learning are closely related to collaborative learning.