Каламбаева Г. Б.

Евразийский университет имени Л. Н. Гумилева, г. Астана, Республика Казахстан

MOBILE ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING

Today, the rapid development of technology has led to the mechanization of modern society, which is to empower people, involves changes in the system of social values. The consequence of this transformation is the development of the Internet and other innovative technologies, which was the beginning of a new evolutionary process. Nowadays, we cannot imagine a modern lesson without the using innovative technologies. These technologies have become an essential tool in raising students' interest to study the problems and develop visual-creative thinking. All this leads to a new system of knowledge, change of consciousness, a rethinking of the whole picture of the world: there is automation of the man who, in dealing with people manifests itself in different ways. The using innovative technologies in the school provide the opportunity to enhance cognitive, mental and independent activity of students, to intensify the educational process. These technologies make it possible not only to change the forms and methods of teaching, but also significantly transform and enrich the educational paradigm. The experiences show that the English language allows for the formation and development of the child. Also teaching English develops intelligence, imagination, attention, observation and creativity. The using innovative technology in the English lessons is highly factor for various forms of development, education and training.

Now almost all the schools have computers, multimedia installations, and interactive whiteboard, with free Internet access. Therefore the use of innovative technologies in the teaching of English has become not only necessary but also feasible.

And also one of the innovative technologies includes Mobile learning. Mobile learningin volves the use of a mobile phone, which has each student for providing mobility for learning.

Now, Mobile training develops very quickly. Mobile phones can support many kinds of learning, including language learning. Mobile technologies offer numerous practical uses in language learning. A computer is better than a mobile phone for handling various types of information such as visual, sound, and textual information, but mobile phone is superior to a computer in portability. They can be just as easily utilized outside of the classroom, learners can study or practice in any place on their own time, thereby taking advantage of their convenience.

Mobile devices play a main role in educational communications. Mobile phone can create a better environment for language learning with emphasis on learning English as a foreign language. Mobile learning environments might be face-to-face, distance, or online. Mobile phones already support a variety of data and multimedia features, most notably:

- Short messages and photography.

- Video photography and audio for playback of ringtones and music.

- Individual and interactive games and access to information (such as driving directions, travel information, and e-mail).

Users can access information on fine wines, submit samples of music to find out the name of the song, artist, and record label, and submit pictures of famous buildings to access guidebook content.

Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) describes an approach to language learning that is assisted or enhanced through the use of a handheld mobile device. MALL is a subset of both Mobile Learning (m-learning) and Computer-assisted language learning (CALL). MALL is language learning using mobile devices such as:

- Cell (mobile) phones (including the iPhone or iPod).

- MP3 or MP4 players (e.g. iPods).

- Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs).

With MALL, students are able to access language learning materials and to communicate with their teachers and peers at anytime, anywhere.

Mobile phone based curriculum demands effective and comfortable development of platform for teaching and learning along with sound instructional practices. Following issues have been identified for designing content of language learning through mobile phone.

- Short sentences for understanding of grammar.

- Sentences showing common errors of English.

- Organization of the lesson content in a way that equally emphasizes both receptive and productive skills.

- Voice recordings for clear pronunciation and articulation of words.

- Recorded short stories for developing reading skills.

- Different levels of exercises for evaluating the language proficiency of the users.

- Automated evaluation of pronunciation and speaking.

- Interactivity with the content via student’s responses.

- Effective learning using multimode applications.

- Using current capabilities, a variety of content can be developed for language learning, including:

- Short dialogs as conversational models.

- Read-along, recorded audio stories with the ability to follow along with the printed text while listening to develop both listening and reading skills.

- Picture dictionaries with illustrations of common objects and actions, plus audio playback of the new language and translations into users’ languages.

- Phrase books for travelers.

- Preparation for tests such as TOEFL and TOEIC.

Soon, however, a number of interactive features will become available, including:

- Ability to integrate a wider variety of media, including animation and short video.

- Ability to submit sound files for evaluation of pronunciation and speaking, including automated evaluation.

- Establishment of learner communities for interactive learning using shared tools and content.

- Ability to obtain location-specific content, using GPS technologies.

- The development of new features of this technology should be guided of principles of good curriculum design and pedagogy for teaching English. New features need to support needs for:

- Greater interactivity with the content, through the ability to submit student responses.

- Access to teachers, librarians, and other learners.

- Ability to interact with other learners, including playing games, conversation, and project-based learning, preferably using the phones’ capabilities to take pictures, capture sound, and input text.

 Portability-the small size and weight of mobile devices means they can be taken to different sites or moved around within a site. Social interactivity-data exchange and collaboration with other learners can happen face-to-face. Context sensitivity-mobile devices can both gather and respond to real or simulated data unique to the current location, environment and time. Connectivity shared network can be created by connecting mobile devices to data collection devices, other devices or to a common network. Individuality – activities can be customized for individual learners. The most notable constraints for earlier MALL include poor sound and display quality coupled with very limited devices and download speeds. Newer integrated PDA devices have narrowed the gap with higher access speeds, larger screens, having functions and capacities similar to laptop computers

 Mobile technique for language learning is effective and easy as the mobile device is quite a popular gadget; language learning through games generate interest and makes the process simple; mobile learning techniques involves the principle of ‘anytime anywhere’, which makes it available to the user as and when required. Mobile phone is one device that effectively utilizes time and the user is not bound by time constraints. A mobile language class supports a variety of learning styles in a timely and interactive fashion. It is a paradigm shift from e-learning to m-learning. The influence of technology on current academics is such that in near future the whole context of learning will come under single umbrella of m-learning.