Vocabulary:
- unconventional – out of the ordinary; not based on what is generally done or believed
This is an unconventional school as teachers don’t give students homework. - utilize – use; make use of
I would like to utilize my time doing more productive things. - gadget – a small device or machine with a particular purpose
Before, I used different gadgets to listen to music, watch movies and call someone. Now, I can do all of those with just one. - noteworthy – deserving attention because of being important or interesting
It is noteworthy that nobody in this room is interested in taking a day off.
Unconventional forms of learning and instruction have become more popular in the 21st century. Technology has allowed learning to take place outside the four walls of a classroom. Asian countries like Korea, China, Japan and the Philippines are utilizing smartphones for more than just communication. Many learners from China, Japan and Korea study English as a Second Language with teachers from the Philippines thru gadgets like smartphones. This type of learning has reduced the cost of studying as both students and teachers need not meet outside and the tutorial fee itself is affordable. The effectiveness of this method is of course a different matter. What’s noteworthy is how technology has changed the way people learn.
There are other more creative ways students can learn thru their smartphones. For example, a mobile app in Japan called iKnow app allows its users to interact with it. This type of app provides several types of English words, phrases, and questions to answer. There are also mobile apps that enhance particular skills in English. If you want to enhance your vocabulary, you can have iKnow app for a certain charge monthly. If you want to work on your listening skills, you can download Upgrader and Kikoeigo for free. If you want to focus more on reading, there’s an app called Polygots. There’s no shortage of apps available for learners, all you have to do is look and try.
True or False:
- Traditional forms of learning and instruction have become more popular in the 21st century.
- Asian countries like Korea, China and Japan, are utilizing smartphones only for communication.
- Studying another language using smartphones is more costly.
- There’s a smartphone app that allows users to interact with it.
- There’s an app that’s been specifically designed for users who want to focus more on their listening skills.
Express your opinion:
- What do you think is the most useful smartphone app there is? Discuss.
- How has smartphone made your job easier?
- Do you think modern technology has made life more simple or more complicated?
- What do you think is the most important breakthrough of this century (in science, arts, technology, etc)?
- What do you think is the best way to study another language?
Defend your argument:
- It is still better to talk to a tutor/teacher when learning a different language.
- Most people have become too dependent on gadgets like smartphones.
- “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela