Using Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (Mall) to Enhance Communication in English of Engineering Students in Bangladesh (Published)
As there is a rapid growth of technology in today’s world, wireless communication technology is not an exception to this respect. Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) deals with the use of mobile technology in language teaching and learning. Mobile has no inbuilt wisdom, no intellect of its own, no inventiveness and instinctive capability to teach or learn. Nevertheless, it is used for different purposes in many ways. The teachers, in particular, can use mobile technology to prepare their students to teach effectively through using apps, blogs, and digital keyboards. And this use of technology can make the dynamic changes in teaching and learning English language skills, such as, reading, speaking, listening and writing. Drawn data from questionnaire survey, interviews with students and teachers, this paper demonstrates the suitability of mobile phone use as a pedagogic tool the classroom practice to enhance the ways of teaching to cultivate communication in English to the engineering students in Bangladesh context. To undertake this research, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 300 engineering students at two universities in Bangladesh. Findings suggest that mobile phone is advantageous, such as, it is handy to use, it is easily portable, it can be used anytime and any place, students can share reading materials easily and comfortably. However, this study also reports the disadvantages firstly, it can drive away students’ attention in classroom practice, and secondly, students can misuse it. Finally an assessment has been made that mobile phone use can help engineering students to improve their English language skills to communicate.
Keywords: mobile-assisted language learning; motivation; pronunciation; engineering students.