Implementing M-Learning in Saudi English Language Classrooms. Today in our smart devices, we have a huge number of free applications, which are very useful and interesting in leaning a language. 

    One of them is the “EduKitty ABC” application that available free in Apple App Store. EduKitty ABC is designed to help kids who ages from 1to 6 to learn read, write English Alphabets, and spell words and Phonics in a very interesting and useful way. I like this app and I found it very useful in learning English. Recently, I was download for my sister and she is still using it. Because it designed as a game but the main fundamental of the application is to learning English in fun way. A student can use out classroom with their parents to practice who can write English Alphabets and spell words. I can ask my students to a list English Alphabets. In addition, I can ask them to write on the board. I can ask them to doing game puzzle as a groups.

    

    Another one called “Little Fox”. The application is English stories and song. You can download from Google Play, which available free. Little Fox is a library of animated stories and songs for kids who ages from 5 to 13. The application help learner to build English vocabulary. The main goal of application to improve reading and four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).  I can make a discussion about the story. Another way I may ask them to take a quiz, which available in app, then take a screen short for their result and post it in a blog. I can asking my students to work as pair and give me a reflection about a story.

  
     Nowadays, a mobile device became a part of our live. Everyone has own mobile device. Mobile learning is a subset of e-learning, which itself is a subset of education, and has a distinct focus on learning through the use of devices that can be easily carried. There are many advantages to enhance mobile devices in a teaching and learning process. First, it is encouraging students to searching for information they want looking for. In addition, it will be improving students to use critical thinking. Furthermore, it will motivating the students to collaborate with each other’s. On other hands, it is very useful for teachers, because they are a lot of web sites and applications to participate with their students. Teachers can guide a learning process in indirect way, for Example, teacher can create blog, webQuest, and using any useful app. As a result, students can post in blog asking questions and other colleagues answer to them. As well, collaborating and participating with each other to complete a task in webQuest. The students nowadays do not like the traditional way of learning. I think Saudi students need to use Mobile learning to progress our learning process. Because the majority of the students having own mobile device. In addition, they are very intelligent for using these devices. Because this generation are born with this technological revolution. There are a huge of apps, which are available on mobile device. That is very helpful, interesting and easier to use.

    In Saudi Arabia, there is a gap between using mobile technology at home and in school. I divided into two reasons. First, the Saudi schools do not allowing students to bring their devices in the classroom. In addition, schools do not providing mobile devices for the students. Second, many of students they are not using their device for learning. The majority of them they are using their device for entertainment purposes.

    I think we can support our education system by providing a variety of technological applications, which improving learning and teaching process. As a result, Students will be more awareness for how can benefit from their devices to increase their knowledge and understanding. Mobile learning can be easily practice as an individual, pair and group work in English language classroom. For example; students may reading e-books or listening to audiobooks, recording audio/visual content, Posting questions or work products on shared websites, sending files to peers or instructors, or using social networking sites/shared websites to collaborate with others anywhere in the world. However, students can easier dealing with technology revolution anytime and anywhere. Furthermore, students will be center approach in learning process.

    Finally, I hope for our Ministry of Education to benefit from Mobile learning for progressive learning and teaching process in our schools. Mobile learning is becoming very active part of the learning and teaching process.

Reference

    Nowadays, many students and teachers around the word they are using a webQuest site. WebQuest is activities that using internet recourse, which encourage student to use higher order thinking skills to solve a problem. A WebQuest provides a means of supplying to students a topic-oriented hotlist of Web sites as a starting point for gathering information.

    The one advantages of web quest in a forging language is to improve the student language quickly. Because the teacher give a student’s activity, which provide with a structure then students will be participate with others colleagues to complete the task. Moreover, students are using English language in a situation rather than in a class. As a result, students will be able to expand their vocabulary and participate through communicate with others. On other hand, it is help second language because students will be creativity when they are doing a task. Moreover, they will be support to use higher thinking skills. I think wepQuest it is very useful website.

    When I will be a teacher in one day, I will use webQuset to guide my student for best learning techniques. Nowadays, students are very intelligent about a technology especial smart phone, iPad, and laptop. When I use webQuest to asking them to do activity, they are will be more motivation and interesting to do it. However, the learning process will be indirect, so students will be learning a huge number of English language skills. 

Can you watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMHl2riF4oc