While mobile apps help vocabulary, how do we prevent them from undermining conversational competence?
Dear Dalia, my short answer is would be: We don't. Mobile vocabulary apps train L2 vocabulary first and foremost (and probably some L2 reading and L2 writing, possibly some L2 listening, if sound is implemented). If you want to train L2 speaking (i.e. conversation), you would have to use a suitable method to do that, such as pair-work speaking activities.
While mobile apps build vocabulary, we can prevent them from harming speaking skills by combining them with real conversations and interactive speaking practice.
Although i dont agree with the premise, this raises an important point about the marketing of these apps, suggesting they are indeed an effective vehicle for the development of speaking skills. This, as anyone with the most rudimentary understanding of second language acquisition knows, is nonsense!
To prevent mobile apps from weakening conversational competence, integrate real-time speaking tasks and peer interactions within the app, ensuring balanced development of both vocabulary and communication skills.
Why would mobile apps undermine conversational competence any more than, say, a textbook, a dictionary or a phrasebook?
Thank you for the answers. Martin, I believe the concern lies in how some apps encourage passive, isolated learning without real-time interaction, which may limit spontaneous speaking skills, something that textbooks and dictionaries don’t inherently replace either, but aren’t often used as the sole method.
Dalia Elleuch The issue seems to be how learners use self-study resources to learn languages. Ultimately it is up to them how they study/learn.
After communism fell in eastern and central Europe, I can remember anecdotal reports of people who were very competent speakers/listeners of English after having learnt it from textbooks and listening to BBC or Voice of America radio without any communicative contact in English with other people. Perhaps, you could also consider the role of motive (and motivation), learning style/preference and how important real-time interaction may be.
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