@CUE
Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher
Gary J. Wolff
Meiji University
Although more than two years have now passed since the introduction of Apple’s iPadtablet computer, this versatile mobile device continues to revolutionize the education
landscape. Nevertheless, an exploding number of applications often brings confusion toteachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in how best to utilize the iPad as a teachingtool in their classrooms, especially those language educators not so technologically inclined.
The purpose of this article is to identify a few of the most useful iPad applications for
EFL teachers, and to describe how teachers are actually using the device in and out of theclassroom for tasks including the presentation of class content; face-to-face interaction withstudents; as an instantaneous, in-class reference tool; and for the teachers’ own professional
development. By learning how EFL teachers are using iPads to their fullest potential, thereader will gain insight into how to maximize use of this versatile device and in the process
will be able to provide a more enriching learning environment for students.
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The iPad has all of the world’s learning in it…and access
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door to some new knowledge. It transforms you.
JoAnne Boyle, President of Seton Hill University (Apple iPad, 2011)52

Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher, OnCUE Journal, 6(1), pages 52-68

Introduction
Introduced in April 2010, the iPad is a tablet computer designed anddeveloped by Apple Inc. Its size and weight fall between those of contemporary
smartphones and laptop computers. It is used primarily as a platform foraudio and visual media, including books, periodicals, movies, music, games,
applications, and Web content. It has quickly been embraced by students andteachers, with now over 1.5 million iPads already in use in schools around theworld (Apple Press Info, 2012).
Although the iPad is still in its infancy with respect to educational uses
for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, iPad applications are
expanding the learning experience both inside and outside the classroom.
The possibilities extend from the new interactive textbooks to study aids to
productivity tools, such that it is worth exploring its potential usefulness to
educators. An overwhelming number of applications (apps)—200,000—are
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do every day, but in ways they have never done them before. This relatively new
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excitement. Unfortunately, along with this excitement may come confusion
and bewilderment among those teachers who feel overwhelmed by the newtechnology. Many EFL teachers are still sitting on the sidelines, watching andZDLWLQJDVWHFKQRORJ\LQWKHHGXFDWLRQÀHOGFKDQJHVYLUWXDOO\RQDGDLO\EDVLV
Recent research (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010) has revealed that
although teachers in general have increased their personal and professional
uses of computers, instructional uses of computers in the classroom still tend
to be low-level (e.g., presenting a lesson with PowerPoint, searching the Web
for information resources, assigning homework using the computer, etc.). One
reason teachers are reluctant to incorporate technology into the classroom isthat with the tools and resources constantly changing and always being in a
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they will never have “complete” knowledge about the tools available, and thisoften results in some teachers remaining as everlasting beginners in the processof technology integration.
53

WolffThere is no question that the iPad and its ever growing number of apps
RIIHUDQDEXQGDQFHRI QHZRSSRUWXQLWLHVIRUDOOÀHOGVRI HQGHDYRU)RU()/teachers, there is no better time to investigate some useful iPad apps that canbe used both inside and outside of class, and for the teachers’ own professional
development. What’s more, most iPad apps are either free or priced under¥850.
While there is no clear dividing line between iPad applications that can beused in or out of the classroom (as most can be used for both), this paper will
review them separately for the sake of simplicity.

Classroom Use
Evernote (free)
For anyone tired of carrying a heavy laptop, Evernote is an elegant solution.
This free application allows users to create notes, extract Web page content,
store PDFs, and snap photos, using categories called “tags” to organize the
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any device, from a home computer to a smartphone to an iPad. On a mobile
GHYLFHLQDFODVVURRP(YHUQRWHDOORZVWHDFKHUVWRPRUHHDVLO\VKDUHÀOHVZLWKtheir students, and courses can be broken down and put into notebooks along
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By using the “Evernote Upload” email address furnished with the account,teachers and students can email notes, photos, and audio clips from an iPad,
computer, or smartphone directly into an Evernote notebook. By adding a
special destination tag at the end of the subject line, students can email theirassignments directly to the teacher’s Evernote notebook that has already been
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Moreover, because text in Evernote images is searchable, snapping photosof whiteboards and class notes is a good way to keep records, which can thenbe synchronized with a computer and smartphone, allowing easy access acrossall devices. This recordkeeping method works well outside the classroom, too,for organizing personal things like business cards, receipts, labels, and the like.

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Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher, OnCUE Journal, 6(1), pages 52-68

Evernote’s “Shared Notebooks” feature allows users to share notes with
WKHSXEOLFRUWRFRQÀQHVKDULQJWRIULHQGVFROOHDJXHVRUVWXGHQWV(VSHFLDOO\convenient is the ability to put lesson plans into a format that is available tostudents online and is also easy to edit and update, in much the same way aswith course management systems (CMS) such as Moodle. A science teacher in
California (Buran, 2011) recently used the Shared Notebooks feature to keep
his students updated with class materials after a landslide in his area blocked
roads and kept students from attending school for several weeks. Even thoughmany of Buran’s students were unable to attend class, by sharing his Evernote
notebooks, they did not fall behind because they were able to access classnotes, worksheets, PowerPoints, and labs. Figure 1 shows one of the daily classitineraries using Evernote Shared Notebook.

Figure 1. Daily class itinerary using Evernote shared notebook.

Evernote is so highly regarded, it was inducted into the Apple “App Hall ofFame” and is one of the New York Times “Top 10 Must-Have Apps” (Tedeschi,
2010). Free accounts allow up to 100,000 notes, a size limit of 25 megabytes
per note, 250 synchronized notebooks, and a monthly upload allowance of 60
55

Wolffmegabytes. All notes can also be tagged with GPS coordinates for mappingand search. In addition, on the Evernote Web site, teachers can learn andshare teaching ideas in three user forums entitled “Evernote for Teaching,”“Evernote for Higher Education and Universities,” and “Mobile Learning.”
Evernote Peek (free)(YHUQRWH3HHN  LVWKHÀUVWL3DG6PDUW&RYHUOHDUQLQJDSSOLFDWLRQWR
allow users to cycle quickly through Evernote notes in a question-and-answer,ÁDVKFDUGVW\OH:KHQ\RXUROORSHQWKHÀUVWVHFWLRQRI \RXUL3DG6PDUW&RYHU
(Figure 2), Peek will show you a question posed by the teacher. If you open
the next section of the Smart Cover, the answer will be revealed. Each time
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By connecting Peek to an Evernote account, it is possible to brush up on aODQJXDJHPDNHÁDVKFDUGVIRUDTXL]RUWHVW\RXUWULYLDNQRZOHGJHDOOE\VLPSO\peeking under the Smart Cover (or the optional virtual on-screen cover).

Figure 2. Sample question and answer in Evernote Peek.

Teachers can make a quiz with Evernote Peek by creating a new Evernote
notebook for the quiz. The title of the note will be the “question” portion
when viewed in Evernote Peek and the body of the note will be the “answer.”56

Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher, OnCUE Journal, 6(1), pages 52-68

Peek can also be used by students for self-study.
I have used Evernote Peek in my oral English classes for key expression
drills and in my science English classes for reviewing technical vocabulary, bydisplaying the iPad image onto the classroom projector screen or the language
lab booth monitors. My EFL students have also been thoroughly amusedby some of the application’s other built-in quizzes on topics such as Frenchwords, sushi, world capitals, and bird calls.
Notability (¥85)
Notability is an all-inclusive, note-taking paid application that lets users
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all from within the application. These notes can be emailed or exported ina format of the teacher’s choice (including options that retain the audio) to
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DQG L&ORXG LFORXGFRP  L7XQHV ÀOH VKDULQJ DQG HOVHZKHUH 8QOLNH VRPHRWKHUQRWHWDNLQJDSSVZKHUHXVHUVFDQRQO\GUDZZLWKWKHLUÀQJHURUDVW\OXVNotability gives users the ability to type notes as well as draw, with over adozen paper styles and colors available to choose from, ranging from a classic
white background to college-ruled paper. Notability also allows the importing
and annotating of PDFs, and its unique zoom feature enables users to control
the size of the writing more easily.
Darrel Wanzer, a University of North Texas professor, has used Notability
to help streamline his review and grading of student presentations (EnckWanzer, 2011). By using Notability, he created a new note for each student,
recorded their presentations using the application’s elapsed time indicator
to track presentation length, typed his comments on their presentation
performance into the note, and even took photos of them in action. After
getting home, he emailed his written review from within the application toeach student.
In my own oral English classes, I have used Notability during my “What’snew?” face-to-face walkabout session at the beginning of class, for taking
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57

Wolffexpressions for individual students. I have also used it with a PDF seating chart
for recording student participation and taking attendance in my smaller classes.
One of Notability’s best features is how seamlessly it synchronizes an audio
recording directly to the notes being taken at that time. When reviewing thenotes, double-tapping on a word anywhere in the note will cue the recording
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typed. No rewinding or fast forwarding is necessary to get to that point in therecording. Just tap the word and that portion of the audio is played.
Figure 3 shows a screenshot of a sample class note in Notability showing
examples of typed text, handwritten text, and a free-hand drawing.

Figure 3. Sample class note in Notability.

Keynote (¥850)
The Keynote app is Apple’s answer to Microsoft PowerPoint, whichallows users to create, edit, and share multimedia presentations with graphics,
animations, and charts. Besides the obvious use for professional presentations,
Keynote is widely used by educators for classroom lectures. On an iPad and
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more dynamic lectures by being able to walk around the class while presenting
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Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher, OnCUE Journal, 6(1), pages 52-68

course content. By using the built-in Charts feature, one can easily take a classpoll and create a colorful bar chart displaying the results (Henneberry, 2011).
The application can import Keynote ’09 and PowerPoint presentations
via email attachments, iTunes, Dropbox, or from iCloud. It is also possible
to drag and drop presentations to iCloud from a Mac or PC to have them
automatically appear on an iPad or any other iOS device.
When the iPad is connected to an external display such as a classroom
projector, the iPad screen shows Keynote’s “presenter display,” which inaddition to showing the slide number and current slide (and/or next slide),
includes an elapsed time indicator and a simulated laser pointer tool. The laser
pointer displays a bright red dot on the external display wherever you touch
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display to show your presenter notes, and if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch,
you can install the Keynote Remote application on it to remotely control thepresentation on your iPad. Figure 4 is a screenshot of Keynote’s presenter
display, showing the elapsed timer and laser pointer.

Figure 4. Keynote’s presenter display with “laser pointer” dot shown at the upper left.

Presentations can be shared by emailing them (in Keynote, PowerPoint, or59

Wolff

PDF format), copying them to iTunes, or uploading them to Dropbox. iCloudstores presentations and keeps them up to date across an array of mobile
devices and the Web, so that you always have the most current versions at
hand.
Wikipanion (free)
Wikipanion is the mobile device version of Wikipedia and is connected
directly to the Wikipedia servers, making access to the site easier and faster.
Topics you are looking up can be located more quickly with the in-page search
and autocomplete features. Your favorite pages can be bookmarked and articles
can be saved, so you can read and reference them later.
By enabling other languages, search results can also be displayed in thosealternative languages. On the “Related” pages list, links are then provided todifferent language versions of the page, but only to the languages you haveenabled, so you are not overwhelmed with a long list of languages you are notinterested in.
In addition, by pressing down on any word on the page, the application
provides a direct lookup feature in Wikipedia’s sister dictionary site, Wiktionary,
without having to leave the current page. Unlike the Web site version, eachpage has a left-side table of contents that links directly to those sections of thepages. By clicking on the latitude/longitude coordinates link in the upper rightcorner of the page, a Google map automatically pops up in a new window.
Dictionary.com (free)Dictionary.com is just one of a number of good online English-English
dictionaries, but not only is this iPad app free, it also provides full mobile accessWR 7KHVDXUXVFRP 7KH DSS LQFOXGHV QHDUO\ WZR PLOOLRQ ZRUGV GHÀQLWLRQV
synonyms, and antonyms. It also features audio pronunciation, voice-to-text
search, and Dictionary.com’s popular Word of the Day. Another nice feature isthat no Internet connection is necessary for looking up words or for accessing
most of the app’s other content.

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Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher, OnCUE Journal, 6(1), pages 52-68

iTunes U (free)
iTunes U is the world’s largest catalog of free educational content anda powerful, innovative distribution system for everything from lectures to
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resources from over 1000 universities in 26 countries, including prestigious
institutions like Beijing Open University, Cambridge, Harvard, MIT, Oxford,
Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Yale. At least half of these schools distribute theircontent publicly, including lectures, presentations, syllabi, assignments, readingmaterials, and campus maps.
In August 2010 iTunes U launched its service in Asia by distributing
video content from four Japanese universities. So far, 10 Japanese colleges
and universities have posted lectures and course materials in both English
and Japanese to iTunes U, such as Chuo University, Hokkaido University,
Kansai University, Keio University, Kyoto University, Kyushu University, Meiji
University, Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, The University of Tokyo, andWaseda University.
In the “Beyond Campus” section of iTunes U, although much of thematerial may be too high-level for most EFL students, teachers can accessa wealth of English content from distinguished non-university entities, suchas MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), the New York Public Library, National
Geographic, the Smithsonian Institution, Public Radio International, and
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your school’s Wi-Fi network is unreliable, it is better to download the material
EHIRUHFODVVWKURXJKL7XQHVRQ\RXUKRPHRURIÀFHFRPSXWHUFaceTime (free)
FaceTime is a built-in app, or put another way, an application that is free
and automatically included in the iPad 2 and new iPad. It allows users to makevideo calls from an iPad 2 to someone else’s iPad 2, iPod touch, iPhone 4, or
Mac over Wi-Fi. The iPad’s front camera can be used to talk face-to-face and61

Wolffthe back camera to share what you see around you. Teachers can collaborate
with educators around the globe or with students when not in class by justtapping the app icon. FaceTime also creates opportunities for live video chatswith students at other schools or even in other countries (Talandis, 2011).
While FaceTime is limited to Apple devices, the free downloadable Skypeapplication is another option that would enable in-class student exchanges,
allowing free video calling and instant messaging with other Skype users. The
possibilities are truly limitless.

Out-of-Classroom Use
Dropbox (free)Anyone who has used Dropbox on a computer or smartphone alreadyknows this is a vital tool also for the iPad. Dropbox is a free or paid Web-basedÀOHVWRUDJHDSSOLFDWLRQWKDWHOLPLQDWHVWKHQHHGIRUÁDVKGULYHVDQGSRUWDEOH
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be opened on an iPad using applications like Keynote, Notability, Evernote,$GREH 5HDGHU DQG L%RRNV GHSHQGLQJ RQ WKH ÀOH W\SH )LJXUH  VKRZV D
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can be shared via a public URL link or by entering email addresses for individual
viewers (Pellowe, 2011). The basic Dropbox account is free and allows storage
up to two gigabytes, with individual paid plans up to 100 gigabytes available.
Users can also expand their free storage allotment if they can convince otherpeople to sign up.

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Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher, OnCUE Journal, 6(1), pages 52-68

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Dragon Dictation (free)
The free Dragon Dictation app is courtesy of Nuance Communications,maker of the popular Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software
for PCs. This app allows users to speak and save drafts of documents, emails,
to-do lists, social media status updates, and more at a speed much faster thantyping. After dictating a note, you can email it to students, parents, school
administrators, or to yourself by clicking on the options drop-down box in
the upper right corner and clicking on “email.” You can also copy and paste
the dictated note into any other application that accepts text, including Safari,Notes, Evernote, and Notability. Facebook and Twitter users, by authorizing
a connection to their accounts, can click on these icons in Dragon Dictation,and their composed text is inserted automatically into their status bars at thosesocial networking sites. For slow typists, this app can be a huge timesaver.
Long-time users of Dragon NaturallySpeaking for the PC will be pleased
to know that the Dragon Dictation iPad version uses, for the most part, thesame formatting and punctuation command syntax. Tips and a quick reference
guide are available in the application’s settings.

63

Wolff

Google Translate for iOS (free)
Google Translate allows you to translate text from more than 60 languages.
For 17 languages, you can speak your words and phrases instead of typing
them, and for 24 languages, you can hear the corresponding translations
spoken aloud. Its speech recognition is far from perfect and often renders
some comical translations, but when used slowly and carefully, the app allows
for at least some degree of communication between people with no common
language.
By using the language swap button at the top which reverses the directionof the translation, in those 17 languages that provide both speech-to-text andtext-to-speech capabilities, it is possible to have some semblance of a quick
back-and-forth conversation. When living and teaching in a foreign country,
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addition to our linguistic toolbox.

Professional Development
Midori (¥850)
Midori is a Japanese-English, English-Japanese dictionary app that comes
highly recommended by EFL teachers (Beck, 2011). It is a very powerfultool for teachers who are studying Japanese, with more than 146,000 words,
more than 12,000 kanji, 150,000 example sentences, 720,000 Japanese names,
and other features that will make learning Japanese more enjoyable. You cansearch by kana, romaji, or a combination of both; by handwriting using native
Japanese (not the usual built-in Chinese) handwriting recognition; or by kanji
radicals. Many users buy this app solely for its superior handwriting recognition
capabilities.
iBooks (free)
iBooks, a free downloadable app from the App Store, features a colorfulinterface resembling a bookshelf, crisp text, and a multi-touch interface that
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Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher, OnCUE Journal, 6(1), pages 52-68

and buy books. iBooks Version 2 enables users to now buy even interactive,
multimedia textbooks from the built-in iBookstore, which is revealed when
the iBooks bookshelf turns around. Teachers can download educational titles
from publishers such as Penguin Books, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster,and Macmillan Publishers. The iBookstore also provides content channeledthrough Smashwords, allowing independent authors and publishers to selfpublish.
Downloaded books appear on the user’s iBooks bookshelf and can beread by just tapping them on the screen. Easy-to-use tools allow users tobookmark pages, highlight text, and make notes (all three record the date for
future reference). The books are fully searchable and font style and size can be
adjusted. It is also possible to save, read, and print PDFs, which is useful forclass handouts, research papers, and more. iBooks can synchronize between
devices, so one can start reading a book on one device and continue from
where one left off on another.
Newsstand (free)
The iPad is perfect for reading newspapers, magazines, and journals. The
Newsstand app allows your favorite subscriptions to be organized in one
convenient location. In addition, Newsstand automatically downloads newissues in the background, so it does not disturb current reading. My own
iPad Newsstand shelves are graced by useful periodicals for teaching, such as
Popular Science, Wired, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Applications
for the various news periodicals are free, as are the preview and sampler issues.
The price for annual iPad subscriptions is comparable to print subscriptions,but for some periodicals, print subscribers can access the iPad edition for free.

Miscellaneous iPad Tips/Resources
Copy textbook CDs onto iPad. Teachers can import textbook CDs into
iTunes and then synchronize them to the iPad. That eliminates the need tocarry individual CDs to class (Angel, 2011).

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WolffOther iPad applications. Some other applications that may be useful include
classroom management tools like Gradekeeper for iPad, Attendance (Swanson,2012), Teacher’s Attaché, TeacherPal, Whiteboard, and Speechmaker. Other
education-related apps include Khan Academy, Google Earth, TED, andKaraoke HD (Yasuda, 2011). Brief descriptions of these apps, all of which arefree or available for only a nominal fee, can be found in the iTunes App Store.

Conclusion
I have discovered exciting new ways to integrate technology into mylanguage teaching by using the iPad. At the same time, I have also recognizedthat technology can never replace our core pedagogy, but rather merely
VXSSOHPHQWV RXU UHJXODU FODVVURRP DFWLYLWLHV :KHQ , ÀUVW VWDUWHG XVLQJ WKHiPad in my classes, there was a very noticeable and immediate upward shift inenthusiasm and excitement among my students. It is my humble opinion thatmost learners are technology enthusiasts at heart, and when they observe theirteachers introducing technology into the classroom, they cannot help but feelinspired to embrace it themselves.
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new avenues of ideas for stimulating and maintaining student interest in yourlessons. By using the iPad, EFL teachers can present lesson content, monitor
student progress, and stay organized. In my classes I have played language
games, conducted vocabulary drills, read books, listened to imported textbook
CDs, recorded student participation and attendance, watched videos, and evensung karaoke on the iPad, and this is just the beginning.
Gary J. Wolff is a former professional engineer who has worked in Japan since 1991 andtaught in Meiji University’s School of Science and Technology for the past 12 years. Hisinterests include the latest technological advances in online student forums and fostering global
awareness among his students. garywolff@utexas.edu.

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Useful iPad Tools for the EFL Teacher, OnCUE Journal, 6(1), pages 52-68

Received: December 15, 2011
Accepted: April 4, 2012

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