SARAH DEUTCHMAN

Sarah Deutchman
Nihon University

deutchman[dot]sarah[dot]miyoshi[at]nihon-u[dot]ac[dot]jp

English Beyond Textbooks: Using Apps toIncrease Vocabulary and Overall Proficiency
ABSTRACTOn entering university, most Japanese students have had approximately 1,000 hours of exposure
to English, a good way short of the 2,500 hours that are thought to be necessary for reaching highproficiency (Inagaki, 2010). Unfortunately, at the university where I work, many students struggle
with English, holding TOEIC scores below 400 and vocabulary proficiency at the 300-frequency
level of the National General Service List (NGSL). This highlights the need for them to learn aconsiderable number of words to improve their English fluency. Relying solely on classroom
textbooks does not provide enough vocabulary support, as vocabulary should be encounteredmultiple times. As a result, students often do not retain the phrases after their unit tests. Moreover,students at this university often lack the motivation to study outside of class. To address thesechallenges, language learning apps which offer timed spaced repetition were introduced. These
apps enhance word retention and may function as motivational tools to continue learning. Theseapps also empower students by demonstrating their ability to reach goals independently.
Keywords: learner autonomy, vocabulary acquisition, language-learning apps

Over the past six years, I have taught mandatory freshman English courses across five universities,
where I have observed notable variations in English proficiency among students. One recurrent
challenge has been the students’ lack of vocabulary, which has affected their language proficiency.
In the past academic year, I conducted an assessment at Nihon University of vocabulary levels
using the Vocabulary Levels test created by Raine and McLean (2019). This involved administering
the National General Service List (NGSL) flemma test for productive typing form recall in Spring
2023 and a parallel evaluation for receptive reading recall in Fall 2023. For the productive recall
test, students see a sentence with one word in Japanese (e.g., He is an 面白い student). The student
would then have to type in the word “interesting”. For the receptive recall test, students see asentence that is completely in English with one word underlined. Students have to type in theJapanese translation of the word while paying attention to grammar. For example, students may
see the sentence “This is a free pen.” The student would have to type「無料の」in the text box.
The initial evaluation resulted in an average placement within the first 500 words of the NGSL,
prompting a reconsideration of my teaching strategies, as the level of vocabulary knowledge waslower than expected. The majority of the Spring semester classes centered around textbook use,with the addition of Quizlet study sets, and in-class gaming activities. Based on the results of thevocabulary tests and classroom observations, in the Fall 2023 semester, I changed my approach

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dedicating entire class sessions to playing instructional games such as Bamboozle, Quizlet Live,
Wordwall, and tailored board games crafted from the material covered in the textbook. Noticing
occasional gaps in students’ ability to recall phrases and words from the textbook during games, I
introduced educational apps as a supplementary measure, aiming to diversify learning experiences
while retaining a connection to traditional methodologies (e.g., relying solely on textbooks orstudents only reading aloud from textbooks in the class).
Subsequently, for the Fall 2023 evaluation, I decided to shift the emphasis towards meaning recall- where students could identify the meaning of the words shown. This decision stemmed from adual curiosity: firstly, whether there would be a change in scores (i.e., the meaning recall test would
be easier for students), and secondly, an exploration of the impact of prevalent instructional tools
such as Quizlet, which primarily facilitate meaning recall through flashcard-based study. I begin witha discussion about the difficulty of becoming proficient in English, followed by an account of myattempts to build students’ vocabulary, and their attitudes to those methods.

DIFFICULTY OF BECOMING PROFICIENT IN ENGLISH FOR JAPANESE UNIVERSITYSTUDENTS

The predominant instructional focus of English at school often revolves around exam-orientedteaching. This led me to wonder why my students tested into the vocabulary level bands that they
did on both the meaning recall and productive recall tests and how what they learned aligned withestablished vocabulary lists such as the NGSL as it is a frequency-based vocabulary list. If students
had mastered the most frequent words of English, their vocabulary levels should be higher. I also
started to wonder how much time students would need to increase their overall proficiency. Inagaki(2005) posits an estimated requirement of 2,500 study hours for attaining a high level of English
proficiency for Japanese students, with a range of 2,500 to 7,500 hours to achieve a native-likelevel. Consequently, cultivating self-directed learning habits and enhancing intrinsic motivation
becomes crucial if learners wish to become proficient. Initial surveys conducted in class at thebeginning of the semester indicated that students lack the motivation to study English outsideof class, contrasting with a higher motivation to participate in class activities, which is possibly
influenced by grade considerations.
I then began to wonder what sort of materials could be used to inspire students to study more
outside of the classroom. While textbooks serve as valuable study resources, they do not offer
enough chances for students to recall the meaning of the words that they have encountered. WhenI used Fifty-fifty Book One, I noticed that although there were some review units, there needed tobe more recycling of vocabulary. For example, “uncle” appears two times after its initial introductionin Unit 9. However, some of my students had trouble remembering what uncle meant. Recent
efforts by Browne et al. (2023), evident in their textbook “Fast Forward to Fluency”, based on theNGSL, strive to address this issue by incorporating a recycling approach to reinforce vocabularyretention. However, textbooks fail to provide students with motivation to study English more
outside of class, as I am quite doubtful that any of my students would refer to their textbooks after
the class has finished. This thought is supported by students doing their homework before class or
writing down their classmates’ answers to the self-study sections of their textbook when they feelthat I am not looking.
Additionally, I did not think that their vocabulary levels had improved as a result of the methods I had
used, which was mostly using textbooks and playing some games such as Bamboozle on occasion as
well as using Quizlet during the semester. This is because in some games that were played in class,students were not able to use the vocabulary correctly. For example, in class I play a modified versionof tic-tac-toe, where students can only put an X or an O if they can make a sentence with the word in
the square. Many students asked me what the words meant even though these words were part oftheir Quizlet study sets.
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Therefore, it was clear that my methods were not very effective in helping students retain vocabulary
which makes them more proficient speakers. Thus, I thought it was necessary to think beyond only
using the textbook and my methods to expand students’ vocabulary knowledge. As students often
use their phones, I decided to introduce apps as they might get students to practice English outsideof class more effectively to increase their overall vocabulary levels.

EFFECTIVENESS OF APPS FOR VOCABULARY BUILDING

Webb and Nation (2017) stated that spaced-time repetition, presenting words in both isolationand context, and fostering a sense of deliberate learning, contribute significantly to vocabularyacquisition. Apps possess these features, which may be why researchers have found successin increasing learners’ language proficiency. Ahmed et al. (2022) reported increased vocabulary
and grammar development among students using Duolingo, concurrently noting a positive impact
on motivation and reducing learners’ anxiety. Similarly, Nuralisah and Kareviati (2020) observed
success with Memrise in enhancing students’ mastery of vocabulary. The comprehensive study by
Alvarado et al. (2016) further affirmed the efficacy of apps in addressing all language skills whileproviding a practical and engaging rehearsal environment.
Apps also offer motivational incentives such as badges and level progression, framing language
learning as a gamified experience. This gamification aspect not only enhances motivation but canalso transform perceived “dead time”, such as commuting, into productive learning opportunities.
The timed space repetition embedded in these apps aids in recall, and the autonomy they afford tostudents helps to compensate for limited class time.

STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TO THE APPS

In the Fall semester, students were introduced to different apps twice. In lesson 5 students wereshown how to use four popular apps Memrise, LingoClip, Duolingo, and Busuu. These apps werechosen as they are free, easily accessible, and familiar to me. I chose apps I have used before incase troubleshooting was needed. I demonstrated how to play the 4 apps in front of the class. I also
talked about how to create accounts and where to download the apps. Students were then placed
into groups where they chose an app to try and help each other if they were having any problems.
Students used the apps for 20 minutes or less and were then given a survey. The students whochose Duolingo played for a shorter time because Duolingo relies on students keeping enoughhearts to continue playing. In the survey, Memrise and Duolingo were the top picks among themajority of students. Those who opted for Memrise tended to recommend it to their peers and used
it for longer than those who chose Duolingo. This divergence in usage patterns might be attributed toDuolingo’s heart system, where users need to either purchase more hearts or wait for their “health”
to recover once depleted, leading to some students not recommending the app. Feedback fromstudents revealed that Busuu, Duolingo, and Memrise often begin at a level considered too easy
for some, prompting a desire to test out of the initial levels. Additionally, some students preferredsticking to a single app due to concerns about storage space on their phones. However, the overallsentiment towards the apps remained positive.
In Lesson 14, students were introduced to four additional apps: Innovative Language Learning,BBC Learning English, Poe-Fast AI Chat, and AWABE. These selections were made based on theiraccessibility and cost-free nature. Notably, BBC English and Poe offer the advantage of starting at
more challenging proficiency levels. Students were also given the option to continue using the fourapps introduced earlier: LingoClip, Memrise, Duolingo, and Busuu. Following a demonstration on
app usage, students were instructed to use the app for 10 minutes and subsequently complete asurvey. Among the choices, 5 students opted for Busuu but stated that they did not like it, indicating
they would not recommend it to their peers. Two students chose LingoClip but they did not likeit. This outcome was somewhat unexpected, considering students can choose to listen to songs

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they enjoy; however, students did not seem to use earphones which might have influenced theirexperience. On the contrary, 4 students selected Memrise and expressed satisfaction, recommending
it to their classmates. A lone student chose BBC English but did not enjoy it and would not recommend
it. Duolingo was the preferred choice for 7 students, with the majority enjoying it and endorsing it totheir peers, although some perceived it as too easy. One student faced constraints in loading any
apps due to insufficient phone space.
In the Lesson 14 survey, students were also questioned about their continued app usage since
Lesson 5. Of the 20 surveyed students, only 3 reported continued use of the app. These students
favored Duolingo, engaging with it approximately twice a week. Their motivation for studying
outside of class was reported as somewhat moderate, aligning with the broader trend among
students who expressed being only moderately motivated or lacking motivation for English study
beyond class hours.

CONCLUSION

While textbooks play a pivotal role in establishing a foundational understanding for learners striving
for English proficiency, relying solely on textbooks proves inadequate for vocabulary acquisition.
Textbooks are usually used by instructors during class sessions, which fall short of providing
students with a sufficient time frame to cultivate English proficiency. Consequently, students must
actively seek motivation to learn outside of the classroom, to compensate for the time constraints
of in-class instruction.
Therefore, educational apps may be a solution to help with the time deficit and might be able
to help increase proficiency. Moreover, these apps contribute to enhanced retention throughthe implementation of time-spaced learning strategies. However, if students are going to remain
motivated enough to use them, they need to be part of a student’s grade as this survey shows thatmost students are not very motivated to study English outside of class.

REFERENCES

Ahmed, A. A. A., Hassan, I., Pallathadka, H., Keezhatta, M. S., Haryadi, R. N., Mashhadani, Z. I. A.,
Attwan, L. Y., & Rohi, A. (2022). MALL and EFL learners’ speaking: Impacts of Duolingo andWhatsApp applications on speaking accuracy and fluency. Education Research International,
2022, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6716474
Alvarado, N.C., Coelho, D., & Dougherty, E. (2016). Mobile apps for ELLs: Supporting language
learning with engaging digital tools. Argentinian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 4(1), 43–58.
Browne, C., Culligan, B., & Phillips, J. (2023). Fast forward to fluency 1. Abax.
Inagaki, S. (2005). How long does it take for Japanese speakers to learn English? Language &Culture, 4(4), 19–29. https://doi.org/10.24729/00005949
Nuralisah, A.S. & Kareviati, E. (2020). The effectiveness of using Memrise application in teaching
vocabulary. Professional Journal of English Education, 3(4), 494–500.
McLean, S. & Raine, P. (2019). VocabLevelTest.Org [Web application]. Retrieved from https://www.
vocableveltest.org
Webb, S. & Nation, P. (2017). How vocabulary is learned. Oxford University Press.

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