Kurdish EFL learners’ perceptions about the Use of Smartphone Applications for Language Learning

Abstract

This study explored Kurdish EFL learners’ attitudes toward using smartphone applications for language learning. The data collection instrument was a five-point Likert-Scale questionnaire and the population was (101) students from departments of Medical Laboratory Science, General Science, and Chemistry Science – Charmo University. The results showed that the learners generally have a positive attitude towards using smartphone applications for English language learning. Also, the results suggest that learners generally agree that smartphone applications are useful and accessible tool for language learning. Regarding social media applications, the results indicated that learners who use social media platforms generally look for language-learning content. Nonetheless, the findings demonstrated that higher utilization of smartphone applications may not be necessarily associated with a perceived gain in proficiency. Consequently, language teachers must lead and assist students in learning how to utilize applications in general and those specifically created for language learning in particular. Therefore, EFL teachers’ roles change from manager to facilitator. It is the teacher’s responsibility to assist students in locating suitable material on the internet, which leads to mastery of the target language.