The Mobile Application for Language Learning (MALL) project involved using Learnosity Voice in 13 schools across three Australian states: South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The project targeted 250 (primarily Year 9 and 10) students learning the Indonesian language.
Gain in the mean scores across trial schools:
Pre and Post test scores
The results showed that the students, who took conversation tests at the beginning and end of the project, made significant improvements in their Indonesian language skills. An increase of 11% in the average score is shown between pre and post-tests. The improvements in test scores was particularly notable in weaker students.
The report also suggests that the greater the number of corrected conversations per student (increased feedback to the students), the greater the improvement. As a result, the quantitative analysis at the school level shows particularly positive effects in certain schools where feedback was greater.
Through questionnaires, the students expressed feeling more confident and having better listening and speaking skills. Individual student comments were exceedingly positive.
“...I would definitely love to use the phones again!”
Student, The L@earning Federation MALL Project
“... I have learnt many new words and am able to understand them when they're talking now.”
Student, The L@earning Federation MALL Project
“...I feel more confident in speaking Indonesian and stringing sentences together with flow.”
Student, The L@earning Federation MALL Project
Teachers found that in using the MALL method they were “better able to identify individual difficulties with the language, vocabulary or understanding” and that approach was “easy to incorporate... into their teaching plans." Teachers also described the project as providing “an authentic language experience” and more “on-task” time in the classroom.
“Conversation skills improved, group work was more cohesive and peer teaching was more meaningful. There was greater purpose to learning language.”
Teachers, The L@earning Federation MALL Project
“...it was also way better to hear a student’s work without class noise and other distractions. Very easy to pick up more mistakes and common errors than when in a normal class situation.”
Teachers, The L@earning Federation MALL Project
“...blown away by improved confidence. Not afraid to speak in front of others. Weak students; boys in particular.”
Teachers, The L@earning Federation MALL Project
Conversation skills improved, group work was more cohesive and peer teaching was more meaningful. There was greater purpose to learning language.
The Le@rning Federation concluded the report with some recommendations:
We extend huge thanks to the MALL team in The Le@rning Federation for all of their diligent and valuable work.
Download the full report from The Le@rning Federation (pdf, 370kb)
The MALL report is also available on The Le@rning Federation website.
Below is a recording of a sample call, shown with subtitles is available here.
