Page 103 - LanGuide Project: Research and Professional Insights
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What Can We Improve
apps have been developed. Some of the most popular apps on the market
are for example Duolingo, Memrise, Busuu, Mango Languages, Brainscape
(Dražumerič, 2017), and 50 Languages, which offer guidance for several
foreign languages. The number of apps specializing in learning Slovenian
as a second/foreign language, e.g. Slovenščina za vsak žep (Jurkovič, 2015),
Slonline, znam, s os slovenščina, Hotel Slovenščina, has been increasing in
the recent years. These apps mostly offer exercises enhancing vocabulary,
phraseology, and practicing dialogues at a basic level (a 1–a 2 according
to c efr). The LanGuide project resulted in a language guidance app that
focuses on four specific domains (mobility, academic, i t and administra-
tive languages) and is aimed for three specific target groups (students,
academic staff and administrative workers). The process of designing the
exercises was described in Pavletić et al. (2021), where we presented the
steps and challenges in developing mobile app exercises. In addition to
that, when designing the LanGuide exercises we built on insights from
Nechifor and Dimulescu (2021), who emphasize the culturological com-
ponent, which is crucial for successful communication, yet often remains
unnoticed while learning foreign languages. In a study by Čebron et al.
(2021), the authors discuss the levels, motives and frequency of mobile
apps usage for learning foreign languages and emphasize that the major-
ity of learners decide to use a mobile app due to its availability everywhere
and at any time. Thus, it is crucial to carefully choose and develop learn-
ing strategies when designing language guidance mobile apps, as they can
significantly influence the process of foreign languages learning.
Textbooks and apps have the same goal, i.e. to enable the learning of a
foreign language, but differ in regards to structure and method of trans-
mitting information. Foreign language textbooks and textbook sets can
consist of several parts, namely textbooks, workbooks, teacher’s guides,
audio, graphical and other materials (role-play, dialogues, cards, etc.), as
well as additional grammar exercises and tables. Textbooks are relatively
large, as they comprise 10 to 30 lessons on average. They include detailed
tables of content, tables, thematic word lists, vocabularies, phonetic tran-
scriptions, tests, and exercise keys. Textbooks consist of simplified texts
and authentic texts that form a whole together with illustrations, pho-
tographs and audio recordings, in order to encourage and develop various
forms of learning: visual, auditory and logical. (Markovič & Pirih, 1997, pp.
294–296). If compared to designing traditional textbooks, a language guid-
ance app development is based on different principles. For maximum ef-
ficiency, didactics and foreign language teaching methodology need to be
103
apps have been developed. Some of the most popular apps on the market
are for example Duolingo, Memrise, Busuu, Mango Languages, Brainscape
(Dražumerič, 2017), and 50 Languages, which offer guidance for several
foreign languages. The number of apps specializing in learning Slovenian
as a second/foreign language, e.g. Slovenščina za vsak žep (Jurkovič, 2015),
Slonline, znam, s os slovenščina, Hotel Slovenščina, has been increasing in
the recent years. These apps mostly offer exercises enhancing vocabulary,
phraseology, and practicing dialogues at a basic level (a 1–a 2 according
to c efr). The LanGuide project resulted in a language guidance app that
focuses on four specific domains (mobility, academic, i t and administra-
tive languages) and is aimed for three specific target groups (students,
academic staff and administrative workers). The process of designing the
exercises was described in Pavletić et al. (2021), where we presented the
steps and challenges in developing mobile app exercises. In addition to
that, when designing the LanGuide exercises we built on insights from
Nechifor and Dimulescu (2021), who emphasize the culturological com-
ponent, which is crucial for successful communication, yet often remains
unnoticed while learning foreign languages. In a study by Čebron et al.
(2021), the authors discuss the levels, motives and frequency of mobile
apps usage for learning foreign languages and emphasize that the major-
ity of learners decide to use a mobile app due to its availability everywhere
and at any time. Thus, it is crucial to carefully choose and develop learn-
ing strategies when designing language guidance mobile apps, as they can
significantly influence the process of foreign languages learning.
Textbooks and apps have the same goal, i.e. to enable the learning of a
foreign language, but differ in regards to structure and method of trans-
mitting information. Foreign language textbooks and textbook sets can
consist of several parts, namely textbooks, workbooks, teacher’s guides,
audio, graphical and other materials (role-play, dialogues, cards, etc.), as
well as additional grammar exercises and tables. Textbooks are relatively
large, as they comprise 10 to 30 lessons on average. They include detailed
tables of content, tables, thematic word lists, vocabularies, phonetic tran-
scriptions, tests, and exercise keys. Textbooks consist of simplified texts
and authentic texts that form a whole together with illustrations, pho-
tographs and audio recordings, in order to encourage and develop various
forms of learning: visual, auditory and logical. (Markovič & Pirih, 1997, pp.
294–296). If compared to designing traditional textbooks, a language guid-
ance app development is based on different principles. For maximum ef-
ficiency, didactics and foreign language teaching methodology need to be
103
