Using Apps in the Spanish Classroom
I have a theory that, if our students use their phones constantly, then we need to somehow infiltrate that world with ideas of how they can use their phones to learn and excel in our classes. Some of my favorite ways to do this in a language class is to suggest new apps. I think a key to success in this area is to avoid assigning phone use and just allow it. Once it becomes an assignment the luster wears off, the stress sinks in, and their association with Spanish on their phone is branded negatively. I have found curiosity is way more exciting and fills students with a lot more pride about what they have learned on their own through their apps and social connections. Some of my favorites are below.
I have a theory that, if our students use their phones constantly, then we need to somehow infiltrate that world with ideas of how they can use their phones to learn and excel in our classes. Some of my favorite ways to do this in a language class is to suggest new apps. I think a key to success in this area is to avoid assigning phone use and just allow it. Once it becomes an assignment the luster wears off, the stress sinks in, and their association with Spanish on their phone is branded negatively. I have found curiosity is way more exciting and fills students with a lot more pride about what they have learned on their own through their apps and social connections. Some of my favorites are below.
- Duolingo: One app that I have found to be highly popular is Duolingo. Duolingo is like a game with levels and points. It introduces new ideas and rules constantly and, similar to Rosetta Stone, students are soaking in new concepts without the rules being explicitly explained. Duolingo has speaking, spelling, listening, and reading aspects, which is a Spanish teacher’s dream. (Duolingo can also be accessed just as a website here).
- Quizlet: Mentioned above, Quizlet is one of my favorite apps to use. Students can use an app to study for quizzes, play games, complete assignments, and learn new materials. This is great for students who are traveling for sports, or who need to be doing something on their phone constantly. It’s great to get on Twitter and see someone tweet about how they are #bored or #needalife because they are addicted to your word list on Quizlet, it builds up my pride and helps them ace tests and its way more educational than flappy bird. The app feature for Quizlet is more limited, the site is more complete.
- Word Reference: A great dictionary like resource that doesn’t just translate words but gives students multiple options of words and multiple meanings of words based on the country, the context, etc. This is a great way to build up a student’s understanding of how language and translation works and for them to critically think when using a reference app. (Link to the website is here).
- Google Translate: Gasp! I know this sounds like a nightmare to tell kids to put on their phones, but trust me there are good uses for this as well. First, my students love to use it to listen to the pronunciation of various words and try to correct their own. Second, sometimes they want to figure out how to construct something that they know won’t work in Spanish, like possessives. They can see it translated and experiment to see if that is how it will always work. That’s learning, not cheating. In my opinion showing them educational ways to use google translate is going to pay off rather than pretending they won’t ever find it on their own. (Google translate site is here). (Also, if you’re still scared of using this app show this great video to reinforce that google translate is good, but not THAT good. I used this in a translation unit. More on that in another post).
- WordLens: This awesome app takes a picture of anything with words on it and translates those words into the language of your choice. If you click on the word it gives you the meaning and sometimes other information too. This is a fun app to use for curious students when they are out and about.
- Twitter: Use Twitter and a special hashtag to offer your students a way to tweet at each other in Spanish for participation points. They think it’s fun to use their new Spanish to communicate (especially when they can jab at each other). Twitter can also be used if you have connections with people in Spanish speaking countries that students find interesting, simply by following them you’ll have students translating words to figure out what a tweet means. If nothing else, tell them to follow Pope Francis.
- Settings: Challenge your students to change their phones to Spanish for a full week. You will be just as amazed as they are about how much they will learn. We had a contest at the end of the week to see what all they learned without even realizing it. This is a great and sneaky way to teach the power of immersion. When they freak out about not being able to navigate their phones, ask them how often they actually read any label on their phone, it’s all muscle memory and picture symbols so they won’t get too lost, they’ll just literally be soaking in Spanish constantly.
- Vine: Have students make short Vine videos changing song lyrics to Spanish lyrics as they learn them. For example, my students had fun when they learned some infinitives “I creer I can volar”. Don’t worry so much about perfection here, rejoice in Spanish being use for fun.
- Instagram: This is another one where if you have a connection to someone in a Spanish speaking country you can have students follow them and see the world through the eyes of someone in Peru, Mexico, Spain, etc. It’s a great visual and something you can just suggest and students will have so many questions just from a few pictures they observe throughout the year.
- MindSnacks: A fun language game that works through various word themes with timed games and various levels.
- Others: There are so many games out there, do a little exploring and you’ll find you’re own favorites like Bussuu, Fetch Spanish, Learn Spanish, etc. Just throw them out there, do a demo in class for 10 minutes each time you find a new app and your students are bound to be hooked if it is a good one.