SMARTPHONE USE FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF TECHNOLOGY USE BY ARABIC SPEAKING STUDENTS IN AN SFI CLASSROOM SETTING

Abstract

Using smartphones in a classroom setting for educational purposes is quite popular in the world in general and in Sweden in particular. This study explores the use of smartphones in the language-learning classroom. A qualitative approach was used to understand how Arabic-speaking students use smartphones to learn Swedish as an additional language. Classroom observation and interviews with students and teachers were used for data collection. The study draws on mobile learning, tech-nological affordances and a sociocultural perspective on learning to shape an un-derstanding of the findings of the study. The study found that students use smartphones in the classroom as an educational facilitator through mixed learning activities to learn Swedish. The students use smartphones to translate vocabulary words, construct sentences, and advance their knowledge in grammar.