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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Apps 4 EFL

Watch the introductory video

What is Apps 4 EFL?

Introduction
Apps 4 EFL is a Web-Based Language Learning (WBLL) platform for teachers and students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). It utilizes creative commons data and open web technologies to facilitate engaging online study. It features:

  • Integrated access to over 5 million Wiki texts, 125 million Quizlet flashcards, and 385,000 example sentences in 14 languages;
  • Automatically generated cloze tests;
  • Automatically generated vocabulary matching, typing and dictation tests;
  • Text-to-speech (TTS) and speech recognition (ASR) with Vocalyzer;
  • Integration with YouTube and Dropbox;
  • Student tracking and management tools for teachers;
  • Text analysis tools;
  • And much more!

How do I use Apps 4 EFL?

Registration
You can use Apps 4 EFL without creating an account. However, your progress will not be saved, and you will not be able to customize your preferences.

  • Register as a teacher to create classes for students, and manage and monitor their progress.
  • Register as a student to join classes created by your teacher, and study English online using a variety of resources and activities.
Activities, Assignments and Tools

Activities can be completed by students on an independent basis. Points are awarded for correct responses. The same activity can be attempted multiple times (with the exception of Quiz Taker). If a student does better on a subsequent occasion, their points are increased. However, if they do worse, points do not decrease.

Assignments can only be created by users logged in to a teacher account. Once created, they must be assigned to a specific class. Only members of the specified class can submit the assignment. Assignments can be customized by the teacher, deleted, disabled, etc. Once completed, submissions can be ranked, downloaded or deleted.

Tools can be used by teachers or students. They consist of both learning activities and text analysis software. They do not award points and progress cannot be tracked, although sometimes output can be saved or submitted (e.g. Manga Maker).

Device Compatibility
Apps 4 EFL is designed to work well and look good on all devices, including both desktop and mobile browsers. However, in order to guarantee that all features work correctly, the following browsers are recommended:

  • For iPhone/iPad users: iOS Safari on iOS 9 or above
  • For Android users: Mobile Chrome on Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or above
  • For Mac/PC users: Desktop Chrome on Windows 7 or above / Mac OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) or above

Private browsing must be turned off, and cookies must be enabled in order to log in to the site.

Who is behind Apps 4 EFL?

Founder & Developer

Paul Raine has been teaching English in Japan since 2006. He has taught a vast range of different learners, from kindergartners to retired businessmen, and all ages in between. He has two bachelor's degrees: one in Law and in other in Imaginative Writing. He obtained a Masters degree in TEFL from the University of Birmingham in 2012, and has since presented widely at academic conferences both in Japan and abroad. He has published several research articles and two books; the first an innovative multi-path graded reader, and the second a guide for teaching English with technology.

ポール・レインは、2006年から日本で英語教師をしています。幼稚園児から定年退職した方まで、さまざまな学習者に英語を教えてきました。法律と創造的執筆の2つの学位を取得しました。2012年には、バーミンガム大学でTEFL(外国語としての英語教授法)の修士号を取得。それ以来、日本や海外の学会に数多く出席しています。多数の研究論文を発表し、2冊の書籍も出版しています。1冊目は、英語学習者用の画期的なマルチストーリーブック(Journey to Mars, Atama-ii Books)、2冊目はテクノロジーを使った英語教授法のガイドブック(Fifty Ways to Teach with Technology: Tips for ESL/EFL Teachers, Wayzgoose Press)です。

Contributors
Bob Ashcroft contributes to site testing, research, and feedback. He has taught English in Poland, Germany, and Cambodia, and is currently an Associate Professor at Tokai University in Sapporo. He also works as a dissertation supervisor for the Department of English at Birmingham University (UK). His current research interests include blended learning, vocabulary acquisition and teaching English with movies.
Nick DiNunzio contributes to site testing, PR, and feedback. He has been an English teacher in Japan for more than 10 years. He was awarded an MLA in Liberal Arts from St. John's College, Annapolis USA. His research interests include Young Language Learners, Task-based Learning, Usage Based Language Acquisition and Corpus Linguistics.
Dr. Stuart McLean is the mastermind behind the New Vocabulary Levels Test. He is an instructor at Osaka Jogakuin University. He holds an M.S.Ed. (TESOL), a Ph.D. in Forensic Medicine, and a P.G.C.E, and is an Applied Linguistics doctoral student at Kansai University. He has published extensively in journals such as Vocabulary Learning and Instruction, Language Teaching Research, and TESOL Quarterly.
Dr. Tomonori Ono contributes to site testing, research, and feedback. He has taught English in Japan for over 8 years, and is particularly interested in CALL and ESP (English for Specific Purposes). He has a BA in World History, an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language, and a Ph.D. in Education. When not teaching or researching, he enjoys reading books and helping out fellow teachers.
Oliver Rose contributes to the design and functionality of Apps 4 EFL, and devised the concepts for Error Spotter and Griddle. He is an Assistant Professor at Kwansei Gakuin University in Hyogo, Japan. He enjoys using technology and games for teaching ESL to his students and children, and has produced several mobile apps for both Japanese and English study.