Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL)-based EFL Instruction
during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Mei Lismaawati
Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
ABSTRACT
Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) is one way to develop language teaching practices for
English instructions during COVID-19 pandemic. Learning styles that use old technology are replaced
with new technologies that are seen as more suitable to the characteristics of today's learners.
Finding out how MALL is implemented by English teachers could provide insights to the future
implementation of MALL. MALL was perceived as the use of internet in accessing to the virtual
classroom learning to engage the students and teachers into the meaningful English language
learning process. The research was found that MALL instructions were considered as the most
effective way of conducting learning activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which it gave the
teachers a way to make the learning instruction based EFL can be done without any physical contact.
It was also found that the process of transferring the knowledge could be done effectively. MALL
could be helpful during COVID-19 pandemic situations in EFL English classrooms.
Keyword : Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), english instruction, EFL
1. Introduction
Mastering English in EFL country is not the same as the process of mastering it in an
environment where English is used as mother tongue or as second language. It is because in
EFL setting such as in Indonesia, most of the people do not have enough chance to learn and
acquire English as the target language. Most of the people in this situation will be given
opportunity in acquiring English just by attending school or education environment only. It is
very different when this English language acquisition goes in some countries where English
is considered as mother tongue or as second language. The people here will be fully
provided chances to acquire and pick up English as their mean of communication.
Therefore, in EFL setting, the opportunities of mastering English is not as many as desired by
the students. This situation then get worsened as the unpredictable COVID- 19 epidemic has
spread around the globe, it leads us to the periods of social distancing that keep students
away from classroom communication. In this case, the English lecturers in EFL countries
, were urged to create online teaching and learning resources and began to consider the most
suitable technologies to teach their EFL courses.
The use of online teaching and learning resources and digital media in this pandemic
era is inevitable. Learning styles that use old technology are replaced with new technologies
that are seen as more suitable to the characteristics of today's learners. EFL students in the
digital age like era pandemic today have unique characters such as understanding
technology well, preferring to communicate using social media over direct contact with
people, preferring to learn by doing rather than being dictated to do things, more interested
in images, graphics, videos and fast delivery of material. Learning technology is currently
associated with the use of online-based learning media. This means that the location of
learning, which is usually in the classroom, can at times be replaced with virtual classes or in
other words, EFL students and teachers do not need to be present in class but can rely on
the internet to carry out learning.
The global spread of COVID-19 pandemic causes class suspensions resulting in the
needs of online learning (Moorhouse, 2020). Online learning according to Clark & Mayer
(2016) is a kind of instructional method delivered by using digital device in order to support
teaching and learning activity. Thus, in this present days, the COVID-19 pandemic has
transformed education scenario all over the world from regular face-to-face activities into
this online learning education. Then, online learning and technology integration is critical
during this period to assist educational environment to establish safe high quality teaching
and learning process for both students and lecturers. Online learning classes can minimize
the learning disruption and at the same time can avoid the pandemic getting worsened.
Murphy (2020) stated that the online learning programs have been considered as an
appropriate strategy used in this global pandemic. It is because online learning is the only
possible way to make sure the educational process goes on during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Then, it can be assumed that by using this online learning education, EFL learners may have
opportunity to get better chance in acquiring English as they cannot attend regular face-to-
face teaching and learning activities.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, mobile learning has gained more popularity in the
education area due to the improvement of ICT tools namely mobile phones and tablets
which are small enough to be carried around. Along with the support of the Internet
connection in many places, the use of mobile devices to assist language teaching and
during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Mei Lismaawati
Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
ABSTRACT
Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) is one way to develop language teaching practices for
English instructions during COVID-19 pandemic. Learning styles that use old technology are replaced
with new technologies that are seen as more suitable to the characteristics of today's learners.
Finding out how MALL is implemented by English teachers could provide insights to the future
implementation of MALL. MALL was perceived as the use of internet in accessing to the virtual
classroom learning to engage the students and teachers into the meaningful English language
learning process. The research was found that MALL instructions were considered as the most
effective way of conducting learning activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which it gave the
teachers a way to make the learning instruction based EFL can be done without any physical contact.
It was also found that the process of transferring the knowledge could be done effectively. MALL
could be helpful during COVID-19 pandemic situations in EFL English classrooms.
Keyword : Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), english instruction, EFL
1. Introduction
Mastering English in EFL country is not the same as the process of mastering it in an
environment where English is used as mother tongue or as second language. It is because in
EFL setting such as in Indonesia, most of the people do not have enough chance to learn and
acquire English as the target language. Most of the people in this situation will be given
opportunity in acquiring English just by attending school or education environment only. It is
very different when this English language acquisition goes in some countries where English
is considered as mother tongue or as second language. The people here will be fully
provided chances to acquire and pick up English as their mean of communication.
Therefore, in EFL setting, the opportunities of mastering English is not as many as desired by
the students. This situation then get worsened as the unpredictable COVID- 19 epidemic has
spread around the globe, it leads us to the periods of social distancing that keep students
away from classroom communication. In this case, the English lecturers in EFL countries
, were urged to create online teaching and learning resources and began to consider the most
suitable technologies to teach their EFL courses.
The use of online teaching and learning resources and digital media in this pandemic
era is inevitable. Learning styles that use old technology are replaced with new technologies
that are seen as more suitable to the characteristics of today's learners. EFL students in the
digital age like era pandemic today have unique characters such as understanding
technology well, preferring to communicate using social media over direct contact with
people, preferring to learn by doing rather than being dictated to do things, more interested
in images, graphics, videos and fast delivery of material. Learning technology is currently
associated with the use of online-based learning media. This means that the location of
learning, which is usually in the classroom, can at times be replaced with virtual classes or in
other words, EFL students and teachers do not need to be present in class but can rely on
the internet to carry out learning.
The global spread of COVID-19 pandemic causes class suspensions resulting in the
needs of online learning (Moorhouse, 2020). Online learning according to Clark & Mayer
(2016) is a kind of instructional method delivered by using digital device in order to support
teaching and learning activity. Thus, in this present days, the COVID-19 pandemic has
transformed education scenario all over the world from regular face-to-face activities into
this online learning education. Then, online learning and technology integration is critical
during this period to assist educational environment to establish safe high quality teaching
and learning process for both students and lecturers. Online learning classes can minimize
the learning disruption and at the same time can avoid the pandemic getting worsened.
Murphy (2020) stated that the online learning programs have been considered as an
appropriate strategy used in this global pandemic. It is because online learning is the only
possible way to make sure the educational process goes on during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Then, it can be assumed that by using this online learning education, EFL learners may have
opportunity to get better chance in acquiring English as they cannot attend regular face-to-
face teaching and learning activities.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, mobile learning has gained more popularity in the
education area due to the improvement of ICT tools namely mobile phones and tablets
which are small enough to be carried around. Along with the support of the Internet
connection in many places, the use of mobile devices to assist language teaching and
