=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-2433/paper18
|storemode=property
|title=The enhancement of a foreign language competence: free online resources, mobile apps, and other opportunities
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2433/paper18.pdf
|volume=Vol-2433
|authors=Olena O. Pavlenko,Oksana Ye. Bondar,Bae Gi Yon,Choi Kwangoon,Nataliia S. Tymchenko-Mikhailidi,Darja A. Kassim
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/cte/PavlenkoBYKTK18
}}
==The enhancement of a foreign language competence: free online resources, mobile apps, and other opportunities==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2433/paper18.pdf
279
The enhancement of a foreign language competence: free
online resources, mobile apps, and other opportunities
Olena O. Pavlenko1[0000-0021-3868-3252], Oksana Ye. Bondar1[0000-0001-9322-4481],
Bae Gi Yon1[0000-0003-0813-8728], Choi Kwangoon1[0000-0002-3294-3607],
Nataliia S. Tymchenko-Mikhailidi1[0000-0001-6618-8518] and Darja A. Kassim2
1 University of Customs and Finance, 2/4, Volodymyra Vernadskogo St., Dnipro, 49000,
Ukraine
amsu.pavlenko@gmail.com, obondar2005@ukr.net,
{Jiana381, choi.kwangsoon, natamaxdnepr}@gmail.com
2 Kryvyi Rih Metallurgical Institute of the National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine,
5, Stepana Tilhy St., Kryvyi Rih, 50006, Ukraine
Abstract. In this article, we present an overview of free online resources, mobile
apps, and other opportunities available for an independent study of a foreign
language (based on the examples of English and Korean languages) in group and
individual settings, geared towards increasing a foreign language competence.
Initially, the authors formulated the criteria for selecting free online resources:
the resource should be convenient for independent work; the resource should be
available at any convenient time; it should be easy in navigation; it should
provide opportunities for improving as many components of a foreign language
competence as possible; preferably, the resource should have online as well as
offline mobile apps. It is suggested to classify free online resources based on their
functional characteristics. Various opportunities of the available resources are
highlighted and the expediency of their utilization for specific objectives (i.e.,
advancement of foreign language competence in listening, reading, writing,
speaking; the expansion of the vocabulary, etc.) is substantiated. The authors also
emphasize free online opportunities of preparation for international examinations
not only in the English language, such as TOEFL or IELTS, but also in the
Korean language, such as TOPIK, by using online resources in English.
Keywords: Foreign Language Competence, Free Online Resources, Mobile
Apps, Web Services, Websites, United Nations Bibliographic Information
System THESAURUS, Learning English & Korean Languages, TOEFL,
IELTS, TOPIK.
1 Introduction
The issues of formation and improvement of competences have been of constant
concern to those who teach and those who study. Along with the existing classical
textbooks for teaching foreign languages, there is a growing range of educational open
resources. The questions raised in this article deal with the structure, organization,
___________________
Copyright © 2019 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
280
navigation and availability of the resources, such as: 1) how should they look like,
2) how should they work, 3) which resource should be chosen in each particular case,
etc. These and other issues are being discussed by the scientific and educational
community [4; 5; 8]. On the one hand, some scholars investigate eLearning Qualitäts-
Evaluationstool [2], success factors for eLearning [6], categories of mediapedagogics
[7], applying information and communication technologies to language teaching and
research [9], usage of eLearning tools in self-education [11], Internet-Technology
Instruments for Global Education [10], practical use of commonly used YouTube video
materials in the process of teaching German as the first or second foreign language in
higher education [3], other scholars substantiate classification of online resources in the
field of language teaching [4; 5; 8]. On the other hand, the interest in the topic is dictated
by the current socio-economic context.
1.1 Socio-economic context
Globalization and integration have stirred up labor markets, giving impetus to the
revitalization of labour force. The so-called “erasing of borders” raised a new wave of
interest in learning foreign languages, above all, the global one – English – and the
languages of those countries characterized as emerging markets (Korean, Japanese,
Chinese). Therefore, the topic of the article – the enhancement of a foreign language
competence through free online resources, mobile apps, and other opportunities – can
be of scientific as well as practical interest.
2 The opportunities of free online resources
As foreign language practitioners, both instructors and students face a difficult choice
of selecting the most appropriate educational material. The wide array of free online
resources complicates this choice to a greater extent.
The authors indicate that the free online resources discussed below were selected
based on the following criteria: a) the resource should be convenient for an individual
and independent usage; b) the resource should be available at any time; c) the resource
should be user-friendly and easy to navigate; d) the resource should be able to enhance
the greater number of the components of a foreign language; e) preferably, the resource
should have a mobile app; f) preferably, the resource should be available online as well
as offline.
2.1 The opportunities that free online resources provide for learning English
language
Free online resources: websites.
The websites are considered to be some of the most well-known free online resources
for learning English language. The benefits and limitations of such resources are
discussed below.
281
The Lingualeo website (https://lingualeo.com) provides the opportunity to train
memorization of the vocabulary (by offering a wide array of exercises geared towards
word recollection), grammar, reading, listening to audio, viewing video, and the ability
to add new words to a learner’s profile in order to automatically increase their
appearance in memorization exercises. For each successful completion of an exercise
and memorization of new vocabulary, the points can be accumulated and later
redeemed for paid exercises. Hence, the more the user practices, the more new exercises
become available. Lingualeo also offers a mobile app.
The Duolingo website (https://www.duolingo.com) is also an excellent website for
learning and memorizing vocabulary. A user is required to register and select the
desired level of language proficiency or take a test to assess the current level of
knowledge and choose the amount of exercise based on that level. There is also an
option to pick a certain time and study for 5 to 20 minutes per day. The mobile app for
Duolingo is also available.
The Cambridge Assessment English (https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/test-
your-english/) website offers a great deal of useful information, however, in order to
enhance a foreign language competence, there is a totally free testing portal. The tests
available at CAE website give users the most accurate assessment of their current skills.
In essence, these tests resemble TOEFL or IELTS, thus, the progress of the learner can
be effectively evaluated.
The Learn at Home website (https://www.learnathome.ru) is another good service
for an individual study of English language. All aspects of language can be trained,
including vocabulary, grammar, writing, speaking and reading. Upon completion of a
language test, an individual plan can be outlined. Needless to mention, the Learn at
Home website also offers a podcast Learn@Home (https://apps.apple.com/ua/app/
learn-home/id731118782), which makes it an even more sought-after resource for
training all kinds of communication.
The HiNative website (https://hinative.com) is another free website, also available
in Russian interface. The main benefit of this platform is that a learner is being guided
by a native speaker. Native speakers assist with the pronunciation, answer questions,
help understand context for using certain words or phrases. There is also a mobile app.
The United Nations Bibliographic Information System THESAURUS. Dag
Hammarskjöld Library (https://lib-thesaurus.un.org), The UN Database with
documents in different languages (https://conf-dts1.unog.ch), The database of
terminology, related to UN activities (https://unterm.un.org) are the professional
online resources, allowing learners to advance interpreter and/or professional foreign
language competence. In fact, these resources are used as guides and templates for
translating UN documents to other languages. A user is able to search by the name or
tags of documents that fits the situation best.
For example, in UN Database of documents in different languages (Fig. 1), a specific
search index can be selected. All results will be showed in default language, and
indexing by language will filter the given results.
There is also an option to search by individual keywords, set of keywords, or exact
matching keywords (Fig. 2).
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Fig. 1. A screenshot of a page from the UN Database and selecting search index
Fig. 2. A screenshot of a page from the UN Database: search by keywords
Found documents come up on the left side of the results page, and they can be
downloaded or opened on the right side of the screen (Fig. 3). The documents with
different language versions are leveled and highlighted to compare each paragraph.
Fig. 3. A screenshot of a page from the UN Database: the comparison of two versions of the
document in different languages
283
Using a search bar in the browser, it is possible to find all the mentions of a searched
keyword. It would be highlighted in yellow (Fig. 4).
Fig. 4. A screenshot of a page from the UN Database: search by in-text keyword mentions
The abovementioned databases of UN terminology and documents allow learners to
use high-quality examples and enhance the translational and/or professional foreign
language competence for users.
Free online resources: podcasts.
It is worth highlighting that there is another large group of free online resources,
namely, podcasts. To put it in simply, a podcast is a permanent broadcast of the
programme. In this case, it’s about the YouTube channel broadcast. Everyone can
subscribe to resources for free.
The Learn@Home podcast by the Learn at Home site (https://apps.apple.com/ua/
app/learn-home/id731118782) has already been mentioned above.
The Skyeng (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcBbiCpR-eBwL5l6H63lgfg)
podcast is an English language school (a Russian-speaking resource) that works with
the listeners online. There is a YouTube channel, where Skyeng educators explain the
details and situations with the proper usage of the English language. Additionally, it is
a great resource for working with video content (analysis).
The TED Talks podcast (https://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector) is a
resource that collects public speeches is perfect for training listening skills, according
to the authors. The invited speakers discuss different topics, including politics,
economics, social issues, arts, etc. It is considered that this experience would be one of
the most beneficial since the listeners can not only absorb new vocabulary and
phraseology, but also develop a deeper comprehension of different external factors, as
well as diction, tone, tempo, etc. Necessary to note, subtitles can be turned on to create
additional ways for perception, understanding, and control of the speech.
284
The Learn English with EnglishClass101.com (https://www.youtube.com/user/
ENGLISHCLASS101) podcast is an English language speaking resource that provides
a classic approach to teaching and explaining the material. The undoubtful benefit of
this resource is that the listeners can always listen to the native speakers’ speech.
Free online resources: mobile apps.
Mobile applications help to always be ready to master the new or revise already
learned material, since the usage of smartphones has surpassed that of personal
computers. It’s mobile, convenient, and there are many different free apps, so there is
an opportunity to choose the best fit in terms of the interface, the system of training the
vocabulary offered, and, in general, the variety of functions of these applications. In
this article, the authors distinguish top 5 applications on the iOS platform, which they
used / use. Most of these apps are also on the Android platform, so they can be found
in Google Play too.
Offline Ukrainian-English dictionary (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/english-
ukrainian-dictionary/id1088834323) has a convenient interface, works offline, so even
without an Internet connection, there is always access to the dictionary in any situation
giving the translation of an unknown word, if necessary.
The mobile version of a well-known Google Translate (https://apps.apple.com/us/
app/google-translate/id414706506). This mobile app requires Internet connection,
however, it can store and process a greater deal of information, and there is an option
to translate words and phrases between all world languages. In addition, this mobile
app is user-friendly and absolutely free.
Hello English app (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hello-english/id1148009516) is
an application developed by the entire educational platform, but if the platform itself
supposes purchasing the subscription or requires to register for the paid online courses.
The mobile app, on a contrary, is totally free with an option for in-app purchases. A
free version includes over 400 interactive exercises for training memorization or
grammar. Moreover, this app also contains a translator. For an additional fee, there is
an option to talk and consult with tutors, who are also the native speakers.
Beelinguapp: Language Learning (https://apps.apple.com/app/beelinguapp-learn-
languages-with-audio-books/id1225056371) is a mobile app, allowing users to learn
English language by listening to audiobooks. Aside from training listening skills, audio
books require continuous engagement. Narrated by the native speakers, audiobooks
help users expand their vocabulary and the knowledge of common phrases as well as
improve their reading skills. The mobile app contains optional in-app purchases, and
one of the languages available as the interface default is Russian.
English Word Card (https://apps.apple.com/ru/app/english-word-card/
id759821899) is focused on expanding one’s vocabulary by studying with flashcards.
The flash cards are sorted by topic-based groups and various levels of difficulty. This
form of learning fits everyone from the beginner to the advanced levels, and all
available words are shown in context, combined with a detail description and the audio
of pronunciation.
285
2.2 The opportunities that free online resources provide for learning Korean
language
As for studying the Korean language in the classroom or on their own, European
students experience more significant difficulties than studying the European languages.
The most important problem in the study of the Korean language lies in the fact that
this language is phonetic. This means that listening to what is being studied is essential.
The experience of teaching and feedback from students studying Korean during the
last four years at the University of Customs and Finance, Ukraine has enabled the
following resources to be offered for both classroom and independent work. The
authors understand that this list cannot be limited to the proposed resources as there are
other useful educational resources. However, we have chosen them according to the
criteria we set forth above.
2.3 Free online resources: websites, mobile apps, and podcasts
Free online resources provided for learning Korean language are grouped together by
the authors, since most of them exist in the form of mobile applications and in the form
of high-quality web resources.
LingoDeer - Learn Languages (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lingodeer-learn-
languages/id1261193709) is a mobile application. In the free mode, the access is open
for beginners. The resource helps to learn the necessary volume of vocabulary, there
are also sections of “listening” and “speaking”. The service is adapted in English.
How to study Korean (https://www.howtostudykorean.com) is a free service
offering a detailed description of all grammar rules and other details as it pertains to the
structure of Korean language. The only drawback of this resource is that the only default
interface language available is English. On a plus side, it is considered to be one of the
most powerful services for learning and advancing Korean language. This resource
helps train speaking, listening, reading and writing skills on all proficiency levels from
A1 to C2. Additionally, this service offers hieroglyphs and the vocabulary. The
resource contains six complete units.
KoreanClass101: Learn Korean Online with Podcasts
(https://www.koreanclass101.com) is a podcasting service that upon registration opens
access to a great variety of useful material and exercises for training all the necessary
skills. Additional paid material is also available, although, in the authors’ opinion, the
free version offers a sufficient amount. This service also has mobile apps, which makes
it easier to keep all the materials in sync and easily share them on the Internet.
The HiNative service has already been mentioned and discussed above in the section
regarding learning English. There is also Korean language available. This resource has
both the website (https://hinative.com), and the mobile app
(https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id923920480). This free service helps improve
listening and speaking skills, improves pronunciation, as well as gives an opportunity
to listen, ask questions, communicate and get assistance from Korean native speakers.
Considering the different characteristics of formal and informal styles of
communication, this service is recommended for intermediate students of Korean
language.
286
Topik Guide (https://www.topikguide.com/complete-topik-practice-test-online) is
a resource that helps prepare for international test in Korean language. Specifically,
registration on the website opens access to the database of all past versions of the test.
Thus, it becomes realistic to obtain real information, real test copies, audio files,
assignments and have an opportunity to study this information independently, as well
as better understand the algorithm and format of testing and better prepare. Besides, the
service offers a newsletter with relevant information regarding the exam, the dates of
registration and results, discounts or unique promotions as it pertains to free courses of
Korean language as well as lectures and other learning materials.
NAVER Korean Dictionary – in the authors’ opinion, is the most important and
essential service in the phone of every Korean language practitioner
(https://dict.naver.com – dictionary; https://papago.naver.com – translator;
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/naver-korean-dictionary/id673085116 – mobile app). At
this point in time, this is the only comprehensive online vocabulary of Korean language,
available online for free. This service gives the option of English and Russian
dictionaries and has the translator option. The latter might not be absolutely accurate in
every case or misunderstand the usage or the differences between formal and informal
styles, however, the dictionary itself acts as an essential tool for communication and
enhancement of foreign language competence. Still, there is some substantial criticism
associated with the service. Since this service is capable of translating long forms of
text, students might be using it to ease an overwhelming task. However, this service
cannot guarantee the most accurate interpretation, since it has been created to assist
foreign tourists who travel to Korea and do not speak the local language. This resource
is recommended for individuals who are committed to studying Korean language as
well as the advanced students who fully understand the difference between formal and
informal communication. Needless to mention, a vast number of students are not
familiar with this service and still use Google Translate. However, the latter is less
capable in providing a professional translation.
The popularity of Korean culture and K-pop has a significant impact on the use of
YouTube resources for learning Korean language. This can be explained by the fact
that most students are showing interest in the Korean language precisely because of the
K-pop and the Korean musicals. Therefore, the distribution of video clips about Korean
culture and K-pop, music videos, sets of videos of popular actors / their biographies,
and so on is most appropriate for the intermediate level students. Because their
intermediate level already allows them to understand and comprehend the information,
then the skills of translation and listening comprehension are being trained. However,
from the beginners’ perspective, the use of music clips, etc., is not quite efficient. Video
tales in Korean with subtitles are more effective in the beginning stage of learning the
language, especially for listening. They are easy to listen to; relatively short, and
vocabulary is easily absorbed (https://youtu.be/cmJlisfnTKQ;
https://youtu.be/j6zWwAoEi_w).
Talk To Me In Korean (https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UC5r3WHrX4Z7peSYpDlgktGw) – is a channel that not only helps learn the language,
but also educates the learners about Korean culture and life in Korea. The playlists
cover a tremendous amount of learning material for all levels from A1 to C2. This
287
resource also has a website, although it is recommended for advanced students only,
and individuals with deep understanding of Korean culture and mentality, which was
the reason why the website itself was excluded from the list of free resources.
TOPIK 3 (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8tBZ26eo-a8txIPdXLWEEQ) – a
channel that is considered as a resource exclusively for preparation and completion of
Korean language tests starting from the third level (B1) and up. An enormous number
of audio files are available for developing speaking and listening skills. The material
from the previous TOPIK tests is used in the audios.
MasterTOPIK
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcU6RCjsoPqJ7HtiIpLmyyw) – another
resource for Korean language test preparation. The provided material is tailored for
students of all levels of proficiency. Various components of foreign language
competence, including grammar, reading, and listening, can be improved. In addition,
more detailed explanations regarding the writing part of the test are outlined.
Learn Korean with KoreanClass101.com (https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCsgBUobNGksxIKTagZayKEw) – a resource similar to the one for studying English.
In addition to the website this resource also has a YouTube channel, somewhat similar
to Talk To Me In Korean.
2.4 The improvement of listening and reading skills in Korean language
By presenting free online resources for learning Korean, the authors would like to leave
their comments regarding the improvement of listening and reading skills in Korean.
First of all, the use of Korean music for the language learning, in our opinion, is
more suitable for students who have begun to study the language on the intermediate
level. In songs, in general, there are no clear grammatical structures, but there is plenty
of vocabulary that is required for the exam TOPIK. So, students being fans of K-pop,
can listen to their favourite songs and learn the useful vocabulary at the same time
(music videos belong here too). Nevertheless, our experience confirms that this
technique can also be successfully applied to elementary level students, but for the
purpose of training reading. While reading their favourite songs, students adapt more
quickly to the language, and each time they read more confidently and quickly and,
most importantly, phonetically correct. It is advisable for students to do translations of
the songs by themselves (it is more interesting on advanced levels), but for beginners
all the texts are available in the free online access, for example at the Color Coded
Lyrics website (https://colorcodedlyrics.com)
Viewing Korean series / movies / TV shows /web blogs with subtitles – these
activities are extremely beneficial if the priorities are set to learning Korean language,
as opposed to solely enjoying the entertainment. Unfortunately, the subtitles in
Ukrainian are rarely available; however, there is a vast number of video content with
Russian and English subtitles (although, there are certain limitations due to blocking of
the Russian websites). It is also important to discuss the fact that there’s an
overwhelming amount of pirated content, such as
http://doramatv.live/list/country/south_korea, which is not recommended due to ethical
considerations. To view desired content without infringing upon copyright laws, it is
288
recommended to use YouTube or the official websites of Korean video content creators.
There are countless YouTube channels of various Korean vloggers who work in
different genres, which makes it possible to suit every taste. Some of the suggested
vloggers are https://youtu.be/bkg5_JsZ6gM (on this channel, the details of Korean
language usage are highlighted) and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj-
durTg1W7uWsB8oq0u7kA (interesting content regarding Korean slang).
Manhwa (Web Comics). The culture of webcomics is highly popularized in Korea.
There have been studies that have shown that the majority of Koreans of ages 10 to 30
have positive sentiments towards webcomics. They are relatively short types of content,
quick to read, and well-rounded in terms of covering various topics. There are several
things to consider as it pertains to relying to webcomics for learning Korean language:
1) the comics are appropriate for students at intermediate level an up due to a common
usage of slang and swear language; 2) while there are free webcomics, the majority of
them are paid. This service is available in English, as well. In the following discussion,
the most popular companies that create platforms for such comics as Lezhin Comics –
https://www.lezhin.com/ko (in Korean); https://www.lezhin.com/en (in English) and
WEBTOON – https://www.webtoons.com/ko (in Korean);
https://www.webtoons.com/en (in English) are examined.
3 Classification of free online resources by functional approach
On the one hand, the majority of communication textbooks and online educational
resources for foreign language learners focus on functional approach to learning. One
of the most substantial determining factors is the way of providing learning material
and forming the knowledge and skills associated with the delivery of vocabulary-
grammar material: the learning material should be provided in compliance with
communicative functions (favour, question, offer, agreement, disagreement, etc.).
These functions translate the communicative purpose of a speaker. With this goal, the
linguistic structures are offered, and provide the opportunity to realize certain functions
in the process of communication [1].
On the contrary, “аccording to the “new” paradigm of language teaching/learning
activities” ... can be classified as … skills (active skills: speaking, writing; passive
skills: reading, listening and watching) and Language use (grammar, vocabulary) [8,
p. 12].
With the claims outlined earlier, the authors were able to classify free online
resources from the perspective of functional approach, which allowed presenting the
opportunities of these free online resources in order to enhance the skills as components
of foreign language competence. All of the discussed free online resources provided for
learning English and Korean languages were grouped into four tables (Table 1 –
Table 4), as presented below.
289
3.1 The opportunities that free online resources (websites, podcasts) provide
for learning English language
Table 1 presents the opportunities that free online resources (websites, podcasts)
provide for learning English language in the types of communicative activities,
including listening, reading, writing, speaking, the expansion of the vocabulary
considering format of tutoring (group and/or individual) and level of language
proficiency (А1-С2).
Table 1. The opportunities that free online resources (websites, podcasts) provide for learning
English language
The impro- The impro-
Focus on lis- Focus on The expan-
vement of vement of
tening com- speaking sion of the
reading writing
Resources prehension ability vocabulary
skills skills
(websites, podcasts)
Level of language proficiency (А1-С2)
Format of tutoring (group and/or individual)
group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind.
+ + + + + + + + + +
Lingualeo (website)
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + +
Duolingo (website)
А1-B2 А1-B2 А1-B2 А1-B2 А1-B2
Cambridge Assessment + + + + + + + + + +
English (website) А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + +
Learn at Home (website)
A1-B1 A1-B1 A1-B1 A1-B1 A1-B1
+ + + + +
HiNative (website)
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + + +
Skyeng (podcast)
A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
+ + + + + + + +
TED Talks (podcast)
B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2
Learn English with
+ + + + + + + + + +
EnglishClass101.com
A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
(podcast)
United Nations Bibliographic
Information System THE- + + + + + +
SAURUS. Dag Hammar- B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2
skjöld Library (website)
The UN database with docu-
+ + + + + +
ments in different languages
B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2
(website)
The database of terminology,
+ + + + + +
related to UN activities
B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2 B2-C2
(website)
+ + + + + +
Lezhin Comics (website)
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + + +
WEBTOON (website)
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
290
Table 2 presents the opportunities that free online resources (mobile apps) provide
for learning English language for the types of communicative skills such as listening,
reading, writing, speaking, the expansion of the vocabulary considering the format of
tutoring (group and/or individual) and the level of language proficiency (А1-С2).
Table 2. The opportunities that free online resources (mobile apps) provide for learning
English language
Focus on liste- The improve- The improve- Focus on The expansi-
ning compre- ment of rea- ment of writing speaking abi- on of the vo-
hension ding skills skills lity cabulary
Resources
Level of language proficiency (А1-С2)
Format of tutoring (group and/or individual)
group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind.
+ + + + + + + + + +
Lingualeo
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + +
Duolingo
А1-B2 А1-B2 А1-B2 А1-B2 А1-B2
+ + + + +
Learn@Home
A1-B1 A1-B1 A1-B1 A1-B1 A1-B1
+ + + + +
HiNative
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + + +
Skyeng
A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
TED Talks + + + + + + + +
B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2 B1-C2
Learn English
+ + + + + + + + + +
with English-
A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
Class101.com
Ukrainian-English + + + + + +
dictionary A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
+ + + + + + + +
Google Translate
A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
+ + + + + + + + + +
Hello English app
A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
Beelinguapp: Lan- + + + + + + + + + +
guage Learning A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
English Word + + + + + + + + + +
Card A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
3.2 The opportunities of free online resources for learning Korean language
Table 3 presents the opportunities that free online resources (websites, podcasts)
provide for learning Korean language for the types of communicative skills such as
listening, reading, writing, speaking, the expansion of the vocabulary considering the
format of tutoring (group and/or individual) and the level of language proficiency (А1-
С2).
Table 4 presents the opportunities that free online resources (websites, podcasts)
provide for learning Korean language for the types of communicative skills such as
listening, reading, writing, speaking, the expansion of the vocabulary considering the
291
format of tutoring (group and/or individual) and the level of language proficiency (А1-
С2).
Table 3. The opportunities that free online resources (websites, podcasts) provide for learning
Korean language
The The The
Focus on Focus on
improvement improvement expansion of
listening speaking
of reading of writing the
Resources comprehension ability
skills skills vocabulary
(websites, podcasts)
Level of language proficiency (А1-С2)
Format of tutoring (group and/or individual)
group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind.
+ + + + +
HiNative (website)
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + + + + +
Topik Guide (website)
А1-C1 А1-C1 А1-C1 А1-C1 А1-C1 А1-C1 А1-C1 А1-C1
How to study Korean + + + + + + + + + +
(website + podcast) А1-C2 А1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
KoreanClass101: Learn
+ + + + + + + + + +
Korean Online with
А1-C2 А1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2
Podcasts (podcast)
Talk To Me In Korean + + + + + +
(podcast) A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1
PAPAGO – translator + + + + + + + + + +
(website) А1-C1 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
Naver Korean + + + + + + + + + +
Dictionary (website) А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + + +
Lezhin Comics (website)
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
+ + + + + +
WEBTOON (website)
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
Table 4. The opportunities that free online resources (mobile apps) provide for learning Korean
language
Focus on liste- The improve- The improve- The expansion
Focus on spea-
ning compre- ment of rea- ment of writing of the vocabu-
king ability
hension ding skills skills lary
Resources
Level of language proficiency (А1-С2)
Format of tutoring (group and/or individual)
group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind.
How to study + + + + + + + + + +
Korean А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
Naver Korean
Dictionary (has + + + + + +
access to А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
PAPAGO)
LingoDeer – Le- + + +
arn Languages А1-A2 А1-A2 А1-A2
+ + + + +
HiNative
А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2 А1-С2
292
Focus on liste- The improve- The improve- The expansion
Focus on spea-
ning compre- ment of rea- ment of writing of the vocabu-
king ability
hension ding skills skills lary
Resources
Level of language proficiency (А1-С2)
Format of tutoring (group and/or individual)
group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind. group ind.
(Learn Korean
+ + + + + + + + + +
with) Korean
А1-C2 А1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 A1-C2 А1-C2 А1-C2 А1-C2 А1-C2
Class 101
Talk to Me in + + + + + + + + + +
Korean A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1
Channel (You-
Tube vlogger)
https://youtu.be/b
+ + + + + + + +
kg5_JsZ6gM –
A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1
the details of Ko-
rean language
usage
Channel (You-
Tube vlogger)
https://www.yout
ube.com/channel/
UCj- + + + + + + + +
durTg1W7uWsB A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1
8oq0u7kA – inte-
resting content
regarding Kore-
an slang
+ + + + + + + +
TOPIK 3
B1-C1 B1-C1 B1-C1 B1-C1 B1-C1 B1-C1 B1-C1 B1-C1
+ + + + + + + + + +
MasterTOPIK A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1 A1-C1
4 Conclusions
Summing up, it can be stated that the free online resources, mobile applications and
other opportunities presented in the article are relevant and indispensable present-day
tools for group (classroom) and independent study of a foreign language in order to
improve a foreign language competence. While examining the resources on the
example of the English and Korean languages, certain differences were identified
determining and substantiating the recommendations for the practical use of the
investigated online services. The authors’ classification of free online resources by
functional approach allowed visualizing the possibilities of the described free online
resources in order to improve specific skills and abilities as components of a foreign
language competence (focus on listening comprehension, the improvement of reading
skills, the improvement of writing skills, focus on speaking ability, the expansion of the
vocabulary). In addition, the authors corroborated the feasibility of using free online
resources for certain purposes.
293
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