Students see it as more of a game, when they are actually learning from the apps they are "playing with". Figure 1 is an example of an app that is a game, but allows for vocabulary to be learned while playing it. In the article, "The effects of an iPad® multimedia shared story intervention on vocabulary acquisition for an English language learner", the author mentioned that the use of iPads for ELLs enhances their vocabulary and allows them to learn at a faster pace without the student realizing that he or she is learning (Rivera et.al, 2014). iPads can also speed up the acquisition rate for elementary students and increase their vocabulary with each use. (is this last sentence also a quote or finding from the article or is it your own statement? If the former, it needs to be cited. If the latter, its needs substantiation.).
iPod Touch.
Another way technology can assist in the acquisition of a second language for elementary students is with the use the iPod Touch, both at home and at school. During a two-year study to determine if iPods can facilitate language acquisition and content learning, researchers found that they provide support and content for learning, as well as differentiated instructional support, for ELL students. Researchers also found that by allowing students to travel back and forth between school and their home with the iPod, their learning time increased because it was continued at home. The iPod Touch can offer a wide range of vocabulary and content learning while engaging the student in a fun and interactive learning environment (Min Liu, 2014). .
Reading Fluency.
Students in a 4th grade class in California, using iPods and a recording application increased their reading fluency 6 times the normal rate of students who did not use technology. The study focused on reading fluency, more specifically word count. Figure 2, to the left, shows the students improvement levels (Improving Literacy with iPod Touch, 2015).