A Comparative Analysis of Three Top English Learning Apps for Japanese Speakers
■Introduction to English Learning Apps
“I wish I could speak English…”
Have you ever felt that way as an adult?
In Japan, students study English for at least six years in junior high and high school. New educational reforms have increased the number of English classes in elementary schools. However, not many people can say, “My English is perfect only with classes at school!”
But where do you begin?
You have the motivation to do it. It would be a waste to fail because you don’t know how to do it!
So in this blog, let me introduce a series of ideas for “English study methods” outside of the classroom, especially three English Learning Apps.
We hope this will be helpful to students who want to do some extra study on their own, as well as to adults who want to relearn! Please try to find a way that suits your own style. 😀
■Recommended English Learning Apps
There are so many apps out there that you can’t even begin to count them all.
It’s like “Where do I start…? I’m not sure where to start”.
So, here are three recommended Apps for different situations, along with a review of how we actually used them!
・I want to concentrate on English vocabulary! → mikan
・I want to start casually! → Duolingo
・I want to seriously improve my reading and listening skills! → POLYGLOTS
This time, we have selected apps that are free. I will also introduce some tips on how to make the most of each one.
■How to use the App
＜I want to concentrate on English vocabulary! → mikan＞
If you want to focus on English vocabulary, we recommend “mikan”.
You can study 10 words in about 30 seconds, so you can use it in your spare time. The app also summarizes your weak words, so you can review them intensively.
You can thoroughly concentrate on learning “words” from a variety of approaches, but here is an overview of how to use it!
- Memorize words efficiently by “card flipping”
- Check the definition and retention of words with the “Word Test”.
- Concentrate on reviewing your weak words (the app automatically summarizes them for you).
- Check your ability with “mikan test” (in-app nationwide test)
□Price： Free（Charge within the app）
＜I want to start casually Duolingo＞
Duolingo is recommended for those who want to start learning at a casual pace as a first step.
A wide range of topics is available, from familiar topics such as food and daily conversation to grammar, word order, and stories that help you develop your reading comprehension skills.
You can repeat learning from a basic level, or progress through listening, speaking, and word order training as if it were a game, without raising the hurdles to learn English.
Here’s an overview of how it works!
- “Basic Training” provides a comprehensive study of listening, word order training, Japanese & English translation training, and speaking.
- “Duolingo Story” to train Reading comprehension
- Shadowing by following and pronouncing sentences read out loud by native English speakers
□Price： Free（Charge within the app）
＜I want to seriously improve my reading and listening skills! → POLYGLOTS＞
This English Learning Apps includes quite a substantial amount of content, such as exercising reading and listening skills with actual news articles and practicing speaking skills using everyday conversation topics.
Here’s an overview of how it works!
- Listening to long sentences with native pronunciation
- Reading with a set speed of your own
- Shadowing after the native speaker & record your own pronunciation to check after
□Price： Free（Charge within the app）
■Conclusion
How was it?
The best timing is when you feel that you want to study! it is surely the time when your motivation and absorption rate is the highest. We would be happy if we could help you find a way to learn while having fun at the same time.
