The Role of Mobile Applications in Learning Korean

Tashkent state university of oriental studies
Institute of oriental languages and literature
Korean – English philology, 1^st year student — To‘g‘ilova Dinora

Annotatsiya: Mazkur maqolada koreys tilini xorijiy til sifatida o‘rganishda mobil ilovalarning roli hamda foydali tomonlari tahlil qilinadi. Tadqiqotda zamonaviy texnologiyalarning yangi tilni o‘rganish jarayoniga ta’siri, xususan, mobil ilovalar orqali til o‘rganish ko‘nikmasini rivojlantirish imkoniyatlari yoritiladi. Shuningdek, Duolingo, Memrise hamda Hellotalk kabi ommabop ilovalarning samarali xususiyatlari ko‘rib chiqilib, ularning o‘quvchilarning mustaqil ta’lim olishidagi samaradorligi o‘rganiladi. Maqolada mobil ilovalardan foydalanishning afzalliklari hamda ayrim cheklovlari tahlil qilinib, koreys tilini o‘rganishda ularni an’anaviy ta’lim olish usullari bilan uyg‘unlashtirish lozimligi ochib beriladi.

Kalit so‘zlar: Yangi tilni o‘rganish, koreys tili, mobil ilovalar, zamonaviy ta’lim tizimi, an’anaviy ta’lim tizimi, ta’lim sifatini oshirish, Duolingo, Memrise, Hellotalk.

Annotation: This article analyzes the role and advantages of mobile applications in learning Korean as a foreign language. The study highlights the impact of modern technologies on the language learning process, particularly the opportunities to develop language skills through mobile applications. Popular apps such as Duolingo, Memrise, and Hellotalk are examined for their effective features and their contribution to independent learning. Furthermore, the article discusses the benefits and certain limitations of using mobile applications, emphasizing the need to integrate them with traditional teaching methods in the process of learning Korean.

Keywords: Learning a new language, Korean language, mobile applications, modern education system, traditional education system, improving the quality of education, Duolingo, Memrise, Hellotalk.

Аннотация: В данной статье рассматривается роль и преимущества мобильных приложений в изучении корейского языка как иностранного. В исследовании освещается влияние современных технологий на процесс изучения языка, в частности возможности развития языковых навыков посредством мобильных приложений. Анализируются эффективные особенности популярных приложений, таких как Duolingo, Memrise и Hellotalk, а также их вклад в самостоятельное обучение. Кроме того, в статье обсуждаются преимущества и некоторые ограничения использования мобильных приложений, подчеркивается необходимость их интеграции с традиционными методами обучения при изучении корейского языка.

Ключевые слова: Изучение нового языка, корейский язык, мобильные приложения, современная система образования, традиционная система образования, повышение качества образования, Duolingo, Memrise, Hellotalk.

Introduction. It is no secret that in today’s era of globalization, the use of digital technologies brings convenience and ease to every field. In particular, mobile gadgets and platforms are widely used in mastering foreign languages. For example, in a study conducted by Sun Young Choo, it was emphasized that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most learners of the Korean language effectively used various electronic applications. He also evaluated mobile applications as educational tools, noting that they are not limited by space and time, and that they increase opportunities for independent learning. In learning Korean, mobile applications such as Duolingo, Memrise, and Hellotalk are widely used. While they help accelerate and make the language learning process more engaging, some shortcomings cannot be denied. In particular, learners who use mobile devices for long periods face eye-related problems. As a result, their motivation to learn decreases. This shows the need to maintain a balance between traditional and modern education systems and harmonize them with each other.

Research Methodology. This study was conducted in order to determine the role of electronic platforms in young people’s acquisition of a new language, based on an anonymous online survey. Fifty students and learners studying Korean at various educational centers actively participated. To ensure participants’ safety, no personal information was disclosed. During the survey, each participant was asked which of the above-mentioned platforms (selected from the most downloaded apps in the Google Play Store) they used most often, and to give an unbiased opinion about the importance of such mobile applications in language acquisition.

Literature Review. During the research, local and international literature related to the topic was studied. In particular, in Abdukodirov V.G’s article “Mobile Applications in Language Learning”, it was noted that platforms should be used correctly and that additional online tasks should be completed under the teacher’s guidance. In addition, he pointed out that sometimes these applications may distract learners, that technical problems related to the internet and devices may arise, and that unsupervised learning may lead to a decline in effectiveness.

Research results and discussion. The results of this study show that out of 50 participants, 18 used Duolingo (an application based on gamification principles), 15 used Memrise (mainly aimed at vocabulary building and easy memorization of words), 9 used Hellotalk (an application focused on improving communication skills by conversing with foreigners in the target language), and 8 used other applications. Moreover, in the second part of the survey, which asked for unbiased opinions, the majority of participants stated that using the above-mentioned applications under teacher supervision would yield better results and be more effective.

In the discussion section, it was revealed that although mobile devices and applications have created many conveniences for young people in learning Korean in recent years, due to certain shortcomings, the likelihood of learning the language effectively without teacher support is low. Furthermore, it was analyzed that harmonizing modern and traditional education systems is advisable.

Conclusion. According to the results of this study, mobile applications have been found to be widely used as important tools in mastering the Korean language. Digital platforms such as Duolingo, Memrise, and Hellotalk effectively help young learners expand their vocabulary, engage in independent learning, and improve real communication skills. At the same time, their limitations—technical problems, distraction, and health issues caused by prolonged use of mobile gadgets—may negatively affect language acquisition. Therefore, it was concluded that integrating the use of mobile applications with traditional teaching methods would help improve the quality of education.

References:

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