Ten free or inexpensive apps to use in a foreign language classroom.

1. Ten Free or Inexpensive
Apps To Use In Middle
School Spanish Class
Jennifer Ford
Belhaven University, Jackson, MS

2. DuoLingo
Language Learning App

3. DuoLingo
• Use for practicing listening, writing,
reading and speaking in a foreign
language.
• Use as a homework assignment.
• Use during the last ten minutes of class to
review previously taught material.
Incorporate Into The Class

4. DuoLingo
Advantages
• Fun and interactive.
• Students can complete anywhere and at
anytime.
• Students complete levels and must reach
mastery before learning new words and
grammar.

5. DuoLingo
Disadvantages
• Vocabulary may not be student friendly. ex. flirting
phrases, wine, beer.
• Vocabulary and grammar concepts can be seem
confusing when they have not been taught in a
previous lesson.
• Does not explain the multiple uses of one word.
Ex. “Qué” can mean what and that, depending on
the situation.

6. Memrise
Language Learning App

7. Memrise
• Use as a whole class review after a
lesson.
• Use to review for tests and quizzes.
• Use as a game where students
compete in small teams.
Incorporate Into The Class

8. Memrise
Advantages
• Repetitive review of vocabulary and phrases.
• Students get to listen to native speakers and pick the
phrases they are saying.
• Students must master a level before they can go to
the next level.

9. Memrise
Disadvantages
• Some vocabulary words are not student
appropriate.
• Too much repetition of words that students
become bored.
• The course has a tendency to move too slowly
for advanced students.

10. Mindsnacks
Language Learning App

11. Mindsnacks
• Project image for fly swatter game for
vocabulary and phrases review.
• Project image for matching game to review
vocabulary and phrases.
• Project image to review spelling of vocabulary
words and phrases.
Incorporate Into The Class

12. Mindsnacks
Advantages
• Matches an image to a word or concept.
• Review game for the entire class.
• Monitor progress of students.

13. Mindsnacks
Disadvantages
• Has to be used as a whole class activity, too
expensive for individuals to buy.
• Can be not challenging enough for gifted students.
• Images can confuse lower performing students.

14. One World Dictionary
Translation Dictionary

15. One World
Dictionary
• Use for translating sentences from Spanish to
English.
• Use for writing short paragraphs and stories.
• Use for looking up new vocabulary words.
Incorporate Into The Class

16. One World Dictionary
Advantages
• Learn new words
• Translate from
Spanish to English
• Improves ability to
write sentences in
Spanish.
Disadvantages
• Can be overwhelming,
especially to new
learners
• Words can have
multiple definitions

17. One Note
Note Taking and Sharing

18. One Note
• Set up notebooks for various classes.
• Organize lessons and distribute assignments and
notes online.
• Keep notebooks backed up to the cloud.
Incorporate Into The Class

19. One Note
Advantages
• Keeps a consistent notebook for a entire class.
• Permanently keeps notes, assignments and
notebooks from year to year.
• Students have access to notes and can create their
own notes.

20. One Note
Disadvantages
• Students have to be trained how to use One Note.
• Students may become frustrated when trying to learn
One Note.
• Takes a lot of time to set up notebooks with
assignments and notes.

21. Evernote
Cloud Storage

22. Evernote
Incorporate Into The Class
• Teachers can store pasts tests, assignments,
videos, etc. for future use.
• Students can store projects, assignments, etc. and
have the ability to share with others.
• Students can collaborate on projects with cloud
storage.

23. Evernote
Advantages
• Permanent data storage accessible form anywhere
• Students are less likely to forget projects and
assignments at home.
• Teachers can store information such as projects,
assignments, test, pictures, etc.

24. Evernote
Disadvantages
• Sometimes unavailable due to updates.
• Need to be organized so files will not get lost in the
shuffle.
• Students may forget what they have stored in Evernote.

25. Quizlet
Flashcard and Game App

26. Quizlet
Incorporate Into The Class
• Create vocabulary flashcards.
• Students can play games with vocabulary
flashcards.
• Students will have another resources to help study
vocabulary and grammar concepts.

27. Quizlet
Advantages
• Students can create and store vocabulary flashcards.
• Students can play games with flashcards by
themselves or in group during class.
• Flashcards talk to the students to help develop
understanding and listening skills in Spanish.

28. Quizlet
Disadvantages
• Students can copy flashcards from another student
without making their own.
• Students complain that some of the games are not
interesting.

29. Quizizz
Content Review Game and App

30. Quizizz
Incorporate Into The Class
• Individual student review game.
• Gives immediate feedback to the student.
• Collect data and mastery of concepts that have been
taught.

31. Quizizz
Advantages
• Teachers can collect data on mastery of concepts that
have been taught.
• Teachers can create their own games.
• Teachers have access to hundreds of games created
by other teachers.

32. Quizizz
Disadvantages
• Teachers have to make it competitive so students will
be motivated to play.
• Students can become discouraged if they see they
have low mastery of a concept.

33. Kahoot
Content Review Game and App

34. Kahoot
Incorporate Into The Class
• In class review game of previously taught content.
• Create competition throughout the class.
• Check for understanding of concepts and skills.

35. Kahoot
Advantages
• Teachers can create their own games.
• Teachers can use games created by other teachers.
• Students can create games to help them study or share
with the class.

36. Kahoot
Disadvantages
• Students sometimes have to be motivated to play.
• Students become mad about their log in time
affecting their score.
• The quizzes can be too difficult for the students to
understand if the teacher does not check the content
first.

37. Go Formative
Checking For Understanding App

38. Go Formative
Incorporate Into The Class
• Create exit tickets
• Create assignments and receive immediate results.
• Give feedback with assignments.

39. Go Formative
Advantages
• Create paperless exit tickets.
• Access immediate results and use for progress
monitoring.
• Create and store assessments for future lessons.

40. Go Formative
Disadvantages
• Have to pay a monthly subscription to set up multiple
classes and access certain assessments.