Schools integrate smartphone, tablet apps to engage a new generation

The students said they generally had a positive experience with the app as they do not feel the hesitancy they might when speaking to real native English speakers.

Which means that when it comes to the real thing they'll clam up and not utter a word, making the whole process useless.

I'm all for integrating technology in schools and think smartphones and tablets can be used very efficiently. But do not replace HR with technology. Technology should be seen as a supplement, not a replacement

Why have the host teacher even? In any subject, there will be plenty of students nervous about speaking to teacher, giving answers in front of class, etc. With modern tech, why even have school? Sometimes teachers are just babysitters. Home school and home college, parents issue high school diploma and doctorate degrees.

So, they have another set of memorised responses to standardised questions with no comprehension or language expansion. Woop! Woop!

Slowly Slowly stepping into the 21st C.

For a country so entwined with technology, the lack of it in the education process is startling.

1 computer for 6,2 students. Sounds about right in many advanced nations in 2000. And 12% of those were tablets. Now that's impressive - Not.

My high school students still lug tomes. A few years ago (4) my daughter's high school still didn't allow electronic dictionaries. Why? The reason given when queried was that all the electronic dictionaries are different (brands models etc) whereas the books are the same - so the teacher can say, "Everyone look at page 54", for example. Sheesh!

But I suspect a rapid movement embracing useful tech over this next 5+ years. Kids already are way beyond most school staff.

As browny1 observes, this is too late - other countries have been using technology as a teaching aid for years. Japan is just catching up.

For English this will be helpful - some of the responses above are far too cynical - the more conversation practice students have the better.

However, we really need better English than:

"May I ask your destination?" or "Do you have your ticket with you?"

Clearly these words have never been uttered in any real airport.

Meanwhile, in the junior high school I work at, we're not allowed to even mention Line characters or talk about any app in the classroom because that would be to encourage the students to use smartphones and tablets, and this BoE has a vendetta against students using any smart device (in or out of the school).