iPhone Apps for ESL Students

Applications to Improve English Listening, Reading, and Conversation

Sep 26, 2009

From writing skills to phonics and reading, there are several iPhone apps available to help ESL students practice their new language.

Learning English as a second language is a huge undertaking, but it can be fun as well. For iPhone and iPod Touch owners, there are even more opportunities to practice English on the go.

These iPhone applications provide help for ESL students on everything from writing the perfect essay to games and motivational tools.

Improve Writing Skills With ESL Essay Writing App

Created by Niles Technology Group, Inc, this series of apps offers help with dozens of types of essay assignments. Each app targets a specific kind of essay and helps the writer develop their ideas and structure the essay in the most effective way possible. A few examples include:

Each app is generally priced at around $4.99, with different package deals of several apps in one available.

iPhone Language Lab: Pocket English (ESL)

This app, designed by Innovative Language Learning, LLC, provides a comprehensive system of ESL lessons right on the iPhone, ready to be used and studied anywhere. A few features include several different voices for listening practice, detailed explanations, reviews of vocabulary and phrases, a vocabulary list with audio playback, flashcards, and more!

Pocket English is available on the iTunes App Store for $4.99, and requires iPhone OS 2.1 or later.

Improve Language Skills With PencilBot ESL

The PencilBot series of apps, designed by Edutainment Resources, Inc., are targeted at students who want to improve their English skills in a fun way with videos and interactive games.

The apps are arranged according to level (beginner to advanced), and include special apps designed to improve test scores on the listening portion of the TOEFL or TOEIC. While they vary in price, all of the apps in this series run $5 or lower.

English Dictionary, Idioms, Phrasal Verbs

While the price might be a little steep, every ESL student should have a good English pocket dictionary. And what could be more convenient than an ESL dictionary on the iPhone!

The Longman Advanced American Dictionary includes the added bonus of audio content, 25,000 recordings to be exact, for $19.99. This dictionary offers many other features that a regular dictionary can't, like color text and zoomable illustrations for 185,000 words and phrases.

As any ESL student knows, sometimes defining a word isn't enough to facilitate understanding. Longman also offers a Phrasal Verbs Dictionary App, featuring 5,000 phrasal verbs (including computer, business, and Internet terms), and an Idioms Dictionary App, with more than 6,000 idioms, each available for $13.99.

Learn English on the iPhone

ESL students need all the help they can get in mastering English! With these helpful, fun, and educational applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, ESL learners can study and improve their English no matter where they are.

The copyright of the article iPhone Apps for ESL Students in ESL Materials is owned by Michelle Schusterman. Permission to republish iPhone Apps for ESL Students in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.