1.2 – Digital Tools: Apps

Using Apps

Watch this VIDEO about apps. [7:51 minutes]

Click HERE to download a copy of the Module 1 Reading Text.

What is an app?

A device, like a smartphone or computer, uses tools called programs, applications or apps. Smartphones have apps to help do many things. These are some popular apps used a lot on computers and phones.

Table featuring six common applications. Top row: Gmail, Google Chrome, Whatsapp. Bottom row: Facebook, Translate, Camera.

 

When you get a new smartphone or computer, it will come with some apps. These are called default apps. Default apps are apps already on a computer or phone when you buy it. For example, an Android smartphone may come with a default app of Google Chrome for internet use.

You may want different apps. You can download more apps in the App Store. Download means to get something from the internet and put it on your computer.

How to Recognize if an App is Free or Costs Money?

There are many apps you can choose from to practice English. Some apps are free and some apps cost money. If the app is free, the download button says ‘get’. If the app is not free, the download button shows a price.

Some apps are free to download, but there are things you can buy inside the app. Those apps will say ‘In-App Purchases’. For example, Microsoft Word is free to download, but if you want to use it, you have to buy a subscription.

Useful Apps for Learning and Communicating 

Here are some apps that can be helpful tools for learning, and communicating (or sharing information) for school or work. We can share information in multimedia forms or as texts, voice recordings, photos, or videos.

Table featuring three popular apps in the left column and app descriptions in the right column. Top row: WhatsApp. Middle row: Zoom. Bottom row: Gmail. Descriptions provided in caption.
Top row: WhatsApp is a free messaging app. The app allows you to send text messages to other users one-on-one or in groups. You can also use WhatsApp to make phone calls. 2 billion people use WhatsApp to communicate in over 180 countries across the world. Teachers and students can share multimedia messages and discuss them, too. Middle row: Zoom is a communications app that lets you set up or join video meetings, or classes. The Zoom app is free to download. Over 300 million people use Zoom to connect every day! Bottom row: Google has many free apps you can use if you have a Google account. One popular Google app is Gmail. You can use Gmail to send and receive email.

Activity 1: Discuss these questions

  • Which app allows you to take pictures?
  • Which apps allow you to communicate with others?
  • Have you used any of these apps before? What do they help us do?
  • Which app allows you to use the internet?
  • What other apps do you use?

Activity 2 : Do these activities.Screenshot of the app store results upon searching the term "English". Featured apps are as follows: Babbel, Speak, Praktika, Duolingo, and English Dictionary.

  • Open the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
  • In the search bar, type “English” to find apps to help study English.
  • View the different English learning apps available.
  • Which apps are free/which cost money? How do you know?
  • Which app would you choose to download to practice English? Why?

Activity 3 : Find and download these applications.
(IMPORTANT: DO THIS BEFORE THE NEXT CHAPTER)

  • Open the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
  • Look back at the Useful Apps for Learning and Communicating. Which apps do you already have on your phone?
  • In the search bar, find and download any apps you do not already have: WhatsApp, Zoom, and Gmail.

 

License

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CILIA-T: Civics, U.S. History, Academic English and Digital Skills Copyright © by Aydin Durgunoglu; Erin Cary; and John Trerotola is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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