volume 5, no. 1, 2020


 

Volume 5, No. 1, 2020 

Available online at: journal.umy.ac.id/index.php/FTL/issue/view/610 

 

Nafisatul Lutfi 
is currently teaching English 
at STMIK AKAKOM 
Yogyakarta. She obtained her 
Master’s Degree from Gadjah 
Mada University and 
completed her undergraduate 
study in English Language and 
Literature Department at 
Yogyakarta State University. 
Her subjects of interest in 
writing are American Studies, 
TESOL methodology, 
specifically on the 
implementation of technology 
in foreign language teaching. 
 
 

The Integration of MALL to Enhance 

Students Speaking Skill: An Autonomous 

Learning Model 

 

Nafisatul Lutfi 

 
STMIK AKAKOM Yogyakarta 
 

nafienevan@gmail.com 
 

DOI: 10.18196/ftl.5144 

 

Abstract 
 

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) is a new approach for students to learn language 
through the use of mobile technology. Learning a language should not only happen in a class 
setting activity but also happen outside the class in which the students take charge of their 
learning. Hence, it requires students' autonomy in learning the language. Students are now 
able to carry out their learning without depending on the teachers, which then leads to a 
sustainable and independent learning process. Quizlet, a web application, is introduced in 
this paper as an alternative solution to improve students’ speaking skill through an 
autonomous language learning activity. This paper used an action research method 
combined with a questionnaire to analyze the implementation of Quizlet in an autonomous 
class setting at STMIK AKAKOM Yogyakarta. 30 students were involved in the study. The 
practical, usability, and sustainability aspects become the focus of this research. The data 
gathered from the action research shows that an autonomous learning activity still requires 
teachers to be the facilitator, and the questionnaire shows positive feedback from the 
students regarding the usability and sustainability of their language learning using the 
application.  
 
Keywords:  Mobile Assisted Language Learning; Autonomous Learning; Speaking Class 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 2 

============================================================================

Introduction 

The enactment of AEC (ASEAN 

Economic Community) in Indonesia 

opens up the gate of internalization. The 

use of English as a basic means of 

communication becomes more crucial 

since the competition escalates to be more 

globalized. English First research result 

shows that Indonesia has a low level of 

English proficiency with an EF English 

Proficiency Index (EPI) score of 51,58, 

ranking at number 51 out of 88 countries 

(Education First, 2019). It becomes a 

concern for all English teachers to be more 

innovative in creating a new method of 

teaching, which can improve students’ 

proficiency. 

Furthermore, sustainable learning 

allows students to learn English 

independently anywhere. This way of 

learning will improve their speaking skills. 

It requires more hours of engagement with 

the target language, which classroom 

activities cannot always fulfill. One of the 

ways of supporting this independent 

learning method is by integrating the use 

of technology, as in integrating Mobile 

Assisted Language Learning (MALL).  

Indonesia is a country with a huge 

number of mobile subscriptions. It has 

around 355.5 million subscriptions, 

covering 133% of its population, and 

84% of them are broadband with 3G and 

4G connection (Kemp, 2019). It shows 

the potential for MALL application in 

Indonesia. The strong mobile connection 

enables teachers to encourage students to 

use various applications available to 

improve their language skills outside the 

class. It is also suitable to improve 

students’ speaking skills since it requires 

more engagement time with the target 

language. Despite the many Language 

Learning Applications downloaded 

online, students still do not know which 

one is good and how to use them for 

learning properly. In this case, educators 

can play an important role in introducing 

the tool and teach the students how to use 

it so they can independently use the tool 

outside the class.  

Many researchers have dealt with the 

integration of MALL in English classes. 

They are Fazeena, Ekanayakan, and 

Hewagamage (2015), Koole (2009), and 

Miangah and Nezarat (2012). The others 

give theoretical explanations and 

references on MALL practices in general 

without mentioning a specific tool used. 

A specific application, namely Quizlet, 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 3 

has been used to improve students’ 

English vocabulary acquisition in several 

countries such as in Malaysia (Azman, 

Shuraimi, & Yunus, 2018), Japan (Dizon, 

2016) and Turkey (Korlu & Mede, 2018). 

However, their researches are still 

according to a teacher-led activity that did 

not improve students' autonomy in 

language learning. In Indonesa, Supardi 

(2016) has attempted to combine 

autonomous learning using Quizlet, 

albeit only discussing how to use the 

application theoretically without real 

application in an autonomous class 

setting. The research seeks to answer if 

MALL, the integrating Quizlet 

application, can improve students’ 

speaking skills by encouraging them to 

use it in an autonomous learning class 

activity. The novelty of this research lies 

in its practical aspects rather than the 

theoretical ones.  

Literature Review 

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning 

(MALL) 

MALL or Mobile Assisted Language 

Learning is considered a broad approach 

in which researches have studied. It 

results in different perceptions of the 

authors and researchers on the basic 

nature of the MALL and in different 

definitions of MALL. Some regard this 

simply as m-learning, a method of 

learning a language using lightweight 

devices, specifically handheld, such as 

PDA, iPod, pager, or mobile phone. 

Traxler in Fazeena et al. (2015, p.2) 

defines mobile learning into a "learning 

delivered through the use of mobile 

technologies or devices" to simplify the 

meaning. In its simplest form, it 

specifically put more emphasis on the 

aspect of the learning experience instead 

of the teaching aspect (Traxler, 2007). 

According to Miangah and Nezarat 

(2012, p.309), learning using mobile 

devices“ is characterized by its potential 

for learning to be spontaneous, informal, 

personalized, and ubiquitous.” This 

learning broadens the aspect of learning 

into a much individualistic one. The 

learners can take control of their learning 

whenever and wherever they want, in any 

manner they prefer, without the 

involvement of others. Furthermore, 

Koole (2009, p. 30) adds that despite the 

practicality of the learning method, there 

are also some factors determining the 

learning experience using mobile devices. 

They are “the physical characteristics and 

the learner’s skill or knowledge and 

experience on using the devices for 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 4 

learning.” The first one relates to the 

device’s ability to perform its task. The 

second one relies on the user’s ability to 

use the device.  Hence, this study aims to 

introduce a method of combining both 

aspects, i.e., the device and the learner’s 

skill into an autonomous language 

learning method by integrating MALL as 

in the forms of Quizlet application in a 

speaking class activity.  

Quizlet Application 

Quizlet is a flash card-based 

application with several features suitable 

for learning vocabulary in a fun and 

interactive way (Solhi, 2019). It is a free 

application that can be accessed by 

downloading it via Play Store or Appstore 

or opening the link Quizlet.com using a 

web browser. The application provides 

more than 200 study sets that can be 

accessed by anyone. Each set has the 

following features:  

FlashCards. This feature enables the 

students to learn vocabularies with digital 

flashcards, which include pronunciation 

option. Students can also mark the words 

to study first as a priority. 

Learn. It is a feature that helps the 

students to evaluate their progress in 

studying the sets. Students can choose the 

type of questions, multiple-choice, or 

writing the correct answer.  

Spell. This feature is best for listening 

practice. Students listen to some words or 

phrases, and they must write down the 

words in the mini test correctly. 

Write. In this mode, students can 

write down the answer for each word and 

hear how the word is pronounced. The 

application will repeat the wrong answers 

to be studied later. 

Test. The teacher can ask the students 

to do this test to evaluate the learning 

activity as a task, and marks are also 

recorded automatically in a class mode. 

The teacher can set the difficulty level to 

low, medium, or high. 

Match. It is a game in which students 

match the word and its meaning in a 

limited time. The faster they finish, the 

higher the chance they can be the 

matching champion.  

Gravity. It gives a challenging 

experience to the students since they have 

to save the earth from the falling asteroids 

with words in it. Students need to type 

the correct answer to the word or 

question to make the asteroid disappear. 

Live. This feature is perfect for 

collaborative activity. Students are 

divided into groups and compete to win 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 5 

first place in answering all of the 

questions.  

The site provides two choices for a 

free account, teacher and student 

accounts. The teacher account enables 

the user to create classes and manage 

lessons which are not available in 

students' accounts. Both teachers and 

students can search various study sets 

from different subjects by writing the 

topic in the search column or create their 

own study sets and share the link to the 

others.   

Despite the many features it provides, 

teachers can modify the flashcards and 

activity following their students’ 

requirements. Barr (2016) considers fill-

the gap activity as more effective in 

improving students’ vocabulary 

acquisition. Solhi (2019) suggests that 

linking vocabularies with humorous 

pictures are more effective in improving 

vocabulary acquisition than words or 

description. Sanosi (2018), on the other 

hand, concurs that all features in Quizlet 

are applicable and effective in a language 

learning activity in the class. Considering 

the effectivity of each feature as 

mentioned by researchers above, this 

research lets the students choose the 

mode or feature they like to use to 

improve their skill.   

Autonomous Learning 

One of the most used definition of 

autonomous learning comes from Holec 

(1982) as cited in Thanasoulas (2000) 

which emphasizes the notion of students’ 

ability to choose and sets aims, purpose, 

and goals of learning, select the means of 

learning which includes the materials, 

methods, tasks and the criteria of 

evaluation to reach their goals. Instead of 

mentioning the autonomous learning 

activities, Benson (1997) as cited in 

Palfreyman and Smith (2003) takes the 

definition further by distinguishing three 

perspectives regarding autonomous 

learning, i.e., the technical perspective 

which relates to the learners’ skills and 

strategies, psychological perspective 

which relates to the learners’ attitudes 

and cognitive abilities and political 

perspective related to the empowerment 

of learners to control their learning. Both 

definitions relate to the importance for 

the learners to acquire the skills to be 

autonomous learners, such as the ability 

to plan, design, and carry out a learning 

process on their own. Although learner 

autonomy emphasizes the importance of 

students’ independence in designing 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 6 

their study, it does not mean that the 

teachers’ roles are absent. Teachers 

should be facilitators to help students 

becoming autonomous learners 

(Thanasoulas, 2000). Moreover, not all 

students can acquire the skills required to 

be an autonomous learner. The fact that 

teachers need to learn the techniques to 

help students who are unable to acquire 

autonomous learning skills still becomes 

a concern (Ustunlouglu, 2009).  

Bretts and Kercher (1999) propose a 

model of class activity to address the issue, 

which can be applied by teachers to 

encourage students’ skills to be 

autonomous learners. They proposed five 

components included in their 

Autonomous Learning Model. The first is 

Orientation, which equips the students 

with knowledge regarding the meaning, 

support system, and basic information on 

the importance of intelligence and 

autonomous learning for their future. 

The second is the Development Stage, in 

which the students receive an 

introduction to tools and skills on how to 

manage their independent learning. The 

third is enrichment in which the students 

gain knowledge by applying it through 

real-world experiences. The fourth is a 

seminar by the students to demonstrate 

the knowledge they have learned from 

ALM. The last is an in-depth study, the 

most difficult of all, in which the students 

synthesize everything they have learned 

and developed new knowledge on their 

own. The model designed was for a multi-

year program in which all components are 

applicable for students to be life-long 

learners who are independent and self-

directed (Betts, 1996). Even though the 

model was initially for gifted students, it 

is proven to be effective for improving 

students’ language skills in Iran, as shown 

in Bazleh and Yarahmadzehi’s research 

(2012). This research attempts to apply 

some of the components’ basic activities 

in the form of a lesson plan to improve 

students’ speaking skills. Due to the 

limited time, the research could only 

apply orientation, individual 

development, and enrichment 

components of the model.  

Speaking Skill 

Speaking does not only means 

delivering meanings orally. It 

encompasses several aspects, such as 

pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, and 

accuracy (Brown, 2001). Someone must 

be able to produce sounds in words 

clearly and correctly, speak without 

pausing and thinking, possessing various 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 7 

words to express their meaning, and using 

proper grammatical rules to convey their 

messages in spoken language to fulfill 

those aspects.  Mazouzi (2013) further 

explains that the speakers must be able to 

speak understandably both contextually 

(idea) and orally (pronunciation, stress, 

and intonation) so that the listeners 

understand what the speakers say. In 

brief, Nunan (1995) refers to speaking as 

the ability to say words orally, to 

communicate as by talking, to make a 

request, and to make a speech. 

To improve students’ speaking skills, 

teachers need to create a lesson plan to 

improve students’ pronunciation, 

fluency, vocabulary, and accuracy, as 

mentioned by Brown (2001). Four 

elements need consideration when 

creating a lesson plan, according to Leong 

and Ahmadi (2017). The first one is 

performance condition, which includes 

the length, quality, and teacher’s support 

during a class activity. Second is effective 

factors that encourage students to be 

more confident and not afraid to make 

mistakes. The third is improving 

students’ comprehension through 

listening practices with familiar topics 

within students’ surrounding so they are 

be able to understand information, 

request, or question addressed to them 

and communicated more effectively. The 

fourth is feedback in which students 

know if they have made a mistake and 

how to improve their speaking skills. In 

an autonomous language learning model, 

the teacher acted as the facilitator, 

concept creator, actor, or evaluator, 

guiding the students to gain knowledge 

and experience so they can learn more 

independently after the end of the lessons 

(Thanasoulas, 2000). This research aims 

to do such by creating, applying, and 

evaluating an autonomous learning-based 

class activity that focuses on introducing 

the students to learners’ autonomy and 

the tools they can use to achieve it. The 

tool used in this research is Quizlet 

application. 

Research Methodology 

This research used the Classroom 

Action Research (CAR) method to 

analyze the applicability of Quizlet in an 

autonomous classroom activity.  The 

researcher chose this method since it can 

generate solutions for the learning 

problem faced by the students. The 

teacher acted as the researcher, teacher, 

data collector investigating the teaching 

and learning activity to improve the 

students' speaking skills by integrating 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 8 

MALL in an autonomous learning 

model. The subject of the research was 30 

students of STMIK AKAKOM 

Yogyakarta taking English 3 class in the 

odd semester of the 2018/2019 academic 

year. The students were selected due to 

their familiarity with technology since 

they were IT students, and the researcher 

taught this class so she could follow up 

with the progress of the class periodically. 

The data resources were the students 

and the teacher herself collected by 

observing the implementation of the 

teaching activities and a questionnaire at 

the end of the class. Hence, there were 

two types of data, qualitative data from 

the observation and quantitative data 

from the questionnaire. The qualitative 

data from the observation was analyzed 

using the content-based analysis to create 

a conclusion based on the reflection and 

evaluation of the action. Whereas the 

data from the questionnaire were 

analyzed using descriptive qualitative 

methods to show the trends of the 

students’ responses to Quizlet. The 

questionnaire data were divided into 

three main categories: Quizlet ease of 

access, English skill, and Quizlet, and 

Quizlet for language learning and 

displayed in a bar chart displaying the 

trends of students’ answers based on the 

Likert scale. The data went through three 

processes of validity, namely democratic 

validity, process validity, and dialogic 

validity, as proposed by Anderson and 

Herr (1999). By making sure that all of 

the parties involved in the research are 

active in giving feedback for the 

effectiveness of the action research gains 

democratic validity. When the researcher 

solved the research problem after 

conducting the action research, then it 

will gain the validity process. When other 

practitioners or researchers in the same 

field discuss the results of the action 

research, it will gain dialogic validity. The 

researcher discussed with the fellow 

English lecturers at the campus, Siska 

Lidya Revianty, S.Pd., M.Hum, and 

Andhina Ika S.Pd., M.Pd. Triangulation 

avoids subjectivity. It consists of time, 

space, investigator, and theoretical 

triangulation, as proposed by Burns 

(1999, p. 164).   

There are four stages of action 

research, namely, reconnaissance, 

planning, action, and reflection (Kemmis 

& Mc Taggart, 1999). This research chose 

the component of improving students' 

speaking skills as its thematic concern 

(reconnaissance) by observing the 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 9 

students' skills in the class. The planning 

was to create a learning activity that 

enables the students to learn to speak 

independently by integrating MALL in 

the lesson. The action consisted of two 

cycles in which the researcher reflects and 

reformulate the finding through the 

process of reflection, where the researcher 

observed all actions and formulated the 

solutions. The researcher conducted two 

cycles of activities. The first cycle was on 

Tuesday, 7 May 2019, and the second 

cycle was on 21 May 2019. 

Findings and Discussion 

Depending on the model, action 

research can generate quantitative data 

and qualitative data. This research’s 

findings consist of two parts: qualitative 

data from the action research cycle and 

quantitative data from the questionnaire 

on students’ feedback for Quizlet. Below 

is the full explanation. 

The Steps of Action Research 

There were two cycles conducted by 

the researcher to improve students' 

speaking skills through the integration of 

MALL in an autonomous class setting. 

The two cycles used the same lesson plan, 

but with different materials, the first dealt 

with the expressions of asking and giving 

suggestions only, and the second one 

focused on the contexts. Before the action 

research, a reconnaissance or 

identification of the problem was first. 

Reconnaissance. The observation 

conducted before the action results in 

several issues to address in the English 3 

class of STMIK AKAKOM Yogyakarta. 

They were the students' lack of 

participation in the class and module-

based teaching method. The teacher gave 

a lecture, and the students listened and 

did exercises. As a result, passive teaching 

and learning process, and the low level of 

speaking skills due to the insufficient time 

to practice their speaking and lacking 

vocabularies happened. Among those 

problems, one problem became the most 

significant that was the lack of students’ 

involvement in the teaching and learning 

process.  

The Planning and Action. A lesson 

plan contained the topic of asking and 

giving suggestions to solve the problem, as 

mentioned in the previous stage. The 

application used as Quizlet due to its 

complete features, which enable students 

of different types of learning to choose 

which way to learn the language or 

vocabularies. There are Flashcards, Learn, 

Write, Spell, Test features for studying, 

and there are Match, Gravity, and Live for 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 10 

studying while playing a game. The action 

was following the lesson plan previously 

made, which went, as shown in Appendix 

A. Within the lesson plan, the stages of 

autonomous learning have the 

discussions. 

 

The Reflection for Cycle 1 

The first cycle of the action was 

purely autonomous, in which the teacher 

gave the students a piece of paper 

highlighting on what they need to do in 

the class.  Previously, the teacher had 

introduced the students on the nature of 

autonomous learning and a brief 

introduction to the application used in 

the class activity. The teacher merely 

observed the classroom, and students 

were free to do all of the tasks whenever 

they want.  

The observation showed that the 

students were indeed busy with their 

handphones, but only a few students were 

accessing the Quizlet materials. The 

statistics at the application show that only 

23 students were accessing the study set, 

and one student put the set in his folder. 

Out of the 23 students, nine students 

managed to finish the match champion 

quiz while the rest of them did not finish 

the quizzes. The other features, such as 

gravity, learn, write, and the students did 

not use spelling. The top 9 scores were 

visible through the app statistics. When 

asked about the feedback, some of them 

replied that the task of writing was the 

most difficult since it should be very 

precise; otherwise, it was false. 

The lack of participation was 

because some of them did not log in to 

the site, so the system did not record their 

names. During the practice section, some 

of the students managed to use some 

common asking and giving suggestions 

expressions from the study set. In 

conclusion, the first cycle was a failure in 

introducing autonomous learning to the 

students using MALL due to the lack of 

guidance from the teacher. Although it is 

autonomous, it does not mean that the 

teacher does not have any role in the 

learning process at all (Thanasoulas, 

2000). Teachers should act as the 

“facilitator” in an autonomous class, in 

which they promote and ensure that the 

students get the specific skills for their 

sustainable learning in the future 

(Benson, 2006).  Hence, the next cycle 

should involve the teacher as the guide 

for the students for each activity. 

 

 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 11 

The Reflection for Cycle 2 

The second cycle was in a more 

organized manner in which the teacher 

guided the students in doing the task step 

by step and overview their progress one by 

one. The teachers gave the same lesson 

plan to the class, but this time with 

different study sets, observed and guided 

all activities. The teacher also created a 

class via Quizlet in which the students 

joined, and could observe their progress 

through the statistics on the study set. 

The progress of their activity in opening 

the Quizlet link was displayed in front of 

the class so the students could see who 

was actively involved in the quiz and who 

were not. The tool in Quizlet allows the 

creator to observe the students accessing 

the materials and even create a class. The 

difference here is that the study time was 

limited, and after that, there was a game 

using Quizlet Live, which lighten up the 

atmosphere. 

The statistics on the app showed 

that all 30 students accessed the study 

sets. It could be observed through the 

“create the class” option on the home 

page of the app. Creating a class enables 

the teacher to observe the students’ 

progress and manage the class easier. Four 

students put the study set in their folder, 

which means that they would open the set 

again next time. Based on the score 

statistics, the most favorite feature was 

still the match champions, followed by 

writing with four students who managed 

to finish the quiz. Two students finished 

the learning feature, and one student 

finished the spelling quiz. Since the 

limited time for accessing the features, 

some students did not manage to finish 

the quizzes. Hence, the statistics did not 

record their names. As for the Quizlet 

live, all students participated in it, as seen 

from the game profile. In this cycle, all 

students participated and collaborated in 

a group and do the live game.  

From the second cycle, the 

students still require guidance in using 

the application. Once they are familiar 

with it, they enthusiastically use the app 

tools and participate in the group quiz. 

During the speaking session, they showed 

more consistency in using English 

compared to the previous one. Familiarity 

becomes the key to this autonomous 

learning method by integrating MALL in 

a speaking class. It supports Koole’s 

(2009) idea that “familiarity” with the 

tools is important. Thus, the teacher 

needs to introduce the tools in the early 

stages, coined as the Individual 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 12 

Development stage by Betts and Kercher 

(1999). In this stage, students learn how 

to use the specific tools to reach their 

learning objective, which becomes an 

essential stage to be an autonomous 

student. 

 

Students’ Feedback  

After the second cycle, a 

questionnaire on the effectivity of Quizlet 

for their learning and their plan on the 

app was distributed through google form 

via WhatsApp to the class. The questions 

had three main topics. The first was on 

the ease of access for the app, on the 

language skill of the students before and 

after using the app and their feedback and 

plan on the app. A total of 29 students 

participated in the questionnaire. When 

asked about the ease of access of Quizlet, 

ten students stated that it was average, 

whereas eight students answered as very 

easy to access. As for the usage, most of 

the students answered relatively easy to 

use the app, eight students answer 

average, and only one student answered 

difficultly. The data is in the bar chart 

below.

 

Figure 1. Quizlet’s Ease of Access 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regarding their English skills, 16 

students answered that the effectiveness 

of the tools at Quizlet was good, 11 

students answered average, and no 

student answered negatively. The 

performance in improving their English     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

was c positive with two students answered 

very good. Thirteen students answered 

good, and 13 students answered average, 

and only one student answered 

negatively. The improvement of the skill 

before and after using Quizlet is apparent 

 

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

The materials for the study set

The ease of use for Quizlet

The ease of access for Quizlet

Quizlet's Ease of Access

very easy relatively easy average

relatively difficult not difficult



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 13 

on the decreasing number of low-level 

students from 9 students before the 

application into only three students after 

the application.  The data shows that the 

effectiveness of Quizlet in improving the 

students’ skills is deemed positively by the 

students. It validates the action research 

on the process validity that relies on the 

“effectivity of the tools to solve the 

research problem” (Anderson & Herr, 

1999). It is students' activeness and 

performance in learning the English 

language. This positive attitude helps 

them to use the app more often outside 

the class, which supports a more 

sustainable and autonomous learning 

method.

 

Figure 2. English Skill and Quizlet 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The third set of questions was about 

Quizlet as a tool for language learning. 

The set of questions seeks to know 

students’ follow up after the autonomous 

activity conducted. Most of the answers to 

the statement show a positive attitude for 

the usage of Quizlet in their study plan. 

Sixteen students agree that they will 

browse for more study sets at Quizlet, 

while 18 students agree that they will 

make their own study sets on Quizlet. It 

shows a willingness of the students to set 

the goal of learning, create the materials, 

and evaluate them by themselves. One of 

the seven main attributes of autonomous 

learners is “having insights into their 

learning styles and strategies” 

 

0 5 10 15 20

English skill before using the app

English skill after using the app

English skill goal

Quizlet's peformance in improving
English

The effectivity of the tools at Quizlet

English skill and Quizlet

very good good average low very low



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 14 

(Thanasoulas, 2000). The rest of the data 

are in the bar chart below. 

 

Figure 3. Quizlet for Language Learning 

 

Conclusion 

 The observation, reflection, and 

the questionnaire show that positive 

results come from integrating MALL into 

an autonomous speaking class activity. 

The students involved more in the 

process of learning and autonomously 

practiced learning in which they need to 

set their goals, means, and the whole 

process of learning. Their willingness to 

learn the sets again make another study 

set of their own. It also browses for some 

more sets to reflect their readiness to be 

an autonomous learner despite still in the 

basic language matter.   

Despite all of the positive results, 

there are some issues to be addressed. 

The first is the requirement for the 

teacher to guide the students in the 

process of introducing the autonomous 

language learning to the students 

through the usage of a mobile 

application. The teacher needs to observe 

the students' progress as well, especially 

in the initial stage for the students to be 

able to learn a language more effectively. 

Follow-Up research needs to be 

conducted with a bigger sample and 

more applications to use in the class. 

 

 

0 5 10 15 20 25

Quizlet is an effective application for…

The lessons at Quizlet are easy to…

Quizlet is an interesting app for language…

I have used all of the tools in Quizlet

I will make my own study set at Quizlet

I will learn the study set again at home

Quizlet helps me learning english faster…

I will recommend Quizlet to my friends

I will browse for more study sets at Quizlet

Quizlet for Language Learning

very agree agree average disagree very disagree



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 15 

References 
 
Anderson, G. L., & Herr, K. (1999). The 

new paradigm wars: Is there room 
for rigorous practitioner knowledge 
in schools and universities? 
Educational Researcher, 12-21. 

Anonymous. (2017, February 25). 
wearesocial.com. Retrieved from We 
Are Social: www.wearesocial.com 

Azman, M. N., Shuraimi, F. M., & 
Yunus, M. M. (2018). Enhancing 
English language learning and 
teaching via Qgram (Telegram and 
Quizlet) innovation. International 
Journal of Academic Research in 
Progressive Education and Development, 
436 - 446. 

Barr, B. (2016). Checking the 
effectiveness of Quizlet as a tool for 
vocabulary learning. The Center for 
English as a Lingua Franca Journal, 2.1, 
36-48. 

Bazleh, E., & Yarahmadzehi, N. (2012). 
The effects of applying Betts’ 
Autonomous Learner Model on 
Iranian Students. Studies in Self-
Access Learning Journal, 3(3), 310-
321. 

Benson, P. (2006). Autonomy in language 
teaching and learning. United 
Kingdom: Cambridge University 
Press. 

Betts, G. (2005, January 1). The journey 
of lifelong learning. Retrieved from 
http://mrshueyswiki.pbworks.com/f
/Journey+of+Lifelong+Learning.pdf 

Betts, G. T., & Kercher, J. K. (1999). 
Autonomous learner model: Optimizing 
ability. ALPS Publishing. 

Dizon, G. (2016). Quizlet in the EFL 
classroom: Enhancing academic 
vocabulary acquisition of Japanese 
university students. Teaching English 
with Technology, 16(2), 40 - 56. 

 

 
 
Education First. (2019, May 31). English 

proficiency index. Retrieved from 
EF: 
www.ef.com/ca/epi/regions/asia/in
donesia/ 

Fazeena, Ekanayaka, & Hewagamage. 
(2015). A theoretical approach to 
initiate mobile assisted language 
learning among school leavers and 
university students of Sri Lanka. 
Australian Conference on Information 
Systems, (pp. 1-9). Adelaide. 

Holec, H. (1982). Autonomy and foreign 
language learning. Strasbourg: Janus 
Book Pub/ Alemany Pr. 

Karpati, A. (2011). Digital literacy in 
education. Moscow: UNESCO 
Institute. 

Kemmis, S., & Taggart, R. M. (1999). 
The action research planner. Victoria: 
Deakin University. 

Kemp, S. (2019, January 31). Digital 
2019: Indonesia. Retrieved from 
Datareportal: 
https://datareportal.com/reports/di
gital-2019-indonesia 

Koole, M. (2009). A model for framing 
mobile learning. In M. Ally, Mobile 
learning: Transforming The Delivery of 
Education & Training (pp. 25-47). 
Athabasca: AU Press. 

Korlu, H., & Mede, E. (2018). 
Autonomy in vocabulary learning of 
Turkish EFL learners. Universitat 
Politecnica de Valencia. 

Leong, L.-M., & Ahmadi, S. M. (2017). 
An analysis of factors influencing 
learners' english speaking skills. 
International Journal of Research in 
English, 34 - 41. 

Miangah, T. M., & Nezarat, A. (2012). 
Mobile assisted language learning. 
International Journal of Distributed and 
Parallel Systems (IJDPS), 309 - 319. 

http://mrshueyswiki.pbworks.com/f/Journey+of+Lifelong+Learning.pdf
http://mrshueyswiki.pbworks.com/f/Journey+of+Lifelong+Learning.pdf


Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 16 

Nunan, D. (1995). Language teaching 
methodology: A textbook for teachers. 
New York: Phoenix Ltd. 

Palfreyman, D. (2003). Introduction: 
culture and learner autonomy. In D. 
Palfreyman & R. C. Smiths (Eds), 
Learner autonomy across cultures, 
language education perspectives (pp. 
1-23). New York: Palgrave 
Macmillian. 

Sanosi, A. B. (2018, August 4). The 
effect of Quizlet on vocabulary 
acquisition. Asian Journal of Education 
and e-Learning, 06(4), 71 - 77. 
Retrieved December 1, 2018, from 
www.ajouronline.com 

Solhi, M. (2019). The effect of humor 
integrated pictures using Quizlet on 
vocabulary learning of EFL learners. 
Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 
8(2), 24-31. 

Supardi. (2016). Using Quizlet for 
facilitating the learner autonomy in 

mastering legal english vocabulary. 
The 3rd International Language and 
Language Teaching Conference (LLTC 
2016) (pp. 404-413). Yogyakarta: 
English Language Education Sanata 
Dharma. 

Thanasoulas, D. (2000). What is 
learner's autonomy, and how it can 
be fostered? The Internet TESL 
Journal. 

Traxler, J. (2007, 2 8). Defining, 
discussing, and evaluating mobile 
learning: the moving finger writes 
and having writ... International Review 
of Research and Open and Distance 
Learning. 

Ustunlouglu, E. (200). Autonomy in 
language learning: Do students take 
responsibility for their learning? 
Journal of Theory and practice in 
Education, 5(2), 148-169

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 17 

Appendix  

Lesson Plan: Asking and Giving 

Suggestions 

Topic 

Asking and giving suggestions: a speaking 

exercise in an autonomous class 

Aims 

* Students understand the variations 

of asking and giving suggestion 

expressions contextually 

* Students can pronounce the 

expressions properly  

* Students can use the expressions in 

a discussion setting 

Age group 

Teenagers and young adults 

Level 

Beginner 

Time 

+/- 120 minutes (60 minutes X 2 

meetings) 

Materials 

1. Asking and giving suggestions 

expression sheet/link  

2. A quiz about asking and giving 

suggestions at Quizlet 

3. Activity plan/topics for discussion 

in the class 

 

 

 

Introduction 

This activity aims to introduce 

autonomous learning to the students 

with the help of Quizlet application.  

It is important to introduce an 

autonomous learning model to the 

students before beginning to use this 

lesson plan. In his article, Getts (n.d) 

mentioned that teachers and 

students are supposed to be familiar 

with the 5 elements of autonomous 

learning methods.  

For the class to be effective, the 

teachers must provide the students 

with links and files to download 

regarding the focus of the study. It 

will be better if the teacher provides 

some materials to be downloaded 

from their design since it can be 

adjusted with the class condition. 

Procedure 

a. Introduce the students with the 

topic of discussions. Give a 

simple asking and giving for 

suggestions expressions for a 

startup. Write down some of the 

basic expressions on the 

whiteboard if required. (10 – 15 

minutes) 

This is the introduction to the topic 

phase. 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 18 

b. Make sure that each student has 

a handphone with a working 

internet connection. Ask them to 

explore the app used in this 

course.  

This is a warming up session, the 

students are introduced to the topic. 

Teachers can also start the phase of 

Orientation in this stage. Motivate 

and explain the children on how to 

learn on their own.   

c. Tell learners they are going to do 

autonomous learning on the 

topic of asking and giving 

suggestions. Provide them with 

the handout or links containing 

the expressions used in asking 

and giving suggestions. (15 

minutes) 

This is the Individual 

Development stage of the 

Autonomous learning model in 

which the students are introduced to 

the tools of technology and facilities 

they can use to learn the topic by 

themselves.  

d. Introduce them to Quizlet. Ask 

them to create an account. Let 

them explore the app for a while. 

Show them the link to the quiz 

you have made concerning 

asking and giving suggestions 

expressions and its contexts. (25 

minutes)  

It is the Individual Development 

stage as well, in which technology is 

used, and the students can 

proactively use the features in the app 

to learn more things by themselves 

later.  

e. Ask the students if they have 

understood the materials. Use 

Quizlet live to create a game. Ask 

the students to enter the code of 

the game. The tool will group 

them automatically. Start the 

game; make sure that they use 

English during the activity. (10 

minutes) 

It is the In-depth Study stage in 

which the students can work in 

groups to solve problems  

f. After the game, Choose one 

leader to lead the discussion. 

Give them the problems to be 

discussed. Start the discussion. 

Ask the leader to put a thick on 

the list of expressions used in the 

discussion (the one that you have 

been given at the beginning of 

the class). (30 minutes) 



Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning  
 VOLUME 5, NO. 1, 2020 

 

 

 19 

It also belongs to an In-depth 

Study stage in which the students 

can work in groups to solve problems 

in the real-life setting. However, it is 

considered as a lower level of in-depth 

study stage since the things assessed 

in this stage is merely the practical 

use of some expressions. The students 

are welcomed to discuss various kinds 

of matter and explore their knowledge 

further in this discussion. 

g. Assess the class and wrap up. 

Make sure that everybody is using 

the expressions properly 

contextually and fluently. (15 

minutes)