Использование мобильных приложений в офлайн-режиме для изучения английского языка в школах развивающихся стран: систематический обзор исследований за период с 2020 по 2025 год
Автор: Окубамикаэль Т.Т.
Журнал: Высшее образование сегодня @hetoday
Рубрика: Сравнительная педагогика
Статья в выпуске: 2, 2026 года.
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Цель данного исследования – изучить влияние использования мобильных приложений в офлайн-режиме на усвоение английского языка школьниками развивающихся странах Африки, Азии и Латинской Америки. Школы в этих странах сталкиваются с рядом технических проблем (ненадежное соединение с Интернетом, недостаточное электроснабжение, несовершенное оборудование) и низким уровнем квалификации учителей, что препятствует успешности традиционного обучения. Несмотря на наличие множества исследований (842 записи в базах данных Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, AJOL, SciELO и Google Scholar) проблемы и идеи, связанные с обучением школьников иностранному языку в развивающихся странах, не систематизированы. Этим определяется актуальность данной статьи. По итогам исследования сделан ряд выводов. Офлайн-приложения неизменно превосходят традиционные методы, прежде всего, в области лексики, беглости чтения, грамматики и произношения при использовании аудиовизуальных функций и локализованного контента (исследователи фиксируют умеренные и значительные положительные эффекты, коэффициенты Хеджеса g или Коэна d варьируются от 0,6 до 0,89). Эффективность обучения языкам с помощью мобильных приложений значительно варьируется в зависимости от используемой педагогической модели, подготовки учителей, культурной адаптации и доступа к устройствам. Офлайн-обучение иностранным языкам с помощью мобильных устройств служит эффективным дополнением, а не заменой живого обучения. Подчеркивается необходимость инвестиций в инфраструктуру, цифровую грамотность учителей, мобильные приложения, учитывающие культурные особенности обучающихся и гибридные модели, соответствующие смешанным форматам обучения для достижения улучшений в изучении английского языка и литературы.
Мобильные приложения для изучения английского языка в школах, работающие офлайн, развивающиеся страны Африки, Азии и Латинской Америки, обзор исследований
Короткий адрес: https://sciup.org/148333707
IDR: 148333707 | УДК: 372.881.111.1 | DOI: 10.18137/RNU.HET.26.02.P.228
The Use of Offline Mobile Applications for English Language Acquisition in Developing Countries’ Schools: A Systematic Review of Research from 2020 to 2025
The purpose of this study is to study the impact of using mobile applications offline on English language acquisition by schoolchildren in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Schools in these countries face a number of technical problems (unreliable Internet connection, insufficient electricity supply, imperfect equipment) and a low level of teacher qualifications, which hinders the success of traditional education. Despite the availability of numerous studies (842 entries in the Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, AJOL, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases), the problems and ideas related to foreign language teaching in developing countries have not been systematized. This determines the relevance of this article. Based on the results of the study, a number of conclusions were drawn. Offline applications consistently outperform traditional methods, primarily in the areas of vocabulary, reading fluency, grammar, and pronunciation when using audiovisual functions and localized content (researchers record moderate to significant positive effects, Hedges g or Cohen d coefficients range from 0.6 to 0.89). The effectiveness of language learning using mobile applications varies significantly in depending on the pedagogical model used, teacher training, cultural adaptation, and access to devices. Offline learning of foreign languages using mobile devices is an effective complement, not a substitute for live learning. The need for investments in infrastructure, digital literacy of teachers, mobile applications that take into account the cultural characteristics of students and hybrid models corresponding to mixed learning formats is emphasized in order to achieve improvements in learning English and literature.
Текст научной статьи Использование мобильных приложений в офлайн-режиме для изучения английского языка в школах развивающихся стран: систематический обзор исследований за период с 2020 по 2025 год
Introduction. Across developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, English serves as a vital gateway to education, employment, and global communication. Yet millions of school-aged learners face persistent structural barriers including limited teacher proficiency, scarce instructional materials, unreliable internet, unstable electricity, and restricted device access [16; 33; 35; 38]. All this impede effective English language acquisition. Although global educational discourse increasingly emphasizes online learning as a solution to inequities [46], the proliferation of low-cost mobile phones has spotlighted Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), particularly offline applications (e.g., Kolibri, LearnEnglish Kids Offline, SceneSpeak, MobiReading, and regionally tailored tools). They operate without continuous connectivity, making them uniquely suited to rural, low-income, and bandwidth-constrained contexts [10].
These applications have revealed potential in improving vocabulary, grammar, speaking fluency, listening, and reading comprehension, but experimental results remain varied, influenced by pedagogical design, teacher capacity, learner background, and socio-technological limita- • tions. Even though growing adoption, no comprehensive, cross-regional synthesis has significantly examined their pedagogical effect, or contextual effectiveness in school settings. This systematic review discourses that gap by synthesizing evidence from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, integrating quantitative effect sizes, teaching models, and contending interpretations of offline MALL’s potential and limitations, thereby providing a nuanced, comparative, and actionable framework for advancing English language education in resource-limited environments.
Objective of the study. The principal aim of this review is to carry out a thorough and regionally based impact assessment of offline mobile applications for English language acquisition in developing countries’ school systems. The specific objectives are:
Российский университет дружбы народов имени Патриса Лумумбы
to assess the impact of offline mobile applications on English language acquisition in school settings across developing countries;
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• to examine the effectiveness of selected teaching models;
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• to identify policy and pedagogical implications for scaling offline mobile learning interventions.
Relevance of the review. By synthesizing evidence from 25 empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025, this study addresses a critical gap in the global literature on education access and equity – a field currently dominated by online learning discourse – regarding the process of identifying intervening solutions. In the main, the review underlines the advantage of teacher-supported blended models over autonomous or purely gamified approaches, highlighting how human facilitation ensures deeper, more sustainable learning while mitigating risks like shallow engagement or inequitable access. Furthermore, it provides timely, evidence-based guidance for educators, policymakers, and developers seeking to leverage low-cost mobile technology to bridge persistent disparities in English proficiency, eventually supporting broader goals of wide-ranging education and socioeconomic flexibility in low resourced-settings.
Methods and Materials. This systematic review follows PRISMA guidelines which was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, AJOL, SciELO, and Google Scholar using key terms such as offline mobile learning, mobile-assisted language learning, low-resource schooling, English learning applications, and developing countries. 842 articles published in 2020–2025 were primarily identified. After screening was carried out based on specific criteria, 25 studies met all criteria study articles were selected. The inclusion criteria were:
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• published between 2020 and 2025, and conducted within a developing country context in Africa, Asia, or Latin America;
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• target of the article: should be directed at school age learners;
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• evaluated an educational intervention centered on a mobile application designed for offline use or operation in low-connectivity environments;
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• measured outcomes of empirical findings related to English language acquisition;
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• involved a study design that was used as an empirical study including an experimental (experimental and controlled group), quasi-experimental, mixed-methods, or qualitative evaluation design. Literature that does not fulfill the criteria stated above were excluded.
