SMARTPHONES AS ESSENTIAL EDUCATIONAL TOOLS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

Abstract

The world around us has changed and smartphones are present in every aspect of our daily lives. This advanced technology can benefit both students and teachers. However, teachers in North Macedonia still resist the changes that are essential for achieving a 21st century classroom.
One simple and affordable way of improving the educational process is by using the smartphone as a teaching and a learning tool in the classroom. The successful implementation of smartphones in the regular curriculum will benefit both teachers and students.
In this paper I will discuss the most common obstacles that students and teachers face, the appropriate solutions for those obstacles and the general advantages of the smartphone as an educational tool in the classroom. I will also offer practical examples for using the smartphones in the EFL classroom.
Key words: smartphones, secondary schools, EFL.