The aim of this study was to investigate the effects
of using a smartphone application in a Communicative
Language Teaching context. Specifically, a web-based
application called Let’s Talk was designed to facilitate an
Information Gap activity in an English language class.
Participants were assigned to an experiment group using
Let’s Talk or a control group using textbooks to practice
English conversation. Communication performance,
including vocabulary, sentence structure and comprehension,
was measured. Their Willingness to Communicate, including
self-perceived Language Learning Anxiety and
Communicative Competence, was also collected through
questionnaires. Results showed that Let’s Talk-facilitated
Information Gap activities led to better performance in
vocabulary and structure but not comprehension. Also, a
lower level of state anxiety was reported when mobile devices
were used. There was no significant difference in Willingness
to Communicate and Communicative Competence between
the two groups. Implications for the use of smartphones in
Communicative Language Teaching are also discussed