The modality of tandem learning as an aspect of a contemporary trend in foreign language learning: The example of the HelloTalk mobile app

The paper highlights contemporary trends in foreign language acquisition which systematically enhance communicative abilities, contributing to the development of language skills in a creative and innovative manner. One of the leading trends is reflected in the modality of mutual learning, which is increasingly used and involves the interaction of two persons willing to teach each other their mother tongue. The paper looks at the possibilities of acquiring a foreign language using the HelloTalk mobile app, based on tandem learning and the communicative approach. The social interactions involved in problem solving through partnership enable each student to expand their zone of further development, making the topic of this paper significant in a pedagogical context. A study carried out with the aim of assessing students' attitudes to the use of this language acquisition tool is presented in the paper. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Data were collected using an online survey and also through focus group discussions. The findings suggest that one of the major advantages of learning a foreign language in this way is the partial or total reduction of language barriers, as well as the absence of anxiety and nervousness, which frequently accompany communication in a foreign language. The findings confirm that the HelloTalk mobile app, although appealing in language learning, is not widely used among the student population in Serbia due to students' lack of free time and their insufficient engagement, which is required in tandem learning.