How to turn a DLLAB coursebook into an interactive language course with the DL STUDENTS app

Language schools are increasingly looking not only for good coursebooks, but for complete solutions: printed materials, online exercises, vocabulary games and mobile apps for students. The DL STUDENTS app was created precisely to make Direct Language Lab coursebooks part of a modern, interactive course available on every student’s smartphone.

Below you will learn that:

• DL STUDENTS combines Direct Language Lab coursebooks with daily vocabulary training on a phone or tablet.
• The app offers vocabulary games, MP3 recordings, online content and features that support learning with the direct method.
• Students have access to a free DLLAB dictionary with recordings and translations, even without a subscription.
• DL STUDENTS supports teachers and methodologists in implementing the syllabus, increases student engagement and makes vocabulary work between lessons easier.

 

DL STUDENTS app – created specifically for DLLAB coursebooks

Direct Language Lab has been developing coursebooks based on the direct method for years, where listening, speaking and quick language reactions are key. The DL STUDENTS app is not a general “vocabulary trainer”, but a tool designed specifically for DLLAB materials – the structure of the content in the app mirrors the coursebook units.

Thanks to this:

• the student practises vocabulary taken exactly from the unit they are working on in the course,
• the teacher can be sure that work in the app reinforces a specific unit rather than random vocabulary lists,
• the school can offer a coherent package: Direct Language Lab coursebook + online materials + DL STUDENTS app.

For language school owners this is an important sales argument: instead of just a coursebook, you offer students a complete language learning ecosystem.

 

Vocabulary games that support the direct method

The direct method requires intensive vocabulary work – lessons include a lot of questions, answers and quick reviews. DL STUDENTS transfers this way of working into the app environment, turning vocabulary from the coursebook into engaging language games:

• Flashcards with translations – help quickly check whether the student remembers the meaning and form of a word.
• Memory game – consolidates vocabulary through associations and repeating pairs.
• Matching words with their translations – builds automaticity in linking the foreign form with the correct meaning.
• Creating a word from jumbled letters – engages the student in actively recalling the word instead of just recognising it from a list.

These formats support the goal of DLLAB coursebooks: the student should speak, understand and react in the foreign language, not just solve multiple-choice tests.

 

Vocabulary organised by units – structure just like in the book

For schools using Direct Language Lab coursebooks, synchronisation of print and digital materials is extremely important. DL STUDENTS makes it possible to revise vocabulary unit by unit, exactly as in the book:

The student can:

• select a specific unit in the app,
• practise only the vocabulary from that part of the course,
• add more difficult expressions to a “favourites” list and revisit them more frequently.

From the teacher’s perspective this is a huge convenience: it is enough to say “Revise unit 5 in DL STUDENTS” instead of explaining which vocabulary and in which tool needs to be practised.

 

Free DLLAB dictionary with recordings – an essential tool for every student

One of the most important features of the DL STUDENTS app is the free DLLAB dictionary available to all users, including those without an active subscription.

The dictionary:

• contains complete vocabulary from the DLLAB coursebook arranged according to the sequence of units,
• allows you to listen to the pronunciation of every entry,
• hides translations by default so that the student can first check whether they remember the meaning.

Schools and teachers can confidently recommend the DLLAB dictionary to all students as a natural extension of the coursebook, regardless of whether they use the paid version of the app.

 

How does DL STUDENTS support teachers, methodologists and schools?

From the perspective of the methodologist, school owner and the entire teaching team, the DL STUDENTS app:

• helps maintain methodological consistency because it is based on the same vocabulary as the DLLAB coursebooks,
• increases the number of student contacts with the language between lessons,
• boosts motivation thanks to gamification elements and visible progress in vocabulary games.

Schools cooperating with Direct Language Lab also use DL STUDENTS in their marketing – the package of coursebook + online materials + mobile app clearly distinguishes their courses from offers based solely on a book and traditional exercises.

 

Subscription as a flexible extension of Direct Language Lab materials

The DL STUDENTS app operates on a monthly subscription model, which means it can be treated as a flexible extension of DLLAB materials rather than a rigid, expensive add-on.

A typical implementation scenario in a language school:

• The student uses a Direct Language Lab coursebook in their course.
• The teacher encourages them to install the app and use the free DLLAB dictionary.
• Students who want to develop their vocabulary and pronunciation more intensively purchase a monthly subscription and gain full access to games, MP3 recordings and online content linked to the course.

 

DL STUDENTS as a key component of the Direct Language Lab offer

DL STUDENTS does not replace Direct Language Lab coursebooks – it reinforces their impact, especially in the areas of vocabulary, pronunciation and independent study at home. Combined with DLLAB coursebooks, online materials and methodological training for teachers, it creates a complete, modern educational ecosystem for language schools.

If you run a language school or teach using Direct Language Lab coursebooks, it is worth including DL STUDENTS in the set of recommended tools – as the element that connects the traditional coursebook with mobile, interactive vocabulary learning. You can find more information about the app and other digital solutions from the publisher on the Direct Language Lab website.