This paper discusses the practical application of QR codes in English classes at a Japanese university. Recently, due to the spread of smartphone use among Japanese university students, the number of studies and practice reports on mobile learning (m-learning) in general and mobile assisted language learning (MALL) in particular has been increasing. This paper reviews Jones's (2012) report on MALL practice at Woosong University in Daejeon, South Korea, where the smartphone is ubiquitous.
Jones presents a number of practical usages of QR codes in English classes. Some examples are (1) checking attendance, (2) distributing homework assignments, (3) running classroom activities, and (4) administering quizzes. While reviewing these usages, the present paper presents some sample QR codes and Japanese websites for creating QR codes. On this basis, some advantages and limitations of the use of QR codes in English classes at a Japanese university are discussed.