Exactly two years ago when the pandemic struck, we were suddenly put in a position of staying at home. At that time it felt obvious to me to do something useful with loads of lockdown time. Something like learning a new language! Or to polish old language skills. So, I searched language learning apps and chose the best rated and ... also free DUOLINGO! Actually, it’s still the only free language learning app on the market. Let me tell you what my experience was.
Do it with Duo... or... maybe đ¤ think again.
Is it because of the design?
Apps are the modern way of performing specific tasks or offering services like language learning. Duolingo is an engaging app which is more interesting than coursebooks. It is well designed for ... children? Yes, the graphics are a bit childish but some people call it cute, so it is down to personal taste. Bite-size lessons are intended to fit in with a modern busy life.
Is it boring?
No, Duolingo is based on a gamified learning approach. It has many built-in features to boost motivation, such as a “crown” reward system, practice streaks to show daily progress or earning “lingots” for correct answers and using a leader board where you can rank yourself against your friends. It is also great for a visual learner - there are pictures, colours, highlighted texts, buttons, strength bars. However, the “heart” system could be disheartening for some people who make too many mistakes and lose hearts đĨ Duolingo’s motivational tactics have been famous – many users joke about Duo stalking and shaming you to make you study.
So, it’s definitely not boring – Duolingo recognises that language learners need to be motivated!
Does it bring poor results?
Well, that depends on what sort of results you are expecting. There are some studies Duolingo research that show learners’ better performance in tests.
So what’s the problem?
đ❓If you are specific about learning in-depth authentic vocabulary or are an accomplished language student and your answers are correct but don’t fit into the most standard pattern, then you would find it frustrating to fight with computer’s translation pre-sets. Another vocabulary related issue is – Duolingo doesn’t provide context which could affects memorising.
đ¤❓Also, mechanical machine voice modelling of language is definitely not about becoming a good language speaker.
đŖ❓Finally, if your target is to become fluent, you most definitely need to add a language course or tutor’s support. It is more the case of finding the right place for a language learning app in our learning rather than making our learning goals depending on the app.
Verdict⚖
It’s hard to claim Duolingo is a waste of time since many people find it works for them. It is a good introduction to a new language or learning new phrases before a trip, perfect for casual user. However, as a teacher I wouldn’t recommend Duolingo as an approved supplement to my language lessons for certain ethical reasons. For example, there are widespread reports online of mischarging and a lack of customer support. Nor would I categorically ban or discourage my students from using language apps as it is certainly not a bad way to spend a few spare minutes to learn a new phrase or two. Overall, Duolingo deserves a big thumbs up for making language learning accessible for everyone and for promoting learners’ autonomy.
đYou might find it helpful to read App vs App about leading language learning apps and their comparison reviews.
