Swipe, Tap, Fluent? Can Duolingo replace the classroom?

Archana (Y10) explores the advantages and disadvantages of Duolingo, and whether the gamification of the app has reduced it’s potential to become part of a larger language learning strategy.

Duolingo has become one if not the most widely known language learning apps, due to its gamified learning style, bright green logo and relentless flurry of notifications reminding you to save your 12-day streak. The app has transformed language learning since its release in 2011 by owners Professor Luis Von Ahn and Severin Hacker. It has allowed and provided free language learning for anyone and everyone across the world, with around 34.1 million daily users in 2024. It is used constantly for a multitude of reasons, education, migration, job-related work, or merely for pleasure. It has allowed individuals to be able to communicate with the world, through their own agency, and it has created a market for online language learning.

However, in recent years critiques and users have pointed out the app’s limitations in real-world language application, so how effective is Duolingo really, and is learning how to tell everyone ‘the colour of your cat’ rather pointless?

Being a Duolingo user myself, I decided to test the effectiveness of Duolingo by learning two new languages. Portuguese and Korean, I chose Portuguese due to the fact it uses the Latin Alphabet and Korean because it does not.

Portuguese:

As I learnt Portuguese, I gradually began to understand vocabulary and grammar within the language due to Duolingo’s repetitive structure of lessons. Furthermore, since many Portuguese words are cognates of English, I was able to understand and translate the text with relative ease.

Korean:

Whilst studying Korean, I found it hard to pick up the script of the language. Often Duolingo will randomly introduce new letters without clear context and information, making it harder for learners to remember and absorb the new letters. This often led to me guessing answers without clearly understanding the difference between similar sounding or looking letters. This meant that I lacked a foundation of the language to rely on, and made numerous errors, leading me to running out of hearts, and eventually giving up on trying to learn the language.

PRO’s

Free + Accessible – The majority of features on the app are free, ensuring everyone is able to access it.

Quick + Convenient – Duolingo Lessons tend to be short and snappy, allowing people to do it at any time during the day, this encourages users to build upon their streak.

Numerous Languages – Duolingo offers 30+ Languages, from a wide range of nations, setting itself apart from other limited language learning apps.

Colour Schemes, Rewards and Reminders – It’s bright, catchy and even repetitive notifications encourage users to continue using the app and build upon their streak. This works due to the rewards and achievements triggering a release of dopamine within the brain.

Adaptability – Exercises are AI designed based on user performance, ensuring that users can receive the best possible experience.

CON’s

Lack of Control over Learning – Duolingo follows a Birdbrain Algorithm, that doesn’t allow learners to pick specific parts of grammar or vocabulary to work on. Instead Duolingo makes those decisions for you.

Limited Depth – Duolingo only allows learners to learn niche, unrelated parts of language

Lack of Script/Alphabet Reinforcement – Duolingo assumes learners will remember the shapes and sounds of letters without repeated structure practice, making it harder for learners to pursue languages with different alphabet scripts.

Lack of Character Writing Practice – Duolingo doesn’t teach it’s learners how to write characters or letters, which is pivotal for languages such as Mandarin, Japanese, Arabic and more. Practicing this is extremely helpful for memorization.

Other Language Learning Apps

ClozeMaster – Allows you to learn vocabulary in context within sentences, however you are limited to 30 sentences per day with the free plan.

LingQ – Focuses on learning through real world texts ( podcasts, films or articles).It allows users to expand their vocabulary through specific activities. It encourages immersion with native level content. However, the free version only has limited access to lessons.

Duolingo is still an extremely popular, useful and successful app. By merely using the app for 5-10 minutes a day, learns can revise language and vocab, and the consistent practice of this, will overtime develop your translation and understanding of the language.