People are addicted to maintaining their Duolingo practice streak, but is this gamified learning app a reliable way to learn languages this summer?
As the temperatures increase, so does the pressure to improve our language skills before we jet off on holiday. But in a fast-paced world, learning has to be time-efficient. Is Duolingo the most efficient app, or are there better options?
What is Duolingo?
Duolingo is one of the highest-rated language-learning apps in the world. With more than 500 million registered users and 37 million of those active each month, according to signhouse. The app is a popular choice due to its conveniently accessible platform available on Apple, Android and the web.
Founded in 2011, the popularity is forever increasing with an average user increase of 50% each year. The first quarter of 2024 saw 31 million daily active users practicing on the platform, according to statista.com.
The addiction to the streak
Like Snapchat, a daily streak attracts more users to Duolingo, motivating them to return daily to learn. The streak format resembles gaming software, with rewards, badges, and XP points moving users up the language-learning league.
For some, the streak has shifted from motivating language learning to being the sole reason they use the app. Duolingo Spanish-learner, Jordan Renwick, said the prospect of losing her streak can be anxiety-inducing: “The owl haunts me.”
“Sometimes I sign in and complete the task needed to get my streak and then log back off straight away.”
Users with push notifications will understand how the frequent messages from Duolingo’s mascots can feel pressurizing. As I type this, my phone pings to notify me, ‘Practice now so you don’t lose your 262-day streak!’ Such content has been the face of many viral memes.
Evidence suggests Duolingo’s adaptation to include daily streaks may have backfired, fostering an addiction to the game rather than boosting language learning interest.
For others, losing the streak can discourage learning, as confirmed by J.J Hamilton on his blog, ‘600 days: Is a Duolingo streak worth the stress?’ The author states, “A streak that was over 100 days long vanished before my eyes. Losing that actually made me lose the will to continue practicing for a while.”
Obstacles like Streak Freezes and the ability to buy freezes with gems make it easier to maintain your streak. However, daily practice becomes harder as the streak lengthens. According to a tweet last year, only 25 people have a Duolingo streak of over 10 years.
So it’s safe to say that many have lost their streak over time.
This raises the question: does the risk of losing your streak make you learn more or less?
What can you learn with Duolingo?
Duolingo targets both beginners and those looking to improve their language skills, especially people with busy schedules. The short, focused 5-10 minute lessons fit easily into any routine, making it ideal for commuters and users with hectic lives who appreciate the flexibility to learn anytime.
Student and Duolingo user Arty said, “I like that I can pick it up and put it down throughout the day alongside university as well. I think I have a better foundation now if I wanted to pursue it more formally after uni.”
Duolingo offers a wide range of courses in over 38 languages, including less commonly studied ones like Zulu, Xhosa, Maori, Haitian Creole, and Tagalog, which were added to help preserve endangered languages. This renders the app a handy resource for learners pursuing languages unavailable in conventional programs.
Artificial Intelligence is employed to personalize the learning experience for each user, recognizing their strengths and providing more tasks focused on their weaknesses. In line with this inclusivity effort, engagement typically increases by 12% when personalized learning paths are introduced, as reported by WiFiTalents.The difficulty is tailored to ensure users are challenged without being overwhelmed.
Some sentence patterns on the app may seem unusual and may not be crucial to learn when starting a new language. However, practicing these uncommon sentences in a lighthearted manner can enhance memory retention. Just as funny songs in school aided in remembering language phrases, making learning memorable is key, as this article suggests.
What can’t you learn with Duolingo?
While Duolingo includes speaking and listening exercises, its main focus is on reading, writing, and vocabulary. This hinders users from developing speaking and listening skills as effectively as traditional language courses would. On top of this, in-depth explanations of grammar rules and concepts aren’t provided. Many users struggle with understanding language rules and applying vocabulary in various contexts.
To learn efficiently, receiving constructive feedback is crucial. However, Duolingo’s response to submitted answers during tasks is limited to a simple “correct” or “incorrect.” Some learners may find the basic feedback sufficient, while others might require more detailed explanations for incorrect answers. This is a particular issue in cases involving complex grammar errors.
Another common complaint comes from the fact that Duolingo doesn’t cater to different dialects of the same language. For those wishing to learn Spanish, know that Duolingo only teaches South American Spanish. While alternative forms of the dialect are accepted in responses, they will not be presented to you in question format.
However, the app is constantly updating, so this may be changed in the future. Especially when the popularity of learning different languages is constantly fluctuating. For example, after the Russia-Ukraine war escalated, the Ukrainian language started trending with 1.3 million learners on Duolingo in 2022. In response to the popularity of this course on Duolingo, the company announced the ad revenue from people studying the language would be donated to Ukrainian Relief.
Who uses Duolingo and how accessible is it?
For the most part, Duolingo is rather accessible. As mentioned earlier, short lessons allow the app to be picked up and fitted into schedules. On top of this, the application is free with the option to upgrade to Super Duolingo. It is accessible to anyone with an internet or mobile data connection via smartphones or computers on all iOS and Android devices. According to WiFiTalents, about 68% of learners use the mobile app.
However, in terms of catering to those speaking different dialects of a language, there is still room for improvement, as well as for users with disabilities. Learners with auditory impairments can disable listening exercises by turning off their speaker and microphone. However, those with visual impairments have a more challenging task when using the app.
For Seren Arthurs, interacting and learning a new language with Duolingo is a great difficulty. “As someone with a sight impairment, Duolingo isn’t accessible at all. Because of the way the app is structured, you have to see the words and sometimes the pictures to translate, especially in the speaking exercises. Also, the tasks where you have to match up the options can’t be done with a screen reader and there are no image descriptions,” Arthurs said.
How effective is it?
The app offers a more engaging learning experience than textbooks, providing some speech practice through pronunciation listening exercises. However, the emphasis is still mainly on reading and writing, offering limited explanations for grammar usage and speech practice.
No matter how many scenarios learners encounter, nothing compares to real-world situations. An app cannot simulate the unpredictability of genuine, everyday interactions.
Daisy Bodkin went to Paris before learning French and returned after taking lessons. She said, “I could speak so much more, still the basics, but it helped me out a lot.” Inspired to begin lessons after downloading Duolingo, Daisy stated, “I definitely think the streak helps motivate me because on days where I’m busy or can’t be bothered, I still do a lesson as I don’t want to lose my streak. So, I feel like you get out of it what you put in. I doubt just using Duolingo would ever get you fluent but it can really help and it’s a starting place.”
You may never become completely fluent with an app like Duolingo. Yet, with the right frame of mind, you will become motivated to learn, opening your mind to the possibility of pursuing learning outside of the app to further your skills and progression.
Since June 2023, over 4000 universities have recognized the Duolingo English Test as a replacement for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) tests. This allows the efforts of learners to be acknowledged as an official qualification.
Other ways to learn languages
Duolingo users expressed that they could enhance their vocabulary and pronunciation by visiting the country and conversing with native speakers. But in cases where this is not possible, taking in-person or virtual classes can have a similar effect, as well as apps that focus on speech practice and listening to language lessons like podcasts.
Alternative apps
Here are some other apps you could explore if Duolingo didn’t work out for you:
Babbel – a self-paced learning app that many deem to be ‘more challenging’ than other language apps.
Yabla – this alternative only teaches a handful of languages. However, features interactive videos that allow you to hear the native tongue.
Fluenz – rated one of the best apps for instructor-led videos and language immersions.
To find out about some of the less conventional ways people are beginning to learn languages, read this article.
