Website Review

Duolingo.com

Duolingo is a free language learning platform for integrated skills (listening, reading, writing,
and speaking). It made its debut in 2012 where users could create a login in and complete
lessons to unlock more complicated ones. The content is organized by thematic or grammatical
units that incorporate some, but not all vocabulary and/or features from previous lessons.
According to Duolingos Final Report, an estimated 34 hours of Duolingo practice on average
covers the material for a first semester of college Spanish (Vesselinov and Grego, 2012). The
site offers multiple languages including Spanish, English, Turkish, Portuguese, Italian, French,
and German. Currently, Duolingo has launched some new features including Duolingo
Classroom and Immersion, however, this analysis will solely focus on the original platform by
discussing the how the input and processes of learners are developed through the skills practiced,
followed by reflections and drawbacks of the program.
All skills are integrated throughout Duolingo. Learners are presented with stimuli that engage
reading and listening, reading and writing, listening and writing, or reading and speaking. The
program engages learners in non-participatory listening/reading activities that introduce target
vocabulary as visual and audio input (Robin 2011). The beginning levels, (i.e. Basics 1, Phrases,
and Basics 2) introduce target vocabulary through the use of visuals, text, and audio input.
Learners have control over the speed, replaying the audio, and have access to reference boxes
that describe several translations for each word (Robin 2011). While using translations does not
help a learner to organize input into meaningful connections with their L1, these levels are
designed for the novice student who may be feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of new target
features. Robin remarks that a beginner L2 listener may only be able to identify themes or make
minimal inferences because they process word by word and rely on L2 to L1 translation (Robin
2011). Duolingo highlights target vocabulary in yellow that when scrolled over, captions--or
rather, multiple translations appear along with an audio component. Chung (1999) remarks on
the effectiveness of captions when paired with listening practice enhances learners
comprehension and vocabulary recall (as cited in Robin 2011). With these Duolingo features in
mind, learners interact not only with audio that they are able to control, (with respect to the
specific activity), but text or picture stimuli to assist them in making more meaningful
connections. This activates the dual-channel processes of learners as they are ...measured by
tests of retention (i.e, remembering the presented information) and transfer (i.e., being able to use
the information to solve new problems). (Mayer 2014).

Learners are presented with the same stimuli reorganized for the reading/writing,
listening/writing, or reading/speaking activities. Doughty and Long describe this variance in
modalities as rich input wherein learners have exposure of the target vocabulary and features
using different skills (Doughty and Long 2003). These multiple modalities allow learners to
process the target language actively by experimenting with them in different ways (Mayer 2014).
For example, in the Spanish Basics 1 lesson, the phrase el hombre, la mujer should be translated
into the L1. The words el and la will be highlighted with accessible captions that read the.
Later, in another activity, the word mujer will appear with two options to choose from, el or la.
It is here that learners experiment and begin to notice features of the language. Mayer describes
this type of processing as the building of knowledge structures similar to a model where
learners organize input into comprehensible units that may be stored in their long term memory
(2014).
Each course in Duolingo is made up of modules which are grouped to form skills. Duolingo
dictates the order in which you need to complete the different modules, with new modules
becoming active only once youve completed the previous one. This is also the case with
individual lessons within each module. Activities are scaffolded to engage learners from very
few elements, (i.e. simple sentences or even words/pictures) towards negotiation of more
complex sentences (i.e. more spoken output and translation work) (Robinson 2007). Learners
are faced with visual and audio support of new vocabulary in context. That is, the introduction
of new stimuli is contextualized for students to make sense of the whole, or chunk, as it makes
in their L1 with captions as needed. Contextualized vocabulary learning is effective as is the
scaffolding element of more complex modules unlocking throughout progression of the program.
As Mayer puts it, memory span is fairly small--approximately 5 to seven chunks, which is
why this design is so rigid. For example, you need to complete lesson 1 to be able to progress to
lesson 2, and so on.
In its design, Duolingo has created a style of task-based learning using these modules that allow
learners to progress at their own level--slowly gaining autonomy as they move into more
complex levels. It seems that completing and unlocking levels is the completion of one task
while each interaction with text is an activity that leads up to completion of a module.
Ultimately, a learner's mastery of a skill is rated by their overall performance in a module. With
that in mind, Duolingo adheres to Doughty and Longs first methodological principle as using
tasks, not text as units of analysis (2013).
Yet this program is not just for the novice learner that starts at level 1 and so on. Duolingo
allows you to test out of individual modules as well as groups of skills. The program is
sensitive to the different backgrounds that learners come from, (i.e. previous knowledge,
differentiated levels, etc) and allows students to progress at their own pace. This type of
autonomy can prove positive as well as negative. Positive in the sense that learners have the
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control to pace their progress and take in the feedback provided after each submitted response,
(i.e. translations, alternatives, and corrections). Negative in terms of learners language learning
goals, for example, motivation, which was a significant indicator of higher scores in Duolingos
final report (Vesselinov and Grego 2012).
Feedback/Negotiation
Even the Duolingo was designed as learners self learning application, teacher still can use it as a
in class or after class practice to measure students outcomes. Once students have finished the
learning in class, they can review the knowledge by learning it again with Duolingo. During that
process, learners would be able to select relevant images for processing in visual memory and
organize selected words into a verbal model (Mayer, 2015). The exercise identifies students
weakest works and the heart system developed by Duolingo itself motivates learners to study
harder to earn more hearts. Teacher can check students records and get to know their learning
process to make adjustment of the class. In this case, Duolingo can also work as an evaluation
tool for language class.
Duolingo applies little learner autonomy, and Most of the Duolingo activities are about
translation. As Magehed (2014) stated, many studies suggested a positive and facilitative role of
translation, but it is also a widely held view that translation is not a suitable exercise in the initial
stages of learning). In this situation, simple translation exercises may not enough or appropriate
for second language class.
In addition, Duolingo can be used as an enhancement to focus of target vocabulary and grammar
functions in a fun way. From recent student feedback, using Duolingo is like language games
or words puzzles. There are several encouraging features that allow students to gain
experience points with continued practice, earn gems to unlock bonus features, and level up with
fluency percentage statistics, (i.e. 1% fluent).
Conclusion
Duolingo is free online learning platform for learners to learn different languages. It offers 11
completed language courses for English speakers, 2 beta languages, and 8 languages still
hatching in their incubator form. Duolingo also includes language courses for speakers of
languages other than English. These include French for Portuguese speakers, English for Czech
speakers, and so on. It can be used both at class or after class as a self learning and evaluation
tool. Instructor are able to keep track of students feedback, and make adjustment.
The accuracy of the target language may be limited, it is still a good application for students
tasks, practice, and activities.It helps build learners autonomy to learn vocabulary. Duolingo
emphasizes the learning of vocabulary. The repetition of recycling vocabulary going through

the entire language learning process in Duolingo. This based on the fact that the relation
between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension has been powerfully demonstrated in
both L1 and L2 texts (as cited in Chun, 2011, p.135). However, it focuses too much on
vocabulary and lack of writing, reading, and speaking practice. It may more fit for early stage
language learners and teacher should be more careful when embed it in their language class.
References
Chun, M.D. (2011). CALL technologies for L2 reading post web 2.0. The Cambridge handbook
of multimedia learning. 133-163. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
Doughty, C., & Long, M. (2003). Optimal psycholinguistic environments for distance foreign
language learning. Language Learning & Technology, 7(3). Retrieved from
http://llt.msu.edu/vol7num3/doughty/
Mayer, R. E. (2015). Cognitive theory of multimedia learning. The Cambridge handbook of
multimedia learning. 43-71. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
Mogahed, M. M. (2011). To use or not to use Translation in Language teaching. Translation
Journal, 15(4). Retrieved from http://translationjournal.net/journal
Vesselinov, R and Grego, J. (2012). Duolingo Effectiveness Study Final Report.