Embarking on my Italian learning journey with Duolingo has been enlightening as a teacher of other languages. While the platform offers incredibly valuable resources for language acquisition, it's essential to acknowledge the potential pitfalls that learners may encounter along the way.
As someone with a strong understanding of language fundamentals, I found myself progressing deceptively well in Italian. At a ridiculously early point in the proceedings, Duolingo congratulated me that I knew 1000 words in Italian. I did not and still do not! It looked like I knew them because (a) I understand how languages work and make a good guess at gap fill exercises, (b) I speak French, and (c) I speak Spanish, with both languages sharing many similarities of words with Italian.
Something I hear frequently from those who come for tutoring with me: I've been doing Duolingo for a year/ 2 years/ 485 days straight (delete as appropriate!) and I just don't seem to be getting as good at French/Spanish as I should. This ties in with my observation over my 20+ years of teaching of a common stumbling block among learners: the tendency to focus on vocabulary without fully grasping the grammatical context. It's an oversight that can hinder progress and lead to a superficial understanding of the language.
Duolingo's approach to teaching Spanish adds another layer of complexity. The platform predominantly teaches Latin American Spanish, which is not a problem ... except that this distinction is not always made explicit to learners. Consequently, students may unknowingly acquire vocabulary and pronunciation that differ significantly from those used in Spain. This discrepancy can be disorientating for learners, especially if they intend to use their language skills in a specific region or context. It has caused many a frustration in lessons when students realise that word after word that they have learnt just aren't used in Spain. Being taught "carro" for car, when in Spain we say "coche" for car and "carro" for trolley is a case in point.
Spanish learners also beware of pronunciation differences. The word for "I" - yo, is taught as something more akin to "zjho" which you would be more likely to hear in Argentina. In Spanish, you also do not need to use the subject pronoun as often as the Duolingo exercises would have you believe: Como la manzana = I eat the apple, with no need for the pronoun "yo".
Despite these challenges, Duolingo remains a valuable tool for language learning and I am a big fan. Its interactive exercises and gamified format provide an engaging way to practice vocabulary and basic grammar. Moreover, the platform offers a sense of progression and accomplishment, which can motivate learners to stay committed to their language goals.
To mitigate the drawbacks of Duolingo, learners can supplement their studies with additional resources. Exploring grammar guides, watching videos in the target language, or seeking out conversation partners can provide the contextual understanding that Duolingo sometimes lacks. By taking a holistic approach to language learning, learners can overcome the limitations of any single learning platform. Many of my adult learners of French and Spanish tell me that now they've been having lessons with me, they have "caught up" with Duolingo and now feel that they are progressing in leaps and bounds. A next step to Duolingo might be online French, Spanish, German or Italian classes with Gymglish - click here for a free month.
In conclusion, learning languages with Duolingo offers both advantages and disadvantages. While the platform provides a convenient and accessible way to begin learning a new language, learners must be mindful of its limitations. By supplementing Duolingo with additional resources and maintaining a focus on grammatical context, learners can maximise their language acquisition efforts and achieve proficiency more effectively.
If you enjoyed this you may enjoy reading my previous blogs with language learning tips.
Cate is a qualified teacher with more than 20 years of experience teaching in schools and she has most recently dedicated her time to tutoring both online and face to face. She is currently taking books for June for spaces during the UK school day for adult language learners or students in time zones such as Hong Kong.
#learnlanguages #french #spanish #speaking #tutor #languagetutor #GCSEFrench #GCSESpanish #IB #iGCSE
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