Parlez-Vous Francais?
So recently I started using Duolingo. It is a free to use service that helps you to learn up to 21 different languages. I was really excited to try the service as I’m trying to improve upon my, once good, French. I was also interested to see if I would be able to actually learn anything by using the program.
So first things fist, to use Duolingo all you have to do is sign up and create an account. You can use it as an app on your phone or tablet or on your computer, although I personally use it on my computer. You then select the language you want to learn. A feature I noticed on the site that I really appreciated was that the way they taught the language was tailored to your native language.
Duolingo also lets you select daily goals to help keep you motivated. You can choose between: basic, casual, regular, serious, or insane. Since I was just starting out I picked casual. This means that I have to get at least 10 XP from using their website every day. You get these points from completing the lessons on the site.
The website also rewards you with streaks, which signifies how many days in a row you’ve used the app, and Lingots, which is Duolingo’s virtual currency.
Duolingo teaches you through lessons that are focused on specific subject matter. The first lesson you have access to is Basics 1, after that, you get to try Basics 2 and Phrases. As you complete more lessons you go up in levels which let you unlock more advanced lessons.
I thought the way Duolingo rewards you for completing lessons was very clever. It makes the learning process seem more fun and almost like you’re playing a game. I think the way they motivate users would be great for fitness apps, where a lot of the time the user needs more motivation.
The one thing I didn’t really like about Duolingo is that I felt like although I was learning written French after using the site I still feel like I wouldn’t be able to speak French conversationally. But who knows, maybe I just need to use it more? Overall, I did really enjoy using it and I’ll probably continue using it for a while.
