Duolingo is a very popular free online tool for learning different languages. You can start as a beginner or take a placement test. The game is made up of several modules that include a range of activities like translation, word matching, vocabulary, listening exercises and speaking exercises where you repeat what you hear. The application monitors weak areas and helps revise them, it also tracks daily progress. Learners will not learn a language well by just using Duolingo as it does not provide adequate grammatical foundations and language speaking practice in real life situations. But it is a good supplementary tool that can be used at the beginning or end of language lessons.
At VOŠ a SOŠ Březnice we tested this tool with our first year students for several weeks. They mainly practiced with the tool at home and sometimes in lessons, during class feedback they said that they liked the tool, it helped them learn new vocabulary and basic sentence structure. We found out that only students that really want to learn a language, or need to improve their marks used the tool regularly and for a longer period of time. Students needed such internal or external motivation to use Duolingo, if they did not have this motivation they soon lost interest in using this tool as it required of them to play it for a certain period of time every day.
At VOŠ a SOŠ Březnice we tested this tool with our first year students for several weeks. They mainly practiced with the tool at home and sometimes in lessons, during class feedback they said that they liked the tool, it helped them learn new vocabulary and basic sentence structure. We found out that only students that really want to learn a language, or need to improve their marks used the tool regularly and for a longer period of time. Students needed such internal or external motivation to use Duolingo, if they did not have this motivation they soon lost interest in using this tool as it required of them to play it for a certain period of time every day.