Improve speaking skills with Duolingo’s mobile game-based language learning (original) (raw)
Related papers
Computer Assisted Language Learning, 2021
More than 300 million people use the gamified mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) application (app) Duolingo. The challenging tasks, reward incentives, systematic levels, and the ranking of users according to their achievements are just some of the elements that demonstrate strong gamifi- cation elements within this popular language learning appli- cation. This application’s pervasive reach, flexible functionality, and freemium business model has brought significant atten- tion to gamification in MALL. The present systematic review aims to summarize different methods, frameworks, settings, and research samples used to assess Duolingo’s design and impact on various learning outcomes. We carried out a com- plete database search for articles focused on the issues of design, application, and pedagogies in the use of Duolingo. Three hundred and sixty-seven records were initially found, and 35 of those were selected for final inclusion based on language choice, theoretical frameworks, design, sampling, data collection, and analyses (see Appendix 1 for full list). The results indicated that the majority of research from 2012-2020 was design-focused, quantitative in nature, and used non-probability sampling methods. The focus on app design marks an emphasis on the creation of tools rather than the process and outcomes of language learning from using these tools. Additional results revealed preferences for performance-based research questions, for English as lan- guage of choice in research, and for the USA as the most prominent context for Duolingo research studies. Furthermore, our review highlights research gaps specific to Duolingo, yet generalizable to other MALL applications. The results are useful to researchers seeking to assess, evaluate, and under- stand MALL, gamification, and Duolingo as well as to prac- titioners interested in utilizing MALL in formal and informal learning environments.
Creative Education
This study investigates the impact of using smartphones to develop Arabic speaking skills among Arabic non-native speakers through a language game. The experiment was conducted by introducing the independent variable (language game on smartphone) on the study sample of 15 University of Sydney students learning Arabic at the beginner level. The experiment was conducted throughout semester 2/2015. Students spent 24 hours of self-study using the language game via smartphones. They were subjected to a pre-and a post-oral test to measure the impact on the speaking skill development in four major aspects namely confidence level, pronunciation, grammar and understanding. The data were analysed quantitatively using T-test and findings showed significant statistical differences On the whole, this study shows that using language games on smartphones has a positive effect on the speaking skill development of the students.
Mobile Games for Language Learning
Advances in Wireless Technologies and Telecommunication
Education, including the subset of language learning, has been greatly influenced by information and communication technologies. This influence manifests itself in the form of various paradigms, starting from distance or digital learning (d-learning) to electronic learning (e-learning) then mobile learning (m-learning) and eventually ubiquitous learning (u-learning). The integration of these paradigms with supportive techniques to enhance inclusion, engagement, and to overcome the classic problem of lack of motivation led to a series of innovations, culminated in the notion of educational mobile game applications. This chapter focuses on the roots of this emergent trend, including the elements of mobile technology and the aspect of gaming, and how instrumental are they in empowering and motivating learners. The relationship of mobile games with the concept of gamification is examined, and a few major challenges to building effective mobile game applications for language learners are...
Promoting Vocabulary Acquisition through Mobile Game For Supporting Second Language Learning
Rapid development of mobile technologies is influencing a new learning paradigm. Recently, learning mediated by mobile devices give significant increasing. One of innovative learning through mobile devices is mobile game-based learning. The purpose of this research is to develop and pilot a prototype mobile game that might be used to promote vocabulary acquisition in supporting second language learning. The evaluation of the prototype system was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile game. The French language is used as a second language in this game as a consideration, for Indonesians it is difficult to learn since it differs in writing and pronunciation. The evaluation revealed the potential learning through the mobile game to promote vocabulary acquisition in second language learning.
Can a ‘shouting’ digital game help learners develop oral fluency in a second language?
CALL communities and culture – short papers from EUROCALL 2016, 2016
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Games and Language Learning: an International Perspective
NYSTESOL, 2018
Gee (2003) made a case for how successful digital games embody design principles that are based on an understanding of how people learn. Games have been used for language learning for decades, and the growing popularity of digital games, coupled with improvements in hardware and software, have made them common tools in second language acquisition classrooms. However, empirical research on games and language learning is still relatively scarce. In this paper, we explore the existing evidence on how digital games can and have been used in language learning, with particular focus on studies that originate from outside the United States. The paper examines three categories of studies that focus on different aspects of gameplay: in game-player interactions, in player-player interactions, and in game-player-community interactions. Our paper critically argues how using games can be oversimplified in its application and offers ways that implementation of games and game-like activities can be improved.
Digital Games as Tools for Second Language Acquisition
The research described in this thesis is grounded in the fields of game design, linguistics, andESL(English As A Second Language) pedagogy in relation to the field of independent adult learning, specifically young adults (ages 18-40) in preliminary Higher Education (ages 18-25) . It considersthe case for independent digital-game based learning of foreign languages, in particular Englishasa second language. Initial literature has found that when it comes to learning as a subject, academia is far fromunifiedin its assertions on what conditions and situations best support learning. When language learningand game based learning are the specific subsets of learning being studied, researchers areevenless in agreement. While the majority of the research that has been done focuses on serious gamesand how they can benefit language learning with the support of an educator or institution, therearestill principles that can be applied to self-directed language learning through casual games. Guidelines were then developed to inform the design of the accompanying digital-game prototype, titled Deathless (2019), as a reflection of the principals and theories evaluated in this document. This research offers a rationale for using language education strategies that have beenfoundeffective in serious games, and implementing them in casual ones
A descriptive analysis of digital game-based foreign language education
Focus on ELT journal, 2023
Digital games are increasingly being used for foreign language learning; a trend that has grown popular recently. This research dives deeply into this topic, assessing different skill areas targeted by these digital games, and how they are utilized in various settings worldwide-educational and otherwise. The research takes into account studies carried out between 2010 and 2021. The study's methodology is rooted in qualitative research, specifically the embedded theory design, and the gathered data is interpreted through a descriptive analysis approach. Out of an initial pool of 145 academic studies reviewed, 57 met the necessary criteria for inclusion, such as quality of data, sample size, year of publication, gender balance, and content relevance. The analyzed data is then expressed in terms of frequency and percentages for simplicity and easier understanding. The findings show that studies focusing on the use of digital games for foreign language learning have multiplied in recent years. However, a large proportion of these studies are heavily focused on vocabulary acquisition. This led to the suggestion that future work in this area should broaden its scope to include other important language skills like reading, writing, and listening, in addition to vocabulary.
English Franca, 2023
Gamification is considered as a strategy to involve students in solving problems related to learning English, rather than playing games. Duolingo, an application that uses gamification, is suitable for junior high school students as a formal classroom setting in English learning. This study aimed at investigating whether the use of gamification in Duolingo App can improve the listening proficiency of junior high school students in English. This research uses quasi-experimental design with quantitative approach. The data is collected using test and observation and analyzed using SPSS 26 App. The results show that the sig. (2 tailed) indicated is 0.002 meaning that there is difference between post-test of experiment class and control class. It is concluded that gamification in Duolingo app affects English listening proficiency of junior high school students. Hence, Duolingo App has the potential to serve as a valuable tool for educators to enhance their students' listening skills. Additionally, gamification can form the foundation for the development of technological learning resources. However, this study has some limitations, and further research involving different educational levels, media, and longer experiment duration is necessary to obtain detailed and reliable results that can be applied to the broader population.
Mobile Assisted Language Learning: Affordances and Limitations of Duolingo
Education and Linguistics Research, 2016
This study aimed at analyzing how mobile assisted language learning (MALL) may be used to aid second/foreign language (L2) learning. So as to reach this goal, the Duolingo platform, one of the most popular apps among L2 learners, was analyzed in terms of its possibilities and limitations for L2 learning as perceived by its users. With that aim, a study was carried out with 80 participants, 45 of whom were L2 learners who answered an online survey about their preferences for L2 learning, 25 MALL users and 10 L2 teachers who were interviewed. Data analysis used a mixed methods design with predominantly qualitative data. Results of the study showed that participants recognize the relevance of MALL for L2 learning and think that the Duolingo may aid L2 learning to a certain extent, but agree that a teacher is necessary to foster interaction and the development of production skills in L2. Based on these results the study concluded that L2 teachers should consider using blended approaches combining MALL in traditional classes.