Developing the habit of learning English using Duolingo application

Abstract

Language learning mobile application soft-wares (apps) for smart mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers have grown dramatically in recent years. These applications were consistently reported to have a high potential for assisting students in learning the target language. This study worked with a free application named Duolingo which assists learners in learning various languages. In the studied context, Duolingo has been used as a tool to help students build their English learning habits via a challenge called “22-day challenge to learn English with Duolingo”. The participants of this study were 15 students who were participating in this challenge in the Spring semester of 2022. Semi-structured interview was employed to collected their learning experience and perceptions towards the app. Generally, the students had positive experience and perceptions of this app. The participants indicated interest in several Duolingo aspects, such as the forum where learners can discuss and exchange information, the podcast, the recognizable subjects in each lesson, and even the owl emblem and the way the owl reminds learners to study daily. However, two disadvantages have been identified, namely the occasional trouble with voice recognition and the limitation of a high degree of linguistic proficiency.