When I was in the fourth grade, I transferred into French immersion and it was overwhelming. Like many other students in my class, I had no prior experience speaking any language besides English.
Although it was a challenge, one of the things that really helped us learn the language were the videos we used to watch. As silly as it may sound, a woman would sit in front of the camera, saying basic french verbs as she acted them out with her hands. These videos were simple, but they really helped me create a base-level understanding of the language, which I was later able to build on.
However, not everyone can spend full days in class learning to speak new languages, but these days, there are also many resources available, including language learning desktop and mobile applications to help people out.
Over the past few years, mobile applications such as Duolingo, aid users in practicing language basics, whenever most convenient to them. Duolingo allows users to select a language they want to learn (such as, but not limited to, Spanish, French and German) and complete activities, with audio/visual aids to help them recognize common words or objects for the specified language. According to the program’s website, there are more than 120 million users completing over 6 billion exercises each month. These numbers become even more impressive when we consider the fact that the application was only launched in 2011! Take a look at the application at use in the video below:
(Video Source: “Duolingo for Schools: A Real Teacher Testimonial” by Duolingo on Youtube)
In my opinion, these types of applications are a great technological advancement for language learning. In today’s society, many people have access to computers and cellphones, and using programs similar to Duolingo are an inexpensive way to further one’s knowledge about a language. Besides this, they provide great opportunities for both accessibility (i.e. being able to study a language when most convenient) as well as travel. Imagine taking a trip to a foreign country and feeling confident about asking basic questions, like “how much does this cost?” or “where can I find the restrooms?”. This type of knowledge would allow individuals to be at greater ease in new locations and help them connect with more people than ever before.
Having firsthand experience studying a second language, I know that learning basic words or common phrases are essential to understanding how to properly communicate. As a result, I believe that language-learning applications are a great invention that are going to continue making the learning process more obtainable and relaxed for anybody that is interested to try.
Kayleigh B.
