[eng] This paper examines Duolingo as a tool to second language acquisition. Duolingo
is one of the most famous apps used in Mobile Assisted Language Learning
(MALL). The topic of second language acquisition with the use of ICT resources
has been broadly studied by linguists internationally. However, with its new
platform “Duolingo for Teachers”, not only researchers, but also teachers are
interested in seeing the possibilities of this application.
Language acquisition mainly occurs due to gamification (Mahmudah, 2015)
consisting of getting points by playing in a learning platform similar to a game
(González, 2018). According to some researchers, Duolingo appears to be very
motivating and entertaining due to its layout and design. In addition, what differs
this application from others is competition as it promotes to keep studying. The
main aim is that the more you play, the more awards you receive desiring to
practise (James and Meyer, 2018). Nevertheless, there are several negative
aspects which still need to be studied in depth. The main constraints of Duolingo
are pragmatic functions and poor feedback (Bodgan, 2016).
Throughout this paper, there is an identification of the main characteristics
of Duolingo on its learning process. This research proposal is aimed at analysing
the effects of Duolingo on second language acquisition with the methodology of
dividing two groups of around 20 students each: one group uses Duolingo, and
the other does not. After having passed one full grammar skill, both groups took
an exam in order to find out whether Duolingo has fostered their acquisition. By
doing this, it seeks to prove that even though this free app states to improve
language skills, it does not apply to all functions of the language. In addition, the
teacher role is still needed by providing interaction and feedback.