Duolingo as a tool to second language acquisition

Abstract

[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.