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Duolingo

Mindprint Rating

Tags

All Ages iOS App

Skills

Auditory Processing Listening Comprehension Organization Verbal Memory Visual Discrimination

Mindprint Expert Review

Pros

  • A very simple design makes this app accessible to a broad range of learning types and ages.
  • The in-app microphone will record a student's voice and interpret the student's pronunciation.
  • Students can listen to phrases spoken at normal pace and slowly enunciated.

Considerations

  • The in-app lessons may be insufficient for some students to understand and apply.
  • Students will view this app as more work than play.

Mindprint Expert Review

This is a superb app to reinforce all aspects of language learning, though it may not be the best instructional app for new learners. The app has a cheerful yet uncluttered design that is easy to read and offers no unnecessary distractions. The audio has the options for both conversational speed, as well as very slow speed, so students can fully absorb the pronunciation. The app is a series of "learning by doing" lessons. At predetermined points, a pop up window explains a new grammar rule in a sentence or two followed by a series of questions. The questions are a variety of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and speak the answer using your device's microphone. Correct answers earn a green check, and incorrect answers receive a red X followed by the correct solution. While this may be sufficient instruction for some students, particularly those who learn best by repetition, many students may require outside help or explanation. At the end of each lesson, students earn "lingots" which they can use to "buy" clothes and other items for their Duo characters. Students and adults can easily track progress, set goals, and compete against friends on Facebook. While students may not consider this app fun, they should find it to be enjoyable learning. Adults should be prepared that students might need additional support on some lessons.

Academic Benefits

Improves academic skills

  • Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
  • Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
  • Presents educational concepts accurately
  • Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
  • Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
  • Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
  • Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

Fun

Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
  • Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
  • Visually appealing to children in the target age range
  • Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
  • Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
  • Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
  • Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

Easy to Use

Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Has a free or trial version
  • Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
  • Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
  • Student should be able to use independently after first use
  • Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
  • Multiple users can save a profile
  • Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
  • Can play without sound and not distract others
  • Students can save work between sessions
  • Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
  • Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
  • Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
  • Overall - Easy to use

Cognitive Concerns

May not be advisable for students with the following cognitive needs

  • Auditory Processing
  • Organization
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Reading Comprehension
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Reading Fluency
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Verbal Memory

Manufacturer Description

Join over 300 million learners on Duolingo, the most popular way to learn languages! It’s free, fun and effective. The secret? Duolingo feels like a game and makes sure you stay motivated.

Over 30 languages to choose from - all completely free!

• "Far and away the best language-learning app." — The Wall Street Journal

• "A single app for language skills, self-improvement and digital escape." - The New York Times

• "Duolingo may hold the secret to the future of education." — TIME Magazine

• "...Duolingo is cheerful, lighthearted and fun..." - Forbes

Duolingo is changing the way people learn languages using advanced technology to personalize every lesson for you. Practice reading, writing, speaking, listening and conversation with intelligent Chatbots. Track your progress, earn rewards, and join the world’s largest community of language learners.

We offer: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Irish, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Turkish, Norwegian, Polish, Hebrew, Esperanto, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Welsh, Greek, Hungarian, Romanian, and Swahili. Oh, and English too.

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While all learning content in Duolingo is free, we do offer Duolingo Plus which removes ads and provides other helpful features. If you choose to purchase Duolingo Plus, payment will be charged to your iTunes account, and your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Auto-renewal may be turned off at any time by going to your settings in the iTunes Store after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable.

If you don’t choose to purchase Duolingo Plus, you can simply continue using Duolingo for free. Current Duolingo Plus subscription price starts at $9.99 USD/month.

Privacy Policy: https://www.duolingo.com/privacy
Terms of Service: https://www.duolingo.com/terms