Reading: Learning with Mobile Apps

A Millions of people now learn languages with an app on their phone. One of the best-known apps is Duolingo. In 2025 the company said that more than 50 million people used it every day. Why do so many people choose an app, and does it really help? This article looks at what two pieces of research found, and at what they cannot tell us.

B In 2012 two researchers, Roumen Vesselinov and John Grego, studied adults who were learning Spanish with Duolingo. All of them were beginners. The researchers estimated that about 34 hours of study with the app was the same as one semester of Spanish at a university. The study had some weak points, however. Duolingo paid for it, although the researchers analysed the results themselves. Also, only 90 of the 156 people who started the study were still taking part at the end.

C A later study looked at many projects together. In 2015 Sung, Chang and Yang published a review of 44 studies with 9,154 learners in total, in the journal Educational Research Review. They found that using mobile devices helped people to learn a language. I would say that this does not mean every app works for every learner. The people in the 2012 study were not typical students, either. Their average age was 35, and 69 percent of them had a university degree.

D In my opinion, an app is a good way to start and to practise a little every day. The research suggests that apps can help, but it does not show that they are enough. I would suggest using an app together with other kinds of practice. For example, you could speak with a friend or join a club. It also seems wise to ask who paid for a study before you believe a big promise.