A Linguist explains how to make duolingo actually work

Summary

In this script, Dr. Taylor Jones explores the effectiveness of Duolingo for language learning, challenging the notion that it's just a casual tool. Despite its gamified and accessible nature, Jones, a linguist, argues that with intentional use, Duolingo can be a powerful language learning resource. The video offers 10 tips to enhance learning, such as using italki for real conversations, regularly practicing, and supplementing with grammar books. Jones emphasizes the importance of setting a study schedule, interacting with native speakers, and not relying solely on Duolingo for language mastery.

Takeaways

• 📱 Duolingo is a popular language learning app that offers gamified, bite-sized lessons for free.
• 🎓 Dr. Taylor Jones, a linguist with a PhD, suggests that while Duolingo can be part of a learning strategy, it's important to be intentional about how you use it for language acquisition.
• 📚 To enhance learning, supplement Duolingo with a grammar book to familiarize yourself with the language's structures without memorizing them.
• 🗣️ Engage in conversation with native speakers through platforms like italki to gain real-time interaction and deeper understanding.
• 💡 When translating, construct the whole sentence in your mind before selecting words, and say it out loud to practice fluency.
• 🔁 Use Duolingo regularly, ideally daily, to reinforce and build upon your learning.
• 📈 Do the math on the time commitment required for language proficiency; setting a schedule can help achieve goals faster.
• 📝 For less common languages, take messy notes to aid memory formation and spatial memory, which is beneficial for recall.
• 🌟 Move beyond the app to real content and interactions; use Duolingo as a stepping stone to actual language use in context.
• 🧠 Self-test your learning by generating sentences and concepts in your mind, which helps solidify your understanding.
• 🚀 Use free association and imaginative scenarios to make learning fun and to enhance retention of vocabulary and grammar.

Q & A

What is Duolingo and why is it popular?

Duolingo is a massively popular language learning app that offers gamified, bite-sized lessons for free. It's popular because it's accessible, easy to use, and provides linguistic content tailored to each language it offers.

Can Duolingo really help you become fluent in a language?

Duolingo claims you can reach B2 level in the Common European Framework. While it's possible to learn with any tool, the effectiveness depends on individual learning speed, ease, and personal fit.

What are some tips to maximize language learning with Duolingo?

Tips include being intentional with your learning, understanding what each lesson teaches, supplementing with a grammar book, practicing with native speakers, and using italki for real-time interaction.

How does Dr. Taylor Jones recommend using Duolingo for effective language learning?

Dr. Jones suggests using Duolingo more intentionally, setting aside dedicated time for focused learning, and combining it with other resources and real-life interactions for a comprehensive language learning experience.

What is the role of grammar books in language learning according to the script?

Grammar books are recommended as a reference to familiarize yourself with all grammatical structures and exceptions of a language, rather than for memorization.

Why is it beneficial to talk with native speakers while learning a language?

Talking with native speakers provides real-time interaction, deeper understanding, and patient, experienced guidance, which is more structured than random encounters on the street or in a cafe.

What does the speaker suggest when translating from English to your target language on Duolingo?

The speaker suggests forming the whole sentence in your mind first, then selecting the words, and saying it out loud naturally before moving on.

How often should you use Duolingo for effective learning according to the video?

For effective learning, Duolingo should be used regularly, daily or more often, to build and reinforce language skills.

What is the significance of completing Duolingo's course and how long might it take?

Completing Duolingo's course is significant as it covers a comprehensive range of skills. The time it takes can vary greatly depending on the language and the learner's commitment, but it can be as short as six months with consistent daily practice.

How can you reinforce memory formation while learning a language with Duolingo?

Reinforcing memory formation can be achieved through note-taking, using spaced repetition software like Anki, and engaging in real-life interactions and content in the target language.

What is the importance of setting a clear goal and schedule when using Duolingo?

Setting a clear goal and schedule is important to understand the time commitment required to reach a certain language proficiency level and to effectively plan and track your progress.

What are some additional tips mentioned in the script for enhancing language learning beyond Duolingo?

Additional tips include self-testing, free association chains, imagining scenarios in the language, and being aware of potential inaccuracies in AI-generated text and audio on Duolingo.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Maximizing Duolingo's Language Learning Potential

The paragraph discusses the widespread use of Duolingo as a language learning tool and questions its effectiveness for fluency. It emphasizes that while Duolingo offers gamified, free, and accessible language lessons, actual fluency may depend on individual learning speed and style. The speaker, Dr. Taylor Jones, suggests that while Duolingo can be used casually, a more intentional approach is necessary for serious language acquisition. Tips are promised to transform Duolingo from a casual to a serious learning tool.

05:00

🗓️ Consistent Practice and Real Interaction for Language Mastery

This paragraph focuses on the importance of regular practice with Duolingo and supplementing it with real-life interactions. It suggests daily usage of Duolingo and setting aside dedicated time for language learning. The speaker also recommends using platforms like italki for real-time interaction with native speakers, which enhances understanding and memory retention. The paragraph includes a promo code for italki and discusses the benefits of consistent learning over sporadic sessions.

10:02

🚀 Accelerating Language Acquisition with Strategic Methods

The final paragraph offers advanced strategies to supercharge language learning with Duolingo. It advises users to be intentional about their learning, take notes, and use memory reinforcement tools like Anki. The speaker encourages moving beyond Duolingo to real content and interactions, suggesting ways to practice the language in real-life scenarios. The paragraph concludes with a caution about the limitations of AI-generated content in Duolingo and the importance of real-world corrections and interactions for language learning.

Keywords

💡Duolingo

Duolingo is a popular language-learning platform that offers gamified, bite-sized lessons for free. It is central to the video's theme as the speaker discusses how to maximize its utility for language learning. The platform is described as having both benefits, such as its accessibility and variety of languages, and shortcomings, like being translation-based and lacking imagery and immersion.

💡B2 level

B2 level refers to an intermediate to upper intermediate level of language proficiency according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The video mentions that Duolingo claims users can reach this level, which is a significant claim as it implies a high level of language competence. The speaker aims to provide strategies to achieve this level effectively.

💡Gamified

Gamified refers to the process of making an activity, in this case, language learning, more engaging by incorporating game elements such as points, levels, and rewards. Duolingo is described as gamified, which is a key aspect of its appeal and effectiveness according to the video. It makes learning feel more like playing a game, thus potentially increasing motivation and enjoyment.

💡Linguistics

Linguistics is the scientific study of language, and the speaker identifies as a language learner with a PhD in linguistics. This establishes the speaker's credibility and provides a foundation for the advice given in the video. The term is relevant as the speaker uses their expertise to critique and enhance the language learning methods offered by Duolingo.

💡Grammar book

A grammar book is a reference tool that comprehensively covers the grammatical structures of a language. The video suggests using a grammar book to supplement Duolingo lessons, not for memorization but for familiarization. This helps in understanding the grammatical concepts that Duolingo tries to teach within its lessons.

💡iTalki

iTalki is a platform that connects language learners with native speakers for one-on-one lessons. The video recommends iTalki as a way to practice speaking the target language with real people, which complements the more solitary, app-based learning experience offered by Duolingo. It provides an opportunity for interactive learning and cultural exchange.

💡Spaced repetition

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time, which is shown to improve long-term memory retention. The video suggests using spaced repetition software, like Anki, to reinforce what is learned on Duolingo, especially for less common languages.

💡Meta-linguistic cognition

Meta-linguistic cognition refers to the ability to analyze and think about language at a higher level, beyond just speaking it. The video contrasts B2 level proficiency, which is within reach of most learners, with C2 level, which requires meta-linguistic cognition suitable for advanced tasks like academic or professional work.

💡AI-generated content

AI-generated content is material created by artificial intelligence, such as text or audio. The video points out that Duolingo increasingly uses AI to generate its lessons, which can introduce errors not present in content created by humans. This highlights a potential limitation of relying solely on Duolingo for language learning.

💡Language immersion

Language immersion is a teaching method where learners are placed in an environment where the target language is used exclusively. The video suggests moving beyond Duolingo to real-world immersion, such as watching movies, visiting the country, or interacting with native speakers, to achieve higher levels of language proficiency.

Highlights

Duolingo is a massively popular language learning app that offers gamified, bite-sized lessons for free.

It claims to help users reach B2 level fluency in the Common European Framework.

The app's effectiveness varies; some find it works well, while others do not.

Duolingo's content is translation-based and lacks imagery and immersion.

Tips are provided to enhance language learning with Duolingo beyond casual use.

Understanding what each lesson aims to teach is crucial for effective learning.

Supplementing Duolingo with a grammar book can provide a comprehensive reference.

Engaging with native speakers through platforms like italki can deepen language understanding.

When translating, construct the whole sentence in your mind before selecting words.

Regular and consistent use of Duolingo is key to language retention.

Committing to a daily study routine can significantly speed up language acquisition.

Duolingo's courses can be completed faster than the app's default pace by dedicating more time daily.

For less common languages, taking notes and analyzing content is recommended.

Spaced repetition software like Anki can reinforce memory formation beyond Duolingo.

Transitioning from Duolingo to real content and interactions is essential for practical language use.

Self-testing and free association can help internalize and recall language concepts.

Imagining scenarios where you use the language can enhance memory and motivation.

Duolingo's use of AI for text and audio generation can sometimes lead to inaccuracies.

Transcripts

if you've thought about learning a

language at all in the past decade

you've probably thought about or even

tried Duolingo it's massively popular

and it's easy to see why it's free it's

gamified it comes in bite-sized chunks

and the linguistic content is different

for every language they offer unlike say

Rosetta Stone but can you actually get

fluent with it they claim you can get to

B2 in the common European framework

that's separate and they have compelling

looking graphs and grammar breakdowns to

convince us that you can as a language

learner with a PhD in linguistics I

think the truth is that you can learn

with anything but it's a question of

speed ease and whether it works for you

literally everyone I know uses Duolingo

including myself and all my linguist

colleagues but a lot of people also tell

me that it just didn't work for them

along with classroom study self-study

Michelle Thomas CDs Rosetta Stone and

literally everything else so today I'm

going to explain how to take Duolingo

from the app that you use when you're on

the toilet and Reddit is down to a real

way to get up to speed in a language

spoilers you're going to have to pull

your pants up wash your hands and be a

little bit more intentional about how

you learn let's do this I'm Dr Taylor

Jones and the Green Owl isn't making me

say these things

ah this is language sounds

[Music]

the truth is all sorts of different

approaches to language learning will

work Duolingo has the benefit of being

free in your pocket all the time and

somewhat aggressive and encouraging you

to learn or passive aggressive depending

on who you get and they have a lot of

languages they also have plenty of

shortcomings like being entirely

translation based and not having any

imagery immersion and imagery really

kick-start memory instead of letting

perfect be the enemy of good though I

want to give you 10 tips to supercharge

your language learning with what you're

probably already using you don't have to

do all of these or really any of them

but they all work and if you use them

all you'll see that you actually get a

lot more out of Duo then go than XP

which are it turns out not redeemable

for cash and do not correspond to

linguistic ability without further Ado

one think about what they're trying to

teach in each lesson you'd be surprised

how many people practice a lesson or a

skill in Duolingo and then couldn't tell

you afterwards what it's trying to teach

when I'm done with a skill I can tell

you exactly what grammatical concept

they were really trying to teach for

instance date of experience or

constructions and double date of marking

in the Spanish course that's your leg

supplement with a grammar not to

memorize but to familiarize a grammar

being a book with a name like an

essential grammar of X in a few hundred

Pages you'll have all and I mean all of

the grammatical structures of a language

and the exceptions at your fingertips

don't memorize it just use it as a

reference I like to skim a grammar of

whatever I'm learning periodically two

talk with people in your target language

I use italki for this as you might have

seen in this video iTalk is a platform

that connects Learners with native

speakers of their target language with

over 150 languages represented they have

their own video conferencing platform

through their website a mobile app that

allows you to easily schedule lessons

and a ton of teachers and tutors to

choose from the reason to use a platform

like italki is that the teachers expect

to teach you rather than being

interrupted on the street or in a cafe

and their patient experienced and tend

to have pretty good lesson plans

although I often take notes on what I'm

seeing in Duolingo and then just ask my

teachers about that so I get real-time

interaction with real people a deeper

understanding of what's being taught and

when I see the same materials in

Duolingo it's in an exercise in locking

that all into long-term memory if you're

curious what a real lesson looks like

this is from a recent lesson with Barack

where we got to talking about bone

breaks and lower body injuries

gamma

a lot okay

yeah okay sure so I just don't remember

it

um which is

is described

what it is

walking so

yeah they wouldn't translate straight to

English but in English the translation

will be stress fracture if you want to

try italki I have a promo code in the

description below for five dollars off

with your first ten dollars I misspoke

here let's get an extra five dollars

free with your first purchase you can

try it out lessons start from five

dollars the promo code

is what is the promo code

promo code's gonna appear on the screen

and it's only available for the first I

don't know how many people

three when you're prompted to translate

from English to your target language

come up with the whole sentence first

then select the words that is don't pick

words from the word bank one at a time

to answer and don't type the words out

one at a time get the whole sentence in

mind and then go bonus say it out loud

first bonus bonus don't move on before

saying it naturally or at least not

haltingly

a for uh

uh show

before Shield team four use it regularly

daily or more often so you build on and

reinforce what you see I know this

sounds really obvious but you'd be

surprised how many people do half a

skill take a week off do the other half

and then complain that they didn't learn

anything as with anything else you have

to actually sometimes commit time back

when I worked retail for Rosetta Stone

the whole selling point was that it was

as little as 20 minutes a day that was

before smartphones and now people bulk

at a two-minute lesson set aside 10 15

20 even 30 minutes and just focus on

language learning you can spare 30

minutes I have a newborn at home and I

can spare 30 minutes practically this

means for most languages treat a skill

that is an entire circley dude as one

thing and aim for at least one but

preferably more than one a day here's

the secret about Duolingo

they're a company that wants to make

money they're balancing actually

teaching you something with wanting you

to feel like you've learned something

but continue using the product forever

either you pay for plus and you stay

subscribed forever or you don't and you

see ads forever but you can actually

finish their course

any of their courses

that said do the math on it French has

like 180 units with approximately 10

skills per unit and four to five lessons

per skill if you're doing a skill a day

that's 180 times 10 equals 1800 days or

roughly 4.9 years I won't fault you if

you actually speak French it'll be too

level in that amount of time I took High

School French visited family in France

throughout high school and my University

years and then worked at Rosetta Stone

for a year before taking the B2 exam and

acing it but it's pretty well

established that you can get there a

whole heck of a lot faster than five

years I can do a french lesson in

Duolingo and two minutes flat a skill

then in 10 minutes a unit a day would be

about an hour and a half a day doable if

I'm really committed and just watch less

TV and at that rate one could finish

their very long French course in 180

days or about six months

this is going to be different for other

languages Hebrew has way fewer skills

but way more packed into each of them

but one thing that I learned from coding

and from running a business is to take

time at the beginning to figure out

exactly what the scale of a project is

you want to use Duolingo to get to B2

totally doable how much time will that

actually take though how can you fit

that into your plans to speak at a B2

level in six months or in one year or in

two years do the math make a schedule

and get it done five for Less common

languages take notes and analyze what

you're seeing don't make them perfect I

intentionally keep a very messy notebook

for Hebrew with different writing styles

and layouts and transliterations and

formatting that's just all over the

place because if I'm not careful I start

fixating on getting perfect handwriting

my notebooks are not going to be poured

over after my death like Leonardo da

Vinci's yours probably aren't either the

act of writing helps you to memorize

more so than typing and externalizing

means you can go back and revisit

without doing it on Duolingo schedule it

also helps with spatial memory formation

based on looking at where it is on the

page six consider doing more to memorize

than just trusting Duo alone

or not for French and Spanish I don't do

this at all for Hebrew I use the Hebrew

Anki deck and add notes to myself and

sometimes helpful images or mnemonics

but again I don't need that for romance

languages your mileage may vary but if

you're not remembering things you have

to reinforce the memory formation and

space repetition software is a great way

to do that and it's a passive way to do

it seven get it over with and continue

on to real content and real people this

is a combination of points four and two

get it done and move on real people you

can start with italki link in

description

but I also mean that you can use that as

a bridge to IRL interactions scary right

learning French watch French movies go

to French restaurants and just eavesdrop

if you're shy

extreme the news on YouTube on France

mancat buy a plane ticket and go to

France don't wait until you've completed

every lesson and you feel like you've

perfectly mastered the language that day

will never come get comfortable being a

little uncomfortable but improvising I

like to use Gabriel winer's list of 625

words and try to figure out how I could

express any complicated concept with

just those words it's an exercise it's

like playing taboo by Hasbro make that

your game uh

I'll tell you eight self-test after

walking away you can do this in your

head out loud or with a pen and paper

not necessarily exact sentences but

think about vocabulary and grammatical

Concepts this is in part why I always

know what they were trying to teach the

best way to do this is to generate your

own sentences using what you learned

that aren't the sentences that you saw

already even if it's just swapping out a

word for example

let's say you learned

so you say

or conversely

have fun making connections and swapping

out words in constructions I do this all

the time washing dishes I'm just

babbling to myself nine

free association chains this will appeal

to a certain kind of person and maybe

not so much to everyone else I like to

start somewhere and just

free associate example one I go by

related meanings if I start with a word

like conocer I might then think about

what's like it

you can even get to antonyms like dudar

example two associate by Form conocer

has an interesting first-person singular

form konosco so from there Fresco

Etc bonus do it with two types it can

just be nonsense because you're just

playing word games for instance verbs

and animals

and so on it's a game have fun with it

the forms are going to depend on the

language so I might do like PL verbs in

the past and foodstuffs in Hebrew so

that's because

number ten it's kind of a bonus imagine

scenarios using the language they don't

have to be realistic and in fact there's

some evidence that the more outrageous

and the less realistic they are the

better you retain the language that

you're populating your Daydreams with

I'm not super motivated to learn Spanish

as you may have heard when I just spoke

a little bit but unless I'm thinking

about specific situations with people I

like for instance a trip to a city with

a friend from there or imagining being

the most interesting international Man

of Mystery in Buenos Aires who dances

Tango and spends the afternoons drinking

cortados and making contact with foreign

agents everything becomes that random

example

that's a sentence from Duolingo that's

no longer a tediously simple sentence I

have to get through and Duolingo in

order to move on predicated on an

outdated mode of media consumption

popular across language learning

platforms for some reason instead it

becomes a code phrase by which I'm

making contact with my Handler

who might be a double agent for all I

know these tips are just general best

practices but combined with Duolingo I'm

confident that you can actually learn

your target language without spending

much or any money although I do

recommend investing a little bit in

lessons with italki again down below

will get you to C2 absolutely not the

funny thing is people who ask this don't

seem to have a grasp of what the test

actually entails you learn all of the

grammar of French and a vocabulary that

will serve you in all of your day-to-day

interactions and you're at wait for it

B2 C2 is entirely about whether you can

analyze texts extract arguments

basically do all of the meta-linguistic

cognition necessary to not just be

someone who speaks say French

as in my example but who can work

effectively in intellectually demanding

jobs or give an interview on live TV but

you can't get there without the

foundation in the language so these are

all tips that I use and should probably

use even more than I do every single one

is time tested and effective have you

used any of these with your study or

your favorites let me know in the

comments so I'd actually finish this

video when I came across something in

Duolingo that I think I should really

point out they've been using a lot more

AI to generate their text and to

generate their audio and this comes with

its own dangers so in this sentence in

French

foreign

the Amazon is actually obligatory in

that context so instead of it should be

a native speaker would never make this

mistake but because it's automatic text

to speech you get a little weirdness

sometimes so it's just something to be

aware of if you read a grammar you're

gonna get Corrections you're going to

understand what the problems are and

when you talk to real people you're

going to get those corrections as well

it doesn't make it unusable but it does

make it a little tricky to use as your

only way of learning special thanks to

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until next time happy learning

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