Duolingo’s Spanish and French courses teach the equivalent of four university semesters of language classes in less than half the time, according to a study released today that compares reading and listening proficiency levels of French and Spanish learners. Consumers can sign up for free at Duolingo.com.
Among the study’s findings:
- After completing all beginner-level content in Duolingo’s Spanish and French courses, learners on average reached intermediate levels of proficiency in reading in both French and Spanish.
- These learners also approached or acquired “Novice High” proficiency level in Spanish and French listening.
- College students took four semesters of classes to achieve similar levels of proficiency.
- The median number of hours for Duolingo learners to complete the beginner materials was ~112 hours. By comparison, four semesters of university classes require ~240 hours, based on 4 hours of class time a week and 15 weeks per semester, not including hours spent outside of class.
“Our #1 focus at Duolingo is improving how well we teach,” said Bozena Pajak, head of learning science at Duolingo. “After three years of investing into improving our largest courses by aligning them with the CEFR, adding new content and new features like Stories & Tips, we’re proud to be able to share the results of our new efficacy research. The research demonstrates that Duolingo can be an effective tool for learning a language. The broader implications of this research are that online learning is not only convenient, but can also deliver high-quality education that is comparable with classroom instruction.”
Language skill was measured using the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency tests, a widely used assessment tool.
