A STUDY ON DUOLINGO MOBILE APPLICATIONS TO IMPROVE EFL STUDENTS' LISTENING COMPREHENSION PERFORMANCES

Nguyen Khanh Tuong, Thai Cong Dan

Abstract


The significance of listening comprehension in learning English as a foreign language cannot be denied, as it forms a foundational basis for effective communication and language skill development. Proficient listening skills are essential not only for understanding spoken language but also for meaningful communication, grasping nuances, and interpreting contextual cues. Furthermore, listening comprehension serves as a cornerstone for vocabulary acquisition, grammar understanding, and cultural awareness, making it one of the most crucial aspects of language learning. This study investigates the effectiveness of the Duolingo mobile application in enhancing EFL students' listening comprehension within the evolving landscape of educational methods. Data collected from 39 third-year English major students at the School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University, Vietnam, through comprehensive surveys and structured interviews highlighted the students' high appreciation for Duolingo's impact on their listening abilities within the Vietnamese educational context. Students emphasized the flexibility and engaging nature of Duolingo's listening features, which immerse learners in diverse real-life situations and provide opportunities for repetitive practice. Regular engagement in these exercises was considered essential for expanding vocabulary, improving grammar, and achieving deeper language comprehension in real-world contexts. Despite receiving positive evaluations, participants identified areas for improvement, particularly emphasizing the need for diversity in pronunciation and contexts within Duolingo's listening exercises to enhance effective communication. Moreover, they suggested improvements in feedback mechanisms to provide timely and useful feedback for language learning progression. In conclusion, while the Duolingo mobile application offers promising opportunities for enhancing EFL students' listening comprehension, addressing current limitations is crucial to optimizing their effectiveness. This study underscores the importance of using mobile language learning tools like Duolingo to meet the evolving needs of language learners in an education landscape increasingly driven by technology, where listening comprehension plays a vital role in the learning and language proficiency enhancement process.

Keywords


Duolingo Mobile Applications, listening comprehension performances, EFL students

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abdolrezapour, P., & Ghanbari, N. (2021). Enhancing learning potential score in EFL listening comprehension and self-regulation through self-regulated dynamic assessment procedures. Language Testing in Asia, 11(1).

Ahmadi, S.M. (2016). The Importance of Listening Comprehension in Language Learning. International Journal of Research, 1, 7-10.

Anderson, A. & Lynch, T. (1988). Listening. New York: Oxford University Press.

Blanco, C. (2022). Covering all the bases: Duolingo's approach to listening skills. Duolingo Blog. https://blog.duolingo.com/covering-all-the-bases-duolingos-approach-to

Chuah, K., & Kabilan, M. K. (2022, September 2). The Development of Mobile Applications for Language Learning: A Systematic Review of Theoretical Frameworks. Chuah, International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research. https://www.ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/5712

Dastrup, M. (2023, November 6). DuoRadio is Duolingo's New Tool for Practicing Listening Skills. Duolingo Blog. https://blog.duolingo.com/duoradio-listening-practice-listening-skills

Deregözü, A. (2021). The use of listening comprehension strategies in distance language education. English Language Teaching, 14(10), 62. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v14n10p62

Gibson, E. (2022, January 24). Listen up! New Audio Lessons build conversation skills. Duolingo Blog. https://blog.duolingo.com/listen-up-new-audio-lessons-build-conversation-skills

Gilakjani, A. P., & Sabouri, N. B. (2016). Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review. English Language Teaching, 9(6), 123. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v9n6p123

Hazar, E. (2022). Learning a brand-new language through Duolingo: A case study of a gifted student. African Educational Research Journal, 10(4), 447–453. https://doi.org/10.30918/aerj.104.22.079

Heil, Catherine & Wu, Jason & Lee, Joey & Schmidt, Torben. (2016). A review of mobile language learning applications: trends, challenges and opportunities. EuroCALL Review. 24.

Islam, A., & Hasan, M. (2020). The Effectiveness of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (Mall) On ESL Listening Skills. Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 8(4), 370. https://doi.org/10.33394/jollt.v8i4.2846

Jiang, X. (2021). How well does Duolingo teach speaking skills? Duolingo Blog. https://blog.duolingo.com/how-well-does-duolingo-teach-speaking-skills

Jiang, X. (2022, October 17). How does Duolingo measure effectiveness? Duolingo Blog. https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-efficacy-research-framework

Johnson, Z. (2024). Duolingo Review - Language Learning with Duolingo. Zac Johnson - How to Make Money Online with Zac Johnson. https://zacjohnson.com/duolingo-language-learning

McDonald, S. (2024). Does Duolingo work? See how effective this popular app is in our 2024 review. FluentU Language Learning. https://www.fluentu.com/blog/does-duolingo-work-review

Metruk, R. (2018). Extensive listening practice of EFL learners with authentic English videos. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-021-00126-5 Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328703242_Extensive_listening_practice_of_EFL_learners_with_authentic_English_videos

Nushi, M., & Eqbali, M. H. (2017). Duolingo: A mobile application to assist second language learning. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313572795_Duolingo_A_mobile_application_to_assist_second_language_learning

Nushi, Musa & Eqbali, Mohamad. (2017). Duolingo: A mobile application to assist second language learning. Teaching English with Technology. 17. 89-98.

Okumuş Dağdeler, K. A systematic review of Mobile-Assisted Vocabulary Learning research. Smart Learn. Environ. 10, 19 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-023-00235-z

Peláez-Sánchez, Cristina & Velásquez Durán, Anabel. (2023). The impact of Duolingo in developing students’ linguistic competence: an aspect of communicative language competences. Educação e Pesquisa. 49. 10.1590/s1678-4634202349252467eng.

Qiao, H., & Zhao, A. (2023). Artificial intelligence-based language learning: illuminating the impact on speaking skills and self-regulation in Chinese EFL context. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1255594

Renukadevi, D. (2014). The Role of Listening in Language Acquisition; the Challenges & Strategies in Teaching Listening. International Journal of Education and Information Studies, 4, 2277-3169.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejae.v9i1.5342

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright © 2015 - 2023. European Journal of Alternative Education Studies (ISSN 2501-5915) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms.

All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).