1039-Article Text-3246-1-10-20211213
1039-Article Text-3246-1-10-20211213
1039-Article Text-3246-1-10-20211213
The Students` Perception About Use of Duolingo Application for Improving English
Vocabulary
INTRODUCTION
The fast growth of technologies has benefited education in more than one way and led
to the emergence of what is nowadays known as “Educational Technologies”. According to
Chun et al. (2016), language and technology have been deeply intertwined ever since the
invention of writing some 5000 years ago. The technology also grows in both marketing
education and practice. For example, Clarke et al. (2001) stated that the internet has grown
exponentially over the last few years. In addition, Naismith and Corlett (2017) state that access
to technology, ownership, and connectivity are crucial success factors for integrating mobile
learning in higher education.
The teacher can use technology has been used as a technique to improve education and
teaching methods (Ahmed, 2016). The teacher should support their English teaching and
learning by u s i n g technologies, especially for teachi n g Englishvocabulary. Using
technology for learning English is a necessary half of interactive learning that is acceptable
for the student. Most of them square measure acquainted with numerous technological aspects
together with gadgets, applications, and social media and thus can most certainly embrace the
thought of together with them for learning purposes (Handrianto, Rasool, Rahman, Musta`in,
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& Ilhami, 2021). Technology is also part of everyday lives, and it is time to rethink integrating
technology into the curriculum and embed technology into teaching to support the learning
process. Therefore, technology becomes an integral part of the learning experience and a
significant issue for teachers, from preparing learning experiences through to the teaching and
learning process (Eady & Lockyer, 2013).
Pourhossein, Gilakjani, and Sabouri (2017) said that technology had been changed to
support the English language teaching method. It means that technology has an important role
and effect on teacher teaching methods in promoting activities for a student (Rita &
Handrianto, 2021). If teachers do not use technologies in teaching the student, they will never
be able to keep up with these technologies. Thus, teachers need to have full knowledge of
these technologies in teaching English vocabulary. After all, it is essential in learning
English as a foreign language because it needs to link four skills suchas speaking, listening,
reading, and writing. It means that the teacher has to develop teaching methods and teaching
media to increase the quality between teacher and student.
According to Murcia (2001), vocabulary is essential for helping students in rich reading,
listening, speaking, and writing skills because it is central to a language component.
Therefore, the teacher should be able to teach English vocabulary learning to make the student
have much vocabulary for mastering four English skills. However, if the teacher does not have
a good strategy in teaching, the students exactly have difficulty remembering and memorizing
vocabulary.
Based on the explanation above, there are various applications of educational games that
use technology that can be applied to support English teaching and learning activities. In
recent years, educational games have increasingly supported learning. Based on Ewa (2016),
the games have advantages such as promoting communicative competence and encouraging
creative and spontaneous use of language. In addition, it is adequate to increase motivation
and promote learner-centered so that it can also help students improve their English skills not
only in the classroom but also outside the classroom (Saputra, Handrianto, Pernantah,
Ismaniar, & Shidiq, 2021).
Duolingo is one of the applications that can use for improving English vocabulary.
Duolingo is a free application that can be accessed through a website, a laptop, or a
smartphone. It supports students to boost English vocabulary. Then, facilitate students to
specialize in developing learning English vocabulary. It can also attract and involve students
actively within the learning method.
Based on personal expertise, learning by victimization Duolingo is noteworthy to
develop learning English. Duolingo application has excellent learning methods as a result of
its inspiring learning system. This application connects lessons with games that may build
interest in learning. Moreover, Duolingo combines audio, visual, and, additionally, question
enjoyably encompassing vocabulary and synchronic linguistics. Finally, the objective of this
article was to investigate the students’ perception towards the use of Duolingo application in
English vocabulary.
DUOLINGO APPLICATION
About Duolingo
Duolingo is a free online language-learning tool available on different platforms
(websites, Android/iOS phones, and tablets). The Duolingo guide book stated that Duolingo
has many languages that language students can select the language what student wants to
learn, for example, English, Arabic, Spanish, French, Dutch, and other languages. Duolingo
also has educators from that the users can exchange fewer lessons ideas and experiences with
each other such as teachers or students, to make them more accessible in learning that it can
measure students' achievement and dedication in perfect ways. It provides data such as point
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earned, of course, overview tree, the streak, and the time spent.
Duolingo is one of the applications used for technology that can be used for the students
to play and learn English. Duolingo is a freemium language-learning platform for cell phones
or computers created by Luis Von Ahn and Severin Hacker in 2012. It offers 68 different
language courses across 28 languages. Duolingo's website presents that the Duolingo
application makes it easy for teachers to teach four English skills: reading, writing, listening,
and speaking to the student. The four skills are present during the learning activities in
Duolingo through questions, small text to heard, and transcribed. The students also have to
record their pronunciation to assess their speaking ability.
Some of the positive feedback has been given by many experts that use Duolingo in
teaching and learning English. According to (Krashen, 2014) the Duolingo application is a
web-based that guides students step-by-step through a sequence of tasks, primarily based on
translation. Most of the activities in the application are based on translation, dictation, and
pronunciation. It also incorporates some gamification elements to motivate and engage
students (Handrianto & Rahman, 2018; Munday, 2016).
Furthermore, White (2014) states that Duolingo is an online learning program that
allows people to take free language courses because they translate. According to Jaskova
(2014) Duolingo is a free application (used on various platforms, such as computers, mobile
phones, and others) that offers courses in over 23 languages and has about 200 million
registered users worldwide. It was introduced in 2012 by Louis von Ahn and Severin Hacker
from Cambridge Mellon University for learning and acquiring a foreign or second language
that learners wish to learn (Nushi & Eqbali, 2017).
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Duolingo can be a medium for students to improve their vocabulary, and teachers can use it
in the room to help students master vocabulary. Vocabulary plays a vital role in learning
English as a foreign language because it links four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and
writing. It means that the teacher has to develop teaching methods and teaching media to
increase the quality between teacher and student.
One of the plans to use Duolingo is to facilitate students to master new vocabulary
through games so that they do not get bored in learning, and one of the straight games that can
be contested for this purpose is Duolingo. Based on Duy (2018), Duolingo is the translation
of its student can enrich a language learning platform that was intended. Duolingo has one of
the essential features, namely Badge. It is characterized as a requirement to obtain goals,
make progress, and achieve results in a learning environment. The primary purpose of the
badges is used to lift the motivation of students when they study English (Huynh, Zuo, & Lida,
2018).
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mean the mistake. If the learners created a tiny low mistake, Duolingo could mark it wrong
regardless. The student will understand that their answer ought to be accepted through their
answer not correct. The format that bestowed the message and data tailored by Duolingo is
referred to as drill and practiced. in keeping with practice, provide to students the instance to
extend their ability that it
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Image 3. Selecting Target
The fourth phase entails determining one's degree of English proficiency. The learner
will then be able to begin learning English at a fundamental level. At the most fundamental
level, there are English speaking abilities such as Pronunciation, Grammar, and Vocabulary
that are assessed by questions given both orally and in writing. Students who use Duolingo
regularly will have their level of difficulty changed to reflect their skills as they go through
the program.
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Image 5. Translation Exercises Image 6. Matching Exercises
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b. Implication for Student
Learners who participate in educational activities that depend on the Duolingo program
will expand their vocabulary and build their self-confidence in a pleasant learning
environment that they can access from any location and at any time. As a result, their level of
confidence could enhance their motivation. Addressing the need to acquire the necessary
vocabulary of the studied course, adult beginner students will learn and practice the
vocabulary and grammar in a genuine and most relaxed manner. Consequently, this study
promotes the implementation of an online free educational platform that engages both
learners and teachers to promote vocabulary and grammar learning regardless of age, time,
and qualifications.
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Duolingo can be used from varied background experiences, the student still quickly started
learning. Duolingo also has understandable instructions so that the student easy for using
them. The picture of Duolingo is bright and attractive even though the picture is not a real-life
picture. So, students positively perceive that Duolingo is easy to use, has fewer steps to do the
task, has an appealing design, and has simplified the display.
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student perception about that, it is found that students give positive perception in various
learning approaches in Duolingo, namely, pronunciation, translating, writing, listening, and
speaking skills.
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