Duolingo is a popular language-learning app for people who seek fluency in a new language. The app goes beyond a simple manual for studying language but it has a dynamic ecosystem that offers an immersive experience for learners.
Despite its promising features, learning a new language can sometimes overwhelm the users. Hence, Duolingo created various activities to continuously engage the learners. Progress and dedication are just some of the skills needed when learning a language.
Whether you are planning to gain basic skills for your vacation or aiming for fluency to advance professionally, there are various ways to master Duolingo.
Here are some tips and tricks that will help you go from beginner to fluent using Duolingo:
Set Goals
Define clear goals and if you are having a hard time use the SMART method to guide you in the process. Your listed goals must be realistic and attainable based on your honest capability.
For instance, you can list that you must reach a certain level or you must complete a certain number of lessons per week. Duolingo has its progress tracker to help you monitor your pace and keep you motivated.
Your goals will mean nothing without consistency so set a regular schedule for practicing Duolingo. You can give it around 10 to 15 minutes a day so that you won't feel bombarded with lessons.
Explore Various Features
Duolingo offers various features aside from started quizzes. There are stories, podcasts, and flashcards that you can explore outside the regular lessons.
Try to refresh your learning routine by trying these features. These will prevent you from getting bored. In addition, it will also encourage you to participate and be engaged in your lessons.
Don't be Afraid of Speaking
Writing and speaking are two different aspects of language learning. You can memorize a bunch of words and yet it could still be difficult to pronounce them on their own.
Take advantage of the app's speaking exercises. These will guide you on how to properly pronounce the words. Speaking out loud is also proven to improve your memorization skills as it helps you retain more information about the word compared to when writing it only.
If you are planning to use your skills in a conversation, this will be the best practice to start with. The words could be difficult at first but they will gradually be natural on your tongue if repeated always.
Engage With Community
Duolingo has a huge community that supports forums wherein other learners and even locals can interact with each other. You can find language-specific tips on the forums or find similar experiences from your peers.
You can also share your own experience and progress to motivate other learners. At the same time, you will also get valuable insights from others.
Challenge Yourself
After reaching your goal, it is important to maintain challenging yourself. You can find other language-learning communities that will allow you to verbally speak with the locals to test your conversation skills.
If you have the budget, you can also visit the country of the language you just learned and try speaking with locals. You can even get feedback from them and locals can help you the most.
