Learning App Duolingo responds to damning IFS data

Following today’s announcement from the Institute for Fiscal Studies re: two in five pupils failed to meet the Government’s minimum guidelines for learning time during Covid school closures, we wanted offer commentary and interview time with Colin Watkins, Duolingo, U.K. Country Manager.

In light of the new data, it’s clear that remote learning has proved difficult without the right tools. Duolingo, the world’s most popular language-learning app, is a free app that uses AI and gamification techniques to make its content fun and effective, helping learners progress faster.

Colin Watkins, Duolingo, U.K. Country Manager, said

“Duolingo was invaluable during the last two years when parents and teachers were left wrestling with how to keep their children and students learning. For the first time, school overtook travel and brain training as the biggest motivation to learn on Duolingo. You had teachers trying to get used to Teams and Zoom and parents desperately using WhatsApp groups to find resources. Being free and accessible across mobile and web we were, and still are, a great resource. So much so that in the weeks after the first lockdown, the UK saw a rise five times that in the US and Germany. We are now seeing numbers rise again as parents, students and teachers get back to learning.

“Our goal is not to replace teachers, but until everyone has access to good quality, personal one-to-one tutoring, Duolingo can provide a unique learning programme driven by AI that is tailored to each individual’s needs and abilities of all ages and incomes. All you need is a device and you can start learning on Duolingo.”

Duolingo also launched Duolingo ABC, offering over 300 free, fun, bite-sized lessons teaching the alphabet, phonics, and sight words to help parents with 3–6-year-olds continue to learn and develop outside of the classroom.