The power of language apps in a multilingual world

Although only 36% of UK adults speak more than one language, Dr González-Fernández's research offers a promising solution, suggesting that language-learning apps aren't just alternatives to traditional methods but powerful complementary tools that can significantly enhance teaching and learning.

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Mastering a second language is a critical skill in today’s globalised and multilingual world, yet current estimates predict that only around 36% of UK adults can speak more than one language.

While traditional teaching methods are useful, language acquisition is a long-term process that isn't always sustained through the education system or by individual learners. However, new research suggests that modern computer or mobile assisted language learning apps can enhance this process, offering an additional way for people to continue their studies.

In recent years, language-learning apps like Duolingo have risen in popularity across the world, but their usefulness in promoting second language development remains largely unknown. Addressing this gap in understanding, and finding better ways to support second language learning and teaching challenges, is long overdue.

Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Dr Beatriz González-Fernández from the School of English at the University of Sheffield has been exploring the effectiveness of app-based language learning compared with traditional classroom instruction. Her research focuses on the acquisition and teaching of general language proficiency and vocabulary knowledge in second and foreign languages.

Through her studies, we now know that apps are not just promising alternatives for accessing language learning, but also powerful complementary tools that can significantly support both teachers and learners. But how are these findings challenging damaging misconceptions about app-based language learning and improving teaching practices?

Comparing traditional classroom instruction with app-based language learning

In 2022, Dr González-Fernández was awarded an international grant competition by American language learning company, Duolingo, to research the effectiveness of the platform. Duolingo has over 500 million registered users and around 40 million monthly active users, making it the most downloaded education app worldwide.

The participants involved in Dr González-Fernández’s study were 337 adult Spanish speakers learning English at a basic proficiency level in an app-based (221 learners) and classroom instruction (116 learners) setting. Challenging general views, the study found that app-based learning can outperform classroom instruction in effectiveness and efficiency across some language aspects, and that app-based learners generally reported higher levels of interest and motivation for the course.

Dr González-Fernández’s research also revealed that learners using Duolingo outperformed classroom-based learners in receptive grammar and vocabulary knowledge, while learners in traditional classroom instruction did better in developing listening skills. This suggests that instead of treating apps as substitute instructional methods, we should better consider and employ them as complements to traditional second language learning classroom teaching.

“Duolingo was actually in some aspects of language learning more effective than classroom instruction overall, which was not expected. As well as linguistic development, I also examined the learner's motivational development in these two settings. I found that the Duolingo learners were more motivated in general than classroom learners and sustained this motivation throughout the study. I think this could be down to the personalisation of content offered by apps, and all those gamified features like experience points, leader boards, and competing with friends. Although learner’s individual preference for app-based and classroom instruction plays an important role” explains Dr González-Fernández.

Following the 16-week study period, Dr González-Fernández investigated learners' longer term uses and perceptions of the Duolingo app. This data was divided into themes such as habit formation, linguistic awareness, confidence, and change of perspectives.

“In terms of direct impact to learners’, we saw improvements across all of the themes we investigated. For example, many reported a higher transition from passive to active learning, providing evidence of long-term behavioural change and deeper engagement with global linguistic acquisition and cultural contexts” adds Dr González-Fernández.

The impact on language learning apps

Dr González-Fernández presented her findings to company employees at Duolingo HQ in May 2024. Post-keynote survey data was collected where attendees reflected on the usefulness of the project findings for their job at Duolingo, and the potential impact on their work. All respondents agreed that the findings were beneficial for the development of Duolingo and could improve the language courses overall. They also concurred that specific areas for improvement could be identified in light of the findings, and that the results made them think about potential improvements to the app.

“Duolingo is interested in two types of impact - external and internal. External impact involves establishing credibility from the work Duolingo is doing, letting people know about the work and research being done with the platform, and its quality” explains Dr González-Fernández.

“Internal impact involves information that highlights areas for improvement. Duolingo claimed that my study had significant external impact, including various public reports, academic journal articles, presentations for staff at the company and presentations for international English teachers. My research has also had internal impact insofar that it showed confirmation of the effectiveness of the platform, and identified an area where improvements would be needed, namely the listening provision” explains Dr González-Fernández.

“Based on evidence from my study (as well as other internal studies) that listening provision could be improved, Duolingo have invested significant funding in improving this area of their courses. Some of the new features included to support the development of listening skills are: Duolingo radio sessions, listening episodes, mini podcasts, and more recently an interactive video call with AI Lily. They have some initial evidence that these improvements have helped learners' listening development. My research supported these changes and improvements by identifying issues, their extent, and the need for improvements to those areas in the language course, as well as specifying potential solutions” adds Dr González-Fernández.

Empowering teachers

Many teachers often dismiss language-learning apps as ineffective for overall language development, sometimes even viewing them as competitors rather than valuable supplementary tools. According to Dr González-Fernández, these misconceptions prevent teachers and material developers from fully exploiting the potential of what these apps offer. As a result, they also miss opportunities to connect language learning with students' interests and new developments. This scepticism among language teachers and scholars often stems from a lack of clear understanding regarding the extent of apps' effectiveness and how they truly compare to other language learning and teaching methods.

Earlier this year, Dr González-Fernández published an article in the Modern English Teacher (MET) magazine with recommendations for improved teaching practice based on her findings. MET is a magazine written by teachers for teachers that brings methodology, practical ideas and topical discussions to classrooms across the world. Based on previous contributions to this magazine, the recommendations provided in the article are expected to impact some teachers’ attitudes towards the possibilities of apps for language learning as well as their teaching practice.

As well as the publication in MET, in March 2025, Dr González-Fernández delivered a workshop based on her work with Duolingo to English language professionals at the TESOL Convention in the US. The TESOL Convention is a teacher-centred forum organised by the TESOL International Association, the most trusted and largest body worldwide dedicated to English language teaching.

“Before I started the workshop, I asked the attendee teachers to anonymously evaluate how effective they considered language learning apps to be. The vast majority of them reported rather negative views of language learning applications’ effectiveness for language development. At the end of my workshop, I gave the attendees a questionnaire to record its impact, and most of them reported that the study had challenged their perspectives on language learning apps and that they were willing to implement changes to their teaching practice based on my findings” explains Dr González-Fernández.

100% of participants reported a challenged view on the effectiveness of language learning apps and an improved understanding of their usefulness.
Consequently, the participants now felt better equipped to integrate the findings and implications into their language teaching or learning practices, specifically gaining a clearer awareness of how to effectively use apps to support and complement their methods, as well as identifying concrete improvements for their approach.
Dr Beatriz González-Fernández
Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics and TESOL

“Through offering practical recommendations and models for the use of apps in their teaching practice, we were able to change attendees’ perceptions of the efficacy of language learning apps, and offer a better understanding of how to use them to support and complement their teaching practice. Three teachers also contacted me after the workshop and stated that they were going to implement my recommendations for integrating language learning apps into their teaching practice, and I will be in touch with them shortly to evaluate the effectiveness of their new practice” adds Dr González-Fernández.

Expanding the research

Dr González-Fernández is now expanding her research and its impact to benefit a wider range of second-language organisations, languages, and learners. She is doing this by leading national and international outreach and training workshops for teachers and students at traditional language teaching institutes. Additionally, she's broadening the findings from her original work with Duolingo to other languages by collaborating with modern language organisations, and she's applying her language-learning approach to new, diverse learner groups, such as refugees and asylum seekers, by partnering with language education organisations like NGOs and charities.