I’ve been learning French with Duolingo since our trip to Quebec City.
107 days and counting.
I studied French for four years of high school and two years of college, but I think Duolingo might be the best instruction I’ve ever received in a foreign language.
Curriculum designers would be wise to study Duolingo’s approach. It’s a brilliantly designed curriculum that engages, spirals, reviews, and targets individual needs based upon previous performance.
Most importantly, it acknowledges that learning should be fun.
They’ve effectively gamified the instruction and incorporated reading, listening, writing, and speaking. They have an incredible variety of exercises, and I genuinely enjoy learning.
I look forward to opening the app each day.
But I’d love to see a little humor. I want to be occasionally surprised or delighted by something written or spoken. I’d love some Easter eggs, an occasional plotline, a splash of edginess, and maybe even a little rock-and-roll spirit.
Yesterday, I answered a question that genuinely surprised me. In my 107 days of using Duolingo, this was the first time I saw something that made me laugh.
More of this, please, Duolingo.
And if you’re working for Duolingo and would like a storytelling consultant to infuse your content with humor, surprise, and maybe even a few plot twists, please let me know.
I work for many companies, nonprofits, and even the FBI, but my favorites are the ones I love to use.
