Can you Really Learn a Language with an App?

A good proportion of my adult clients come to me after they have tried to learn German with an app.

Learning a language with apps - 📷 by Thom Holmes on unsplash.

Their stories are similar: they've tried using Duolingo, Memrise or one of the other German apps out there and found that while they increased their vocabulary they couldn't actually speak any better than when they started.
Why is that? These apps certainly promise to teach a language and speaking, I hope we can all agree, is very much part of the parcel.
As a language geek, who only speaks two languages, these apps sound tempting so I tried a couple of them. As this article, isn't going to be very nice, I will not name the apps I have used. As a language teacher, I'm pleased to announce that I'm not worried about my job just yet.

There are a few obvious problems with language apps.

1. The key to speaking a language is speaking the language.
It might sound like I'm stating the obvious, but a lot of people think that they need to memorise the dictionary and all grammar before they are allowed to speak to actual people. It's also why these apps are so popular. If you make a mistake and only Duolingo hears you, did you really make a mistake? But learning a language without speaking to others is like memorising a bunch of recipes and thinking you can cook. Speaking, listening, adjusting is an essential part of learning a language.

2. These apps rely heavily on translation
Translation is an important skill, but at the beginning of the language learning process translating, far from being helpful, is actually counter productive. It may feel comforting to be able to translate everything neatly, but this will ultimately slow your process down because you will continue to think in your source language.

3. They are prone to teach mistakes
Like everything else in life, there is a huge variety in quality and it's absolutely worth doing your research. I teach German, and German is one of these languages that seems straight forward and logical but there are still a ton of exceptions.
German also relies very heavily on context and relationships. You would speak differently to your friend than to your boss or your client. Some  Most  All apps don't allow for the grey areas that come with every language.

4. Language apps will keep you in your comfort zone
The scariest thing about learning a language is that your progress will be limited until you start using it with others. Language apps are essentially a solo activity so any progress with them is misleading and the first encounter with another speaker can be a  big let down and ultimately this can knock your confidence.
One factor that makes apps so attractive to language learners is that they give the impression that you can skip the beginner stage. It's frustrating to any adult to struggle with simple phrases like stating your name and age. You've done this before, you should be analysing Kafka and Goethe. The thought of dealing with all this in the privacy of your own home is very tempting.
Here's the harsh truth: these apps don't let you skip the awkward beginners stage - they simply delay it. They build you up with weeks of streaks, praise, and daily achievements and then you encounter another speaker who uses a word or phrase the app didn't cover.

Evil technology -📷Christian Buehner on Unsplash

Well, it's not all bad. If you use the right app (do your research!) alongside an opportunity to practise (classes, conversation clubs*, friends, family) they are are a fantastic way to build up vocabulary fast. One of their strong points is that they encourage the little and often approach and are simply more convenient than carrying around a bunch of flash cards.
If you want to use an app to learn a language make sure to carve out regular time to speak it with real people as soon as possible, read reviews specific to the language you want to study and make sure to use free trial options before you part with your money.


*plug