Duolingo vs. AgvoKate

I know a lot of people who use Duolingo; I used to be one of them. I see it all the time in ag specific social media groups: “What’s the best/quickest way to learn Spanish?” And most of the comments mention Duolingo or some other AI tool. I love that we have so many education tools at our disposal. That’s a great thing for anyone wanting to learn a language.

But, let me share with you a few reasons why Duolingo and AI tools aren’t all they’re cracked up to be and, in fact, are doing a disservice to new language learners.

1.      AI doesn’t always get it right.

We must remember that AI isn’t human. While the technology will keep improving, it doesn’t consider things like slang, cultural nuances, and industry specific jargon. In romance languages (Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese), your conversational setting (the person(s) you are talking to), depends on whether you use formal or informal conjugations or expressions.

Take the simple greeting, “How are you?” In Spanish, the informal addresses someone of familiarity or someone younger than you.  The formal way shows respect and addresses someone you don’t know, who is older than you or who holds an esteemed position, like a doctor or teacher.

Can you spot the differences?

Informal: ¿Cómo estás?

Formal: ¿Cómo está usted?

Regional differences appear in every language

Languages are fluid. There is often more than one right answer, which largely depends on where someone is from. But AI only looks for and provides exact answers. It simply doesn’t provide the context or options a language teacher can.

Here are a few English examples of what I’m talking about: soda vs. pop, vacuum vs sweeper, steamer vs clam vs sloppy joe, etc.

Don’t get me wrong. AI is a great tool. I have used it for my business, and I know it’s effective in many industries and has increased productivity and efficiency. But learning a language is not the place to solely use AI. 

2.      It damages students’ confidence.

I’ve experienced this firsthand during private tutoring sessions. My student would send me screenshots of his Duolingo errors, and we would go over why they were incorrect and how to fix them. He was starting to feel defeated; that he’d NEVER learn the language. However, I began noticing about 50% of these so-called “errors” weren’t errors at all. If the app didn’t specify that they wanted the informal expression and he wrote the formal, he got marked wrong. Or he would answer a question in comprehensible Spanish but if it wasn’t exactly how they thought it should be constructed, so it was marked wrong.

When Duolingo gets it wrong or only provides a single answer for a word or phrase that has multiple possibilities within the language, students begin to doubt themselves. Learning a second language can be challenging. Students are more likely to build confidence and progress when they have early wins and understand that there are many ways to convey the message they want.

AI and Duolingo can’t give you that, but a language teacher with a comprehensive understanding of the language can. Teachers, by nature, are encouraging and flexible to their students’ needs, learning styles, and strengths. They listen, adapt, and create an environment that nurtures newly forming skills.

"Not only was it the lessons you taught and how simple you broke the lessons down, but it was the encouragement you gave."' -Cassady W. (2024 Winter Swine Class)

3.      The Human Factor

When learning a language, the human factor is key. Actually, it’s essential. Learning a language is about communication and relationships. It’s a back-and-forth discourse between people. Apps are just asking for regurgitated information, in perfect format. I don’t expect or even want my students to be perfect. Effort and curiosity are what I encourage in my classes. The entire purpose of learning another language is to improve our ability to communicate with others. I want my students to make mistakes and be vulnerable. The reward? The receiver of your “Spanglish” understands that you’re trying, which adds value to the interaction.

Translation: When you can't find the word in a language so you fill it with another.

The best way to practice and learn is from a real, live person. Human discussion and the sharing of not just information, but also experiences, is a crucial part of my courses. And it’s where I know my students learn the most. In the agriculture industry, jargon, slang, and dialect are a BIG part of what we learn—Duolingo can’t give you that. Did you know there are six different ways to say “piglet” in Spanish? This depends on where someone is from, and we cover all of them in my swine course.

I also teach general Spanish, meaning words that almost every speaker will understand no matter where they come from. One of my biggest hopes is that my students will fall in love with language, learning, and culture!

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