Post by Duolingo

Duolingo is fun, but does it actually work? It’s a fair question. We’re an app built around streaks, animated characters, and a persistent owl. Traditional learning tools don’t usually look this… fun. But fun and effective don’t have to be opposites! We put a lot of thought into making them feel like the same thing. So what’s happening behind the scenes? We have a team of 40+ learning experts whose entire job is to make sure that when you open the app, you actually learn something. They make up the Learning & Curriculum function, and they might be, by their own admission, the nerdiest team at the company (one of memorized more than 100 digits of pi). • Many are former classroom teachers. • About a third hold PhDs in fields like linguistics and cognitive science. • And quite a few have learned new languages themselves, so they know exactly where things get hard. The curriculum they design is grounded in the same national and international standards used by schools and universities. And here’s the truth: when it comes to learning, motivation is half the battle. That’s where the “fun” comes in. Our game-like elements aren’t just for entertainment. They’re there to keep you going. Because without motivation, it’s hard to make real progress on any learning journey.

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