Duolingo has unveiled a new platform designed specifically for use in schools that promises to make it easier for teachers to keep up with students’ language learning progress.
Although Duolingo for Schools is the company’s first formal steps to shift into the classroom, it follows the groundwork laid down by the introduction of the Duolingo Test Center in April last year.
Duolingo said that the launch will consolidate the existing ad-hoc use of its consumer offering that already goes on in classrooms and provide a centralized platform for teachers to track progress. It’s also intended to aid the teacher in the job of teaching by helping to highlight where a student is struggling most.
“The goal is to provide a personalized learning experience that gives each student and instructor immediate feedback in the classroom. This can free up teachers’ time to concentrate on difficult concepts, answer questions, and assist students falling behind,” Doulingo’s co-founder Luis von Ahn said.
It’ll also keep parents in the loop by allowing progress sharing, where they can see which lessons have been completed and how many (XP) points have been collected.
The move makes sense for Duolingo, language learners and teachers alike – and as it’s free, skips any of the budgetary barriers usually associated with gaining a formal foothold in the classroom.
As Duolingo notes, the governments of Costa Rica and Guatemala are already piloting the use of the app in some public schools, so making the process easy and creating a platform specifically designed to help teachers around the world understand what their students need can only lead to wider adoption in yet more classrooms.
Read next: Duolingo announces Duolingo Test Center, a $20 mobile alternative to standardized language tests
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