Digital Learning VIII: Apps

A third way to learn a foreign language using a program is through specialized apps or web apps.
These are characterized by their use of modern web technologies.

This means the learning applications are accessed via a browser (and sometimes also available as native apps).
To use them, you only need a relatively recent device with an internet connection.

It is typical for these apps to present language learning as an experience that is primarily meant to be enjoyable for the learner.
In this sense, companies attract users with a wide selection of languages, bright colors, and special effects.

Elements of gamification make the learning process highly interactive, and built-in audio or video materials make it synesthetic.
It’s understandable that companies choose to market their apps this way.

By doing so—and by offering as many languages as possible—they aim to appeal to a mass audience.
But the truth is: this very decision almost guarantees disappointment.

Gamified elements can be motivating for beginners.
But anyone who seriously wants to learn a foreign language will eventually realize that it’s a long and challenging process—at least for most people.

What’s more, languages differ significantly from one another and come with their own unique demands.
An app that aims to cover as many languages as possible will necessarily sacrifice specialization.