Why I don’t like Rosetta Stone & Duolingo
I’m not really a fan of language learning programs like Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, etc... but before we begin I want to clarify that I don’t mean to offend anyone. This is all just my opinion and you should do your own research and find what works best for YOU! :)
I think these programs could help you in some ways, but if that’s all you do to learn a foreign language, you’re probably not going to be able to use the language very effectively.
Here’s why:
1. These programs/apps don’t encourage you to converse
We have a free online video course (we call it an “e-Course”) and in the very first video we tell you that no online program/app/textbook or anything like that can 100% teach you a language. It’s just not enough!
Our approach is more like this:
Learn some basics
Meet people in real life or online (we show you how)
Practice using the language with them
We constantly stress practicing what you’ve learned in real life. Language is a means of communication, so if you want to be able to communicate effectively you have to actually practice conversing/using the language in some way with someone.
I prefer apps like Hello Talk that actually encourage you to connect with other people.
2. These apps make you feel like you’re making progress, but aren’t nearly as effective as you might think.
Even though these programs are really well known and everyone has heard of them, I’ve never met someone who said they effectively learned a foreign language by ONLY using Rosetta Stone or Duolingo. The people I meet who have actually learned a second language all generally said the same thing - they spent a lot of time practicing/conversing in their target language.
Maybe they took some classes, studied with textbooks and things like that, which was great for learning the basics, but they then went out of their way to actually practice what they learned - either in real life situations or online.
Again, that’s not to say that classes, textbooks, apps, etc... aren’t helpful, but I think a lot of students don’t understand how important it is to practice using the language with real people.
Often times, I find that apps/programs are used more like crutches to make us feel like we’re making progress when we’re really stagnant.
It’s difficult and scary to go out and meet new people and make mistakes when speaking a foreign language, but that’s what you need to do if you want to get better at it.
3. People think they can just buy something and it’ll magically teach them a language
I wouldn’t say that learning a language is necessarily difficult, it’s just that it usually takes a lot of time and consistent effort. We live in an age of instant gratification, so I find a lot of people struggle to understand this concept.
Just the other day, someone sent us a message on Instagram saying:
“I’ve been studying French for 5 months and I can’t really understand or speak that well yet, why not??”
I told this person that it’s completely normal! Learning a language is a long, time consuming process, and they shouldn’t expect it to come so quickly/easily.
Learning a language is like working out, you can’t just buy a DVD and watch it and expect to see the results you want. You have to do the work! You have to actually go to the gym, lift weights, run, eat correctly, etc... and you have to do all of that consistently for a fair amount of time before you see the results you want.
It can be a painful process and that’s why so few people are able to effectively learn a second language (at least in the US where I’m from).
What to use instead
Try apps that encourage you to USE the language with someone. There are apps like Hello Talk and Tandem that allow you to connect with someone who speaks the language you’re trying to learn and you can practice with them.
I actually wrote a blog explaining how I use Hello Talk to learn a foreign language.
*Note - this blog isn’t sponsored by any of the apps I’ve mentioned
Final thoughts
I’ve been teaching French since 2013 and this is just what I’ve observed over the years. Always remember to experiment and find what works for you! If you’re not seeing the results you want, you have to try something new!
Don’t get caught up in books and apps, go find some friends to speak to and make some connections. It’ll really make learning a language much easier (and more enjoyable).
And if you’re interested in learning conversational French, check out our FREE e-Course.
à bientôt
-Charlie W.
Thank you so much for reading! If you found this blog helpful and would like more help learning French, try our FREE conversational French e-Course. We also have a lot more content on Instagram and Youtube.