Beatriz González-Fernández

Language-learning apps such as Babbel, Busuu or Duolingo, have become increasingly popular among learners worldwide, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. Current estimates suggest that learners who choose apps to learn languages make up a third of all language learners globally. But why are apps so popular? The reasons for apps’ popularity are clear: they offer learners many benefits for the study of languages, such as autonomy and independence (i.e. learners can choose what and how they want to study), flexibility in time and location (i.e. learners can access and practise language learning anytime and anywhere), individualisation and personalisation of the...

As part of a series on insights gained from research into vocabulary learning,  Beatriz González-Fernández underlines the importance of teaching more than just a word’s meaning.