This week I revisited Duolingo to have some more focused French learning. Comics, movies, and other media have been helpful ways for me to hear French in context, but I find that I also thrive when I can focus specifically on the nuances of language, and be taught how to use more complex verb forms.
The lessons I took this week focused on decorating and arts. I appreciate the ways this provides thematic lessons because over time, I will have gained exposure to a variety of vocabulary that I might not use everyday. The repetition involved in the practice is helping me to remember words that I didn’t know before.
Perhaps one of my favourite aspects of Duolingo is that it sets a daily goal for me which I can work towards, and attain with a reasonable amount of effort. For a project like this, it can be difficult to know when enough is enough. It is often hard for me to feel satisfied with my practice, unless I know that I have met a real goal. The resources that Duolingo offers, especially in French, are so numerous that any amount of practice feels like barely scratching the surface, and it is easy to leave feeling defeated by the amount of lessons left undone. By setting goals for me to attain each day, the software provides a limit for me so that I can feel accomplished, without dedicating my entire day to studying French.
I am beginning to see increasingly how gamification of learning will be important in my future classrooms. Video games are so prevalent in western society today that teachers are being forced to compete with games designed by experts that kids can take with them anywhere they go. I can see how setting attainable goals for each day will be an important way to keep students engaged, rather than tuning out due to frustration. I wonder how I can incorporate gamification into the various subjects offered in BC curriculum.
