By Natalie Slee, Broadcast Editor
Learning another language is hard and can cost a lot of money between tutors, textbooks, and many long hours. In 2011, Duolingo was founded by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker. This would help those strapped for cash learn a language all over the world. The app has forty languages to learn such as Spanish, Chinese, and German. Over five hundred million people worldwide are learning a language or multiple languages. Duolingo’s headquarters is actually located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If that’s not close to home, they also have office locations in New York, Berlin, Beijing, and Seattle.
The top ten languages used on Duolingo include English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Chinese, and Hindi. In a diverse community between Meadville and Erie, learning a language can be a valuable asset, especially if you are learning a language for your career or to break a language barrier between friends and family.
Saegertown schools may not have a license for the use of Duolingo in classrooms, but with Duolingo being a free language app, students can keep up with Spanish and French class lessons. “I used Duolingo for Spanish 1 and 2, and I really think it helped learning the course with Mrs. Holeva,” junior Alaina Merchant said. The app is useful in many ways, not just with language but also in math. Younger children (kids aged three to eight) can even use Duolingo to learn their ABCs, making learning at home easier and fun for parents.
Many students take trips or want to learn something new. Juniors John Childers and Elliot McWright were both learning German at one point. “It helped me learn small things here and there like simple sentences…” McWright said.
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