The impact of gamified language learning apps on EFL learners’ motivation for spoken English development: A case of Duolingo

The gamified learning mode has been widely concerned in the field of language education in recent years, especially in enhancing the speaking ability of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. This study uses Duolingo as the research platform and adopts a semi-structured interview method to explore the impact of gamification design on speaking expression willingness, self-confidence and continuous participation. The results show that Duolingo is effective in stimulating speaking practice motivation in the initial stage, but it still has limitations in terms of voice feedback, real context construction, and deep expression support. Based on user feedback, this paper puts forward suggestions for improving the integration of the AI feedback system and classroom teaching, and emphasizes the guiding role of teachers in the use of gamified platforms.