Beyond the Textbook: Duolingo-Supported English Language Learning

Mobile applications with a gamified approach can provide new opportunities for the improvement of English language learning in education. However, the evidence around their contribution to the achievement of students at the primary level of school education in Indian classroom contexts is relatively limited. This study analysed the relation between the use of Duolingo-supported instruction and English language achievement of 5th-Grade students from a semi-urban school in Uttar Pradesh, India. The quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test control group design was used with an experimental and control group consisting of 30 students each. The experimental group was taught English regularly through Duolingo-supported activities, while the control group was taught English through a traditional textbook-based approach. A researcher-designed English Language Achievement Test (ELAT) with high internal consistency (α=0.92) was administered to collect data. The results of the study revealed that the mean for the experimental group was higher (M = 39.26, SD = 6.28) than the control group (M = 26.43, SD = 4.05), with a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). The findings indicate that the Duolingo-supported classroom with teacher guidance could enhance English language achievement among learners and highlight the substantial potential of a gamification approach in educational settings.