Most people learn a new language for one big reason: to speak it! Whether you’re dreaming of ordering croissants in Paris or charming your in-laws in Spanish, conversation is the goal. 🗣️
That’s exactly what Duolingo’s Video Call lessons help you practice: building real-world speaking skills. We recently designed a new kind of Video Call that supports learners who are just starting their language journey.
And new research shows that beginners thrive in this speaking practice tailored just for them!
Video Call with Falstaff: how it works
Our newest Video Call experience is Video Call with Falstaff, where you practice your new language with Falstaff the bear through supportive, guided conversations designed to help you learn useful phrases.
This skill—being able to confidently produce common vocabulary and phrases—is especially important for beginners, so we tested how well Video Call with Falstaff teaches these phrases!
Putting Falstaff to the test
To find out, we tested Video Call with Falstaff with beginner French and Spanish learners. We focused on two groups of learners:
- Learners who used Video Call with Falstaff
- Learners who didn’t use Video Call at all
We chose learners who had just completed the same units, so they had recently studied the same grammar and vocabulary. The learners then completed a speaking test, which required them to read phrases in English and then translate them out loud in French or Spanish.
Would learners who practiced speaking in the guided calls with Falstaff be able to speak the translations, which included the phrases they had practiced during Video Call with Falstaff?
Beginners thrive in Video Call with Falstaff
Our Video Call feature really does help learners with their speaking skills, and the guided speaking practice from Video Call with Falstaff was effective for beginners!
The coaching that Falstaff provides helps learners correctly produce handy phrases that they can use in conversations. When you’re a beginner and the whole language still feels new and overwhelming, building up your ability to say key phrases is an essential step.
Count on Duolingo for research-backed practice at every stage
If you’re just starting your Duolingo journey, Falstaff is ready to help you find your voice—and you can be confident you’re getting the best practice for your language level!