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ABSTRACT
Vocabulary can be considered as the foundation to develop overall target language proficiency. Having a rich vocabulary would mean better performance in the four language skills. However, general in-class activities are insufficient for effective vocabulary acquisition to occur. Limited vocabulary learned through in-class activities might halt the occurrence of effective language learning. With that in mind, this study aims to explore the use of Duolingo in acquiring vocabulary of French language. For this purpose, 21 students from Basic French 1 class in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia volunteered to use this app for 8 weeks. 3 instruments were used in collecting data: online interviews, tests and observations. The online interview was used to elicit the students' perception towards the app, whereas the tests were administered thrice to measure their performances in vocabulary acquisition. Observations were also carried out thrice to monitor their learning process. The findings reported that the students had positive perceptions towards Duolingo. They claimed it to be user-friendly, convenient, and entertaining. The tests results showed an improvement in terms of French vocabulary acquisition and it was found that Duolingo used multiple ways in presenting and teaching French vocabulary. This study showed that Duolingo can be used in building and developing French vocabulary outside the classroom walls. It is also beneficial in complementing French language classes to help students build their confidence in using the language. Further studies are also needed to investigate the usage of Duolingo in learning different aspects of language such as grammar or communication amongst learners of French in Malaysia.
Keywords: Duolingo; French as a Foreign Language; Vocabulary; Language Learning; Effective
INTRODUCTION
As the interest in foreign language learning grows, many nations across the globe have taken the action of encouraging its society to take on new languages. Malaysia, as a well-diversified country is also no exception (Zubairi and Sarudin, 2009). In Malaysia many learning institutions are offering foreign language courses. With these language classes, students have the opportunity to learn foreign languages in a formal classroom environment with the guidance of professional language teachers. This way, students would be able to equip themselves with an additional language upon their graduation. In learning a language, vocabulary can be considered as a solid bedrock to build the overall target language...