Aloha Everyone,
Duolingo claims to have more than 300 million users worldwide. The app is free with option to pay for upgrades. At present, 37 languages are taught via Duolingo. Some languages such as Spanish, French, Italian, German, etc. have well organized lesson plans including pronunciation keys, grammar and vocabulary, emphasizing on core skills of reading and speaking.
Duolingo’s promotional slogan is to spend 15 minutes a day. I have so far signed on for 12 languages. Most mornings, I begin my day reading short stories in Spanish and French. Depending on one’s reading level, you receive 28 XP (experience point) per completed story.
On two previous occasions, I finished at 3rd place and received 1,000 gems which can be use to fill your “heart”. The weekly competition keeps some of us motivated. For some unknown reason, this week I saw no competition. Therefore without putting much effort on my part, I pretty much maintained my top slot. I received 1,500 gems for finishing at #1, plus 250 additional gems for meeting two other criteria. 1,750 gems equals 4 full hearts refills.
Aloha -- Cathi