How Duolingo Combines Human Expertise With Powerful AI In Teaching
Are Duolingo’s quirky sentences AI-generated? There’s more to it than that!| Duolingo Blog
On the last day of UX London this year, I was sitting and chatting with Rachel Coldicutt who was going to be giving the closing keynote. Inevitably the topic of converstation worked its way ’round to “AI”. I remember Rachel having a good laugh when I summarised my overall feeling: I kind of wish I could go into suspended animation and be woken up when all this is over and things have settled down one way or another. I still feel that way. Like Gina, I’d welcome a measured approach to ...| Adactio: Journal
The past simple tense often seems straightforward — until pronunciation and irregular forms complicate things. This post simplifies those hurdles, laying out clear rules, meaningful practice ideas, and engaging classroom activities. What is the past simple tense? Use the past simple to describe events that happened once, repeatedly, or at a specified time in the […]| The TEFL Academy
My first book for the #1925Club was Gentlemen Prefer Blondes where Anita Loos makes several sly, satirical references to the journalist, critic and public intellectual H. L. Mencken. He is unmistakably the model for one of her characters and a source of some of the book’s humor. Mencken admired Loos’s wit and he was one of her literary champions. She wrote it…Continue Reading→| Rattlebag and Rhubarb
Each new change in scholarly communication promises to make research fairer, faster, more transparent. Yet, in many cases, researchers, especially from under resourced countries or from countries where English is not the first language, face added pressure to catch up, rather than to move forward. The post The Next Disruption is Listening — In Every Language appeared first on The Scholarly Kitchen.| The Scholarly Kitchen
For decades, EAL researchers have faced systemic disadvantages in publishing. AI writing tools promise relief, yet, they also bring new risks into science. The post Guest Post — From Language Barrier to AI Bias: The Non-Native Speaker’s Dilemma in Scientific Publishing appeared first on The Scholarly Kitchen.| The Scholarly Kitchen
Are Duolingo’s quirky sentences AI-generated? There’s more to it than that!| Duolingo Blog
It’s all about linguistic research, cognitive psychology, and machine learning.| Duolingo Blog
Kneecap has emerged as a pioneer in Irish-language rap, producing caustic political satire with playful, punchy bilingual lyricism. Their tracks inject new life into Gaelige, one of Europe’s oldest languages, challenging sanitized depictions of Irish culture with gritty lived realities of post-Troubles youth. Once marginalized through centuries of colonial suppression, the Irish language is often […]| Northeastern University Political Review
Learning the sounds of your new language takes time... but these practice tips will help learners of any language!| Duolingo Blog
Let’s explore the key distinctions between them, and why you might need one or the other!| Duolingo Blog
What’s the most popular language to study in Argentina? How about Colombia? We looked into data from our learners in Latin America to find out!| Duolingo Blog
Egypt is known for its rich linguistic heritage. Let’s take a look at the top languages spoken in Egypt and how they shape its cultural identity.| Milestone Localization
In my last letter, I shared my thoughts on how a secularist distinction between “ethnicity” (something “of the body”) and “religion” (something “of the mind”) disrupts liturgical kinship in the Syriac Orthodox tradition. Kinship, as I understand it, is the set of relations that makes us who we are. The post On Not Understanding the Words appeared first on Public Orthodoxy.| Public Orthodoxy
Now is the perfect time to save big on Lingoda's popular live online language classes. The post Lingoda’s Summer Sale is the Perfect Chance to Start Learning a New Language appeared first on MyeLearningWorld.| MyeLearningWorld
I had a faculty request for a way to generate target-language audio from a provided script. In this case the language was Russian. I tried it Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude as a normal prompt but all of them failed pretty badly. Listen to Claude’s attempt here. ChatGPT gave up on it. Gemini got completely confused [...]Read More... from Script to Target-Language Audio in Google AI Studio| Bionic Teaching
French has some unique words and phrases that can teach you a lot about French culture. Here are a few of our favorites!| Duolingo Blog
Make your next trip to Paris really shine with these key phrases—they’ll make getting around town and enjoying Parisian restaurants a breeze!| Duolingo Blog
When a child cannot speak or hear, everyday interactions, such as the task of connecting, communicating, and comprehending, become overwhelming. This is where assistive technology (AT) comes to the rescue. The right technologies bridge the gap, providing children with tools to participate in learning, play, and social activities. Continue reading to learn about assistive tech […] The post When Kids Can’t Hear or Speak: Assistive Tech That Makes a Difference appeared first on Teaching Li...| Teaching Littles
Preschool is a window of opportunity when young minds absorb language at an incredible pace. Many parents and educators recognize this stage as the perfect time to introduce bilingual learning, but finding methods that feel natural and enjoyable can be challenging. Early literacy apps are filling the gap, offering tools that blend play with structured […] The post How Early Literacy Apps Can Guide Preschoolers Toward Bilingual Skills appeared first on Teaching Littles.| Teaching Littles
Teachers work hard to create inclusive environments where every child can thrive — and assistive technology in the classroom is helping significantly. Assistive devices of all kinds give students with disabilities better access and participation. From communication aids to adaptive switches, these tools open doors to a more accessible and equitable education. What Types of […] The post A Guide to Assistive Devices for Students With Disabilities appeared first on Teaching Littles.| Teaching Littles
From circling back to boiling the ocean, sometimes jargon just doesn't translate.| Duolingo Blog
What do Japanese speakers *actually* mean when they use these expressions?| Duolingo Blog
Are dialects holding you back? Here’s how to learn, listen, and join the conversation.| Duolingo Blog
Business English can feel like a language all its own! Here are the most common—and most confusing—English idioms you'll hear in the office.| Duolingo Blog
In this podcast episode, I’m joined by Jessica Colleu Terradas and Jon Owen, two international leaders bringing Engelmann’s Direct Instruction to life in Australia and the UK. This marks a milestone in the Direct Instruction Podcast—our first global double feature exploring what high-fidelity DI looks like beyond the United States. Jessica, based in Australia, supports … Continue reading S5E06: Jessica Colleu Terradas & Jon Owen on Direct Instruction Without Borders| Education Rickshaw
In this episode of Progressively Incorrect, I’m joined by Anna Stokke—mathematician, professor, and host of the Chalk & Talk podcast. Anna has become one of the most influential voices calling …| Education Rickshaw
I may be the only person I know born and raised in New Orleans who didn't have the famous New Orleans accent. The post “Your Accent! You Can’t Be from New Orleans!” appeared first on Tweetspeak Poetry.| Tweetspeak Poetry
As scholars of ancient texts well know, the reconstruction of lost sources can be a matter of some controversy. In the ancient Hebrew and less ancient Christian Biblical texts, for example, critics find the remnants of many previous texts, seemingly stitched together by occasionally careless editors. Those source texts exist nowhere in any physical form, complete or […]| Open Culture
Before 1945, the most widely spoken language in Taiwan was Tâi-gí (also known as Taiwanese [台語] or Taiwanese Hokkien). It was used across many of Taiwan’s ethnic communities, especially Taiwan’s ethnic majority population (sometimes referred to as the “Holo” or “Hoklo” population). However, due to almost a century of language repression policies, Tâi-gí use has declined sharply. Over 60 percent of Taiwanese people believe Tâi-gí is at risk of becoming endangered, but onl...| Global Taiwan Institute
This month has been a success, and I actually immersed every day as I said in the previous post. I locked in and averaged at least 1.07h/day of Japanese in ...| extremq.com
In Poland's most recent national census, only ten people recorded themselves as speaking Wymysorys at home.| Notes From Poland
Jawaharlal Nehru's speech on laying the foundation stone of Central Institute of Education, Delhi University, 18 April 1949. Although I have to make preparations for my journey to London, I felt it necessary to be present here on this occasion in view of the importance of the work for which this Institute is meant. Sometimes, doubts assail me whether the type of education or the products of education one sees are really good. In fact sometimes it is definitely bad. That, of course, does not ...| The Nehru Blog
Speech at a Conference of Prabasi Banga Sahitya Sammelan, New Delhi, 14 March 1949.I am glad to be participating in the Bengali Literary Conference. Culture is a thing where there is room for cooperation for everybody and I congratulate the Bengalees for having organized a literary conference to which they have invited representatives of all Indian literatures. This is right and proper, and the most satisfactory way of dealing with problems. In the field of politics clashes are almost inevita...| The Nehru Blog
When I talk about large language models, I make sure to call them large language models, not “AI”. I know it’s a lost battle, but the terminology matters to me. The term “AI” can encompass everything from a series of if/else statements right up to Skynet and HAL 9000. I’ve written about this naming collision before. It’s not just that the term “AI” isn’t useful, it’s so broad as to be actively duplicitous. While talking about one thing—like, say, large language models...| Adactio: Journal
One thing many autistics frequently do is use a conversation style called cooperative overlap. You might call it an enthusiastic (autistic) way of interrupting!| Embrace Autism
Learn about the diverse languages spoken in New Zealand, including English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language, and numerous immigrant languages.| Milestone Localization
Mistakes are necessary for learning, but they can be frustrating, too. Here are the top 5 errors learners make in French and how to avoid them.| Duolingo Blog
French can have a whole sentence of words that sound exactly the same—you've probably seen them on TikTok! Here's why this happens so much in French.| Duolingo Blog
French accent marks let you know exactly how to pronounce the sound—and they tell you a bit of the word’s history, too!| Duolingo Blog
You may have heard of these common phrases in French, but do you know how to use them like a French speaker? Here's how they're really used.| Duolingo Blog
In the Preface to The Drunken Silenus (2020), the first volume of Morgan Meis’s “Three Paintings Trilogy”—which continues with The Fate of the Animals (2022), and culminates in the just published The Grand Valley—Meis tells us why he wrote this first book: “I was working on a style.” The post Working on a Style appeared first on Slant Books.| Slant Books
Football media people are really getting on my nerves.| Five O'Clock Shadow
2015: Living Through Inexorable Change / W. David MARX| Néojaponisme
Discover the languages spoken in Australia and how English, Indigenous, and immigrant languages shape the nation’s rich cultural identity.| Milestone Localization
Today, one misstep in communication can cost you trust, customers, and credibility. Whether you’re navigating the unknowns of AI, political upheaval, or global market shocks, the difference between chaos and clarity comes down to one thing: how you communicate when it matters most. On this episode of HearSay, we talk with Michelle Russo, EVP and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, about “Calming the Chaos.” Michelle has spent her career turning un...| maslansky+partners
Spanish is an official language in more than 20 countries, and their dialects are getting more different every day! Here’s what Spanish might sound like a century from now.| Duolingo Blog
If you're studying Spanish, you can learn a lot from Bad Bunny lyrics! Here's the vocabulary, grammar, and Puerto Rican culture to listen for.| Duolingo Blog
Ever felt something you couldn’t name? Japanese might have a word for it.| Duolingo Blog
When does *café* become *cafecito*? Learn the secrets behind Spanish’s cutest suffix!| Duolingo Blog
Ready to learn in an immersion setting? Not until you’ve read these tips!| Duolingo Blog
Do you know what *day* it is? Today’s the day to learn English calendar vocabulary!| Duolingo Blog
Learn the German alphabet from A to Z. Understand letter sounds, improve your pronunciation, and start speaking German with confidence.| Duolingo Blog
On October 9, 2025, Welthungerhilfe, Concern Worldwide and IFHV will present the latest Global Hunger Index (GHI).| Welthungerhilfe.de - Für eine Welt ohne Hunger und Armut
In this episode, I’m joined by Marcie Samayoa—science teacher, cognitive science enthusiast, and blogger of Scientists in the Making. Marcie shares the origin story behind her innovative classroom blog and explains how it grew out of a desire to make science learning more equitable, evidence-based, and joyful. We dive into some of the most persistent … Continue reading S5E04: Marcie Samayoa on NGSS and Explicit Science Instruction| Education Rickshaw
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. John Mighton — mathematician, playwright, best-selling author, and founder of JUMP Math. John shares his insights into one of the most misunderstood concepts in e…| Education Rickshaw
= We all want to write fast-paced, energy-packed dialogue, but like everything else related to being a novelist, what looks the most effortless from the outside is actually the most challenging. The magic of sizzling dialogue lies in what’s not said—an invisible tension beneath the words. Omission, misdirection, and precision make otherwise mundane conversations come alive. […] The post Best Left Unsaid: Mastering Omission, Misdirection, and Precision in Dialogue appeared first on NINC.| NINC
Figure 1 Agent foundations is the branch of AI alignment that tries to answer: if we were to build a superintelligent system from scratch, what clean, mathematical objective could we give it so that it robustly does what we want, even if we cannot understand the system ourselves? Unlike interpretability (which inspects black-box models) or preference learning (which tries to extract human values), agent foundations is about first principles: designing an agent that’s “aligned by construc...| The Dan MacKinlay stable of variably-well-consider’d enterprises
Figure 1 I’m working on some proposals in AI safety at the moment, including this one. I submitted this particular one to the UK AISI Alignment Project. It was not funded. Note that this post is different than many on this blog. It’s highly speculative and yet not that measured; that’s because it’s a pitch, not an analysis. It doesn’t contain a credible amount of detail (there were only two text fields with a 500 word limit to explain the whole thing) I present it here for comment ...| The Dan MacKinlay stable of variably-well-consider’d enterprises
Wherein a failed application is set forth, and two research pathways are outlined: a Bias‑Robust Oversight programme at UTS’s Human Technology Institute, and MCMC estimation of the Local Learning Coefficient with Timaeus’ Murfet.| The Dan MacKinlay stable of variably-well-consider’d enterprises
This post is an essay by Joel Stein that appeared recently in the New York Times. Here’s a link to the original. It’s purportedly about the issue of how much authors are going to get paid for all the material that artificial intelligence systems are hoovering up from the world’s literature. The answer to this, of … Continue reading Joel Stein: What Should I Get Paid When a Chatbot Eats My Books| David Labaree on Schooling, History, and Writing
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You’re getting ready for your trip to Portugal — maybe a short trip, maybe a big move — and amid all the preparing and planning, there’s that one detail you wish you wouldn’t have to deal with: Do I really have to learn Portuguese? Have to? Technically, no. People live in Portugal without ever getting [...]| Expatsi
There is a famous story amongst Assyriologists. It concerns a man named George Smith, who was working at the British Museum in the mid-nineteenth century but who was by no means someone you’d expect to be working at the British Museum and studying and deciphering cuneiform tablets since he was, in fact, born in working class circumstances in London in 1840, and managed, somehow, to teach himself to read Akkadian and Sumerian, which anyone who has ever looked at a cuneiform tablet will reali...| Slant Books
Sometimes illumination comes to us from a single word. This recently happened to me when I was reading the Gospel of Luke and encountered this verse from the Passion narrative, about Pilate, Barabbas, and Jesus: “And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.” (KJV 23:25) It’s the deadly precision of “will” that makes the sentence disturbing. The post Close Reading the Gospel of Luke—wit...| Slant Books
Ever preached your heart out, only to be met with blank stares, yawns, and that one guy checking his fantasy football score? You might be making one of these five mistakes. Preaching is hard. You’re not alone. I’ve been doing it for over fifteen years and still feel like I... The post 5 Preaching Mistakes Many Pastors Make appeared first on Pro Preacher.| Pro Preacher
I’m delighted to announce the impending arrival of my third etymology book, Useless Etymology: Offbeat Word Origins for Curious Minds, featuring quirky, charming, and humorous word origin sto…| Useless Etymology
Explore the history, alphabet, and modern usage of Pinyin the romanization system that simplifies Chinese learning, pronunciation, and global communication.| Milestone Localization
Every day, in boardrooms, break rooms, and across the internet, people are shaping their own version of your company’s story—whether it’s accurate or not. Here’s the hard truth: If you don’t own your narrative, someone else will. And when that happens, you can lose control—not just of your story, but of your brand, your reputation, and your future. On this episode of HearSay, we dive into a critical question every business leader should be asking: Do you have a corporate narrative...| maslansky+partners
No matter the language, our mouths tend to look for the same pronunciation shortcuts. Here are 5 of the most common sound changes!| Duolingo Blog
Today, Portuguese is spoken in countries around the world, but it got its start centuries ago! Here's how invaders, Goths, and poets shaped the Portuguese language.| Duolingo Blog
Show them how much you care by choosing an English pet name for your *sweetheart*!| Duolingo Blog
Learning English? You'll be *interested* in this *interesting* post about adjectives!| Duolingo Blog
Are you sick of learning irregular forms in your new language? You’re not alone!| Duolingo Blog
German is well known for having surprisingly specific words for many emotions and situations. Here are 7 unique words you won't be able to stop using!| Duolingo Blog
At AFSF 2025, we explored how youth leadership, robust seed systems, and strategic partnerships can transform food systems in fragile contexts and build lasting resilience.| Welthungerhilfe.de - Für eine Welt ohne Hunger und Armut
In this powerful episode, I’m joined by two of the most influential voices in literacy education today—Linda Diamond and Paige Pullen. With decades of experience in education, Linda and Paige bring clarity to the evidence-based education movement and the science of reading in particular. Together, we dive into their framework of three interrelated sciences—Learning Science, … Continue reading S5E02: Linda Diamond & Paige Pullen on Connecting Learning, Literacy, and Instruction| Education Rickshaw
Duolingo makes learning fun and effective, and it's driven by serious science! This is how Duolingo develops engaging courses based on research.| Duolingo Blog
Your favorite video game could be the best way to practice a language! Here's how you can use different kinds of games to boost your language skills.| Duolingo Blog
In Japanese, there are different levels of formality depending on your age and social standing. Here are the rules about politeness in Japanese!| Duolingo Blog
Words go in a different order in German, so it can be confusing for learners! Here are the sentence structure rules you'll need for German.| Duolingo Blog
Should you study multiple languages, and what's the best way to learn them? Here's how you can make the most out of studying two languages at once!| Duolingo Blog
We asked some of our Hispanic and Latinx Duolingo employees about their experiences with Spanish and English, their families, and their identities.| Duolingo Blog
The latest findings on American literacy are troubling, and not just for educators and authors: The number of Americans who read for pleasure has fallen by 40%, according to a new study. Researcher…| M.C. Tuggle, Writer
When you're traveling in the Sudetenland, it helps to know the Czech or German language, specially if you like to eat.| Tweetspeak Poetry
An intriguing followup to Semiosis that weaves several drastically different sentient species (both plant and animal) into a story about factions, community, freedom, communication and war.| Kelson Reviews Stuff
Yes, it's stupid to complain about a song from 2012, about a technology that is mostly obsolete no less, but I heard "Payphone" by Maroon 5 a billion times back then, so here I go!| Enbies are from Earth
What's the magic word? Is it "please"? "Abracadabra"? Wingardium leviosa"? Why are humans drawn to incantations and affirmations?| The Scholarly Kitchen
Tom Wolfe, whose legend began in journalism, takes us on an eye-opening journey that is sure to arouse widespread debate. The Kingdom of Speech is a captivating, paradigm-shifting argument that speech — not evolution — is responsible for humanity’s complex societies and achievements. From Alfred Russel Wallace, the Englishman who beat Darwin to the theory of natural selection but later renounced Read More ›Source| Books – Discovery Institute
There are now 53 English / language pairings covering 16 standard pharmacy label texts (yes, that is 848 separate labels) - all free to use and professionally certified. Please tell your colleagues! The post Translabel revalidated appeared first on RX-Info.| RX-Info
Finally, the habit is formed again! I have been consistently solving my Anki and have reached a balancing point. However, I must advise against what I am do...| extremq.com
All animals have blood hearts Omnia animalia sanguine* corda All animals have blood in their hearts Sanguine is no longer meaty. We have squeezed out the blood. Lobbed off ventricles and arteries to leave just an outline <3 Our animal hearts once bloody / bloodthirsty now tamed to optimism. * Sanguine, adjective 1: marked by eager hopefulness : confidently optimistic 2: bloodred...| Brevity: A Journal of Concise Literary Nonfiction
I know the sweet shape of sugar, tang, and the soft sweep of cat, mao. I know wo e le, I’m hungry; I know wo bu zhi dao, I don’t know. I know wo yao, I want; wei shen me, why; dui bu qi, I’m sorry. Last March, I learned the word ai zheng, cancer. My parents, of course, knew the word already, as native speakers who immigrated to America when they were in their late twenties. My father’s English was decent—he’d come here for grad school on scholarship—but in Chinese he was king. H...| Brevity: A Journal of Concise Literary Nonfiction
Download PDF Abstract Code-switching, a common phenomenon among bilinguals, serves as a strategic tool for effective communication rather than a reflection of linguistic inadequacy. This article examines code-switching among Persian-English bilingual children during storytelling, shedding light on its triggers, cultural implications, and relevance to language education. By leveraging findings from qualitative research, it offers practical strategies for integrating bilingual pedagogies into E...| Contact
Download PDF Fencing The linguistic competition is what I like to refer to as fencing. The first round of fencing commences, and you are speared by the sword of your competitor. That sword is the primary language and the secondary language. In this case, English represents your sword that failed to draw in time. Your opponent wins, and the primary language scores a point. Your secondary language stood no chance, and you had no time to make contact with your opponent. The question is, how do w...| Contact
French is spoken around the world, so it varies a lot depending on the country! Here are some differences in French dialects.| Duolingo Blog
German has many versions of "my," "your," "his," etc. How do you know which one to use? It's all about case! Here's how possessive pronouns work in German.| Duolingo Blog
How can we know what Shakespeare sounded like? These are the different tools that linguists use to understand pronunciations from centuries past.| Duolingo Blog
Duolingo's new Finnish course will help you learn this magical language.| Duolingo Blog
Languages have different ways of making tiny or cute versions of words, like “doggie” or “mommy.” Here’s how languages around the world make words cute!| Duolingo Blog
