P. Ezra Vasquez's Blog

Duolingo seems to be evolving into a monolithic entity in the language-learning market. Now, the CEO is positioning the company to challenge ETS as a techier alternative to English-language testing exams such as the TOEFL or IELTS:

Duolingo English Test, a computer-adaptive language proficiency exam, is gaining momentum as a way to measure the language skills of prospective international students applying to U.S. colleges and universities.

Luis von Ahn, CEO and co-founder of Duolingo, a language learning platform, says English tests should test English and “not a candidate’s geography or finances.” He says the DET costs 80% less than other tests – $59 – and the company makes AI-driven security investments to allow the test to be taken anywhere.

“It’s the only way to ensure that anyone, regardless of where they are in the world, can demonstrate their ability and access the best education in the world,” von Ahn says.

Duolingo English Test and U.S. College Admissions | Best Global Universities | U.S. News

As someone who works in the ESL industry and uses the app for personal daily use, I scoffed when I read that some colleges had begun accepting a Duolingo English-proficiency test. My experience with language assessments has soured my view of even the most rigorous tests. So, the notion that Duolingo could give a reliable assessment struck me as another avenue for unqualified students to inflate their English abilities to gain a foothold in elite colleges, which seek to profit from additional foreign enrollments.

However, the report indicates the exam will include features that exist on the TOEFL iBT and IELTS such as dynamic question selection and even a recorded interview:

Rather than long reading and writing prompts, Duolingo has short questions that measure the same skills. Some of the question types include filling in blank words in a passage, differentiating between real and fake English words and describing an image aloud or in writing, says Jennifer Dewar, head of strategic engagement for the Duolingo English Test.

The test also has an ungraded portion that consists of a video interview and writing sample. Exam results include an overall proficiency score on a 160-point scale and subscores of integrated skills, von Ahn says. Results are ready within two days and can be sent immediately to an unlimited number of schools at no additional cost.

“I was able to receive my results within two days and send them for free to my universities, unlike TOEFL and IELTS,” Zhu says.

Duolingo English Test and U.S. College Admissions | Best Global Universities | U.S. News (usnews.com)

In the current state of technology, without a physical testing center to monitor test takers, it’s hard to see how to prevent test-takers from having someone else take the test for them, but face-recognition software could address that problem.

In addition, I attended a session at the last JALT conference where educators demonstrated how chatbots can be trained to conduct interviews. As a technology company that teaches languages, Duolingo could be especially well-oriented to adapt its test to incorporate AI to fill gaps that ETS and other more traditional testing companies may struggle to implement.

The field of language assessment should be interesting in the coming years.