The Use of Duolingo App on Students’ Speaking Fluency

Abstract

Abstrak—Penelitian ini mengkaji pengaruh penggunaan aplikasi Duolingo terhadap peningkatan kefasihan berbicara siswa kelas VIII SMP Plus Al-Hidayah Tuban dengan menggunakan desain Classroom Action Research (CAR) tiga siklus yang melibatkan tahap perencanaan, tindakan, observasi, dan refleksi untuk meningkatkan performa lisan. Sebanyak dua puluh delapan siswa berpartisipasi, dan data dikumpulkan melalui tes berbicara lisan, angket motivasi, observasi kelas, serta wawancara untuk menangkap perkembangan linguistik maupun respon afektif. Tes berbicara mengukur jumlah kata per menit, panjang jeda, dan kelancaran oral, sementara angket mengeksplorasi motivasi serta sikap terhadap pembelajaran berbasis gamifikasi. Observasi memberikan gambaran keterlibatan siswa di kelas, dan wawancara mengungkap refleksi siswa atas pengalaman mereka. Temuan menunjukkan adanya peningkatan signifikan pada kecepatan berbicara, pengurangan jeda panjang, serta kelancaran penyampaian lisan di setiap siklus. Hal ini mengindikasikan bahwa latihan interaktif dan fitur gamifikasi Duolingo seperti poin, lencana, dan leaderboard mampu menumbuhkan motivasi serta praktik berkelanjutan. Umpan balik otomatis mendukung koreksi diri, sementara refleksi guru memastikan penyesuaian instruksional terhadap tantangan yang muncul. Faktor pendukung meliputi aksesibilitas Duolingo, integrasinya dalam praktik kelas, serta kebaruan pembelajaran berbasis teknologi yang secara kolektif meningkatkan kepercayaan diri dan partisipasi. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa Duolingo efektif meningkatkan kefasihan berbicara dengan menggabungkan pelatihan linguistik dan penguatan motivasional, serta menyarankan bahwa aplikasi berbasis gamifikasi dapat menjadi alat yang kuat dalam kelas bahasa bila dipadukan dengan praktik reflektif guru.

Kata Kunci—Duolingo, Kelancaran berbicara, Penelitian tindakan kelas, Gamifikasi

Abstract—This study investigates the effect of the Duolingo application on improving speaking fluency of eighth-grade students at SMP Plus Al-Hidayah Tuban by employing a three-cycle Classroom Action Research (CAR) design that involved planning, acting, observing, and reflecting to enhance oral performance. Twenty-eight students participated, and data were collected through oral speaking tests, motivation questionnaires, classroom observations, and interviews to capture both linguistic progress and affective responses. The speaking tests measured words per minute, pause length, and oral flow, while questionnaires explored motivation and attitudes toward gamification-based learning. Observations provided insights into classroom engagement, and interviews revealed students’ reflections on their experiences. Findings demonstrated significant improvements in speech rate, reduction of long pauses, and smoother oral delivery across cycles, indicating that Duolingo’s interactive exercises and gamification features such as points, badges, and leaderboards fostered motivation and sustained practice. Automated feedback supported self-correction, while teacher reflection ensured that instructional adjustments addressed emerging challenges. Supporting factors included the accessibility of Duolingo, its integration into classroom practice, and the novelty of technology-enhanced learning, which collectively boosted confidence and participation. The study concludes that Duolingo effectively enhances speaking fluency by combining linguistic training with motivational reinforcement, suggesting that gamification-based applications can serve as powerful tools in language classrooms when paired with reflective teaching practices.

Keywords—Duolingo, Speaking fluency, Classroom Action Research, Gamification.