Blog Post Disclaimer: I have mixed feelings about posting this blog as the article I found in my Google Alerts was an interesting read! After reading the article discussed below, I decided to search online for supporting materials that could supplement the information provided. I had hoped to find the actual app that is discussed so I could use some screen shots to give readers an example of what the app looked like that is described. However, I found that while this particular article was written February 25, 2020 but other online sources show similar articles to this one dating 2017 (example: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/news/view/babbel-and-cambridge-english-set-the-pace-in-online-language-assessment/). Nevertheless, I found the concept of the described app to be interesting and an important share.
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With the rise of educational apps, especially those that teach languages, I often wonder what people hope to accomplish through using these apps? Honestly, while these apps are good supplementary materials, do these apps truly teach languages and its usage? Or do these apps simply appease one’s desire to say they “speak” another language? Finally, what proof does someone have that they now “speak” a language besides a fictitious trophy from an app or a score showing proficiency?
What do Babbel (the highest grossing mobile language app, according to Tanya Singh, Mobileappdaily.com’s Editor-in-Chief) and Cambridge University have in common? And how do these organizations work together to answer my questions? Both are teaming up to launch a digitized, online English language certification app. Our EL students are accustomed to taking part in the WIDA testing process yearly which quantifies English language skills. Users from this Cambridge/ Babbel app will have the ability to do the same. With this app, aimed primarily for EL adults, learners will be able to take a reading and listening comprehension test to certify their English language skills after a three- month course through Babbel. Tested skills, according to the article, include: English vocabulary, fluency and grammar.
With the creation of this app, Cambridge University hopes to expand its market to reach more people who desire to seek certification in their English language skills and Babbel hopes to capitalize on the already highly profitable English language learning market. The article quotes Saul Nassé, Cambridge English Chief Executive, who says, “"Babbel captures the adult self-motivated learners, which is a big part of the learning landscape. We haven't found a way of reaching them before. So we will get to them with this."
This venture not only will yield profit for the mentioned companies but will also give validation to online language learning app system. Users will no longer work towards fictitious trophies, but rather, will now earn marketable certificates that can be used to further professional careers.
As a professional working with ELs, this app could be suggested to families as a way to further language skills and encourage English learning within the homes.
In conclusion, while this article is a bit dated as it is originally from 2017, maybe this collaboration will motivate other language learning apps to follow suite and create their own language learning test certifications? Will a new online social platform be created to highlight language skills, as a result? If so, where do I sign up!? I love language learning and would feel more motivated to seek fluency in another language if it meant earning a certification to show off my skills 😀😉
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I, too, stumbled upon this article within my alerts. I think that it's such a great idea to provide such a service (and certificate) to adult ELs in order to increase their marketability and/or to show their efforts toward acclimation. In addition, this course would greatly benefit our ELD students if their parents would participate in the program in order to reinforce their children's second language learning at home.
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