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The Hidden Cost of Cheap & Easy Language Learning
We've never had it so good, have we? Language instruction is easily available these days through apps, social media, and teaching platforms. And it's so affordable ...if not entirely free!
Sounds great, right?
Well, just like every other big global industry "disruption", things aren't so simple with this one either.
In today's podcast episode, we bring you a deep dive into that Boston Review article called "Who Pays for Cheap Language Instruction?"
We discuss:
"We have put up with “products” inspired less by linguistic justice than by game design.
We have acquiesced to corporate cognitive-science experiments that harvest and mold our habits as data
When it comes to acquiring languages, we have learned to ignore our agency, our sense of ethics and social justice, even as we have flexed these same faculties to support a bookstore or a clothing company.
Simply put, we have consented to being the consumers that the language industry wants us to be.
Where do you listen?
Take a photo of where you're listening to the Fluent Show and share it on social media to say hello! Here's where you can tag me:
Love the show? Rate & Review it here
Links:
- Ending & honoring our volunteer Contributor program — A listener supplied this article to show that Duolingo no longer has volunteer course creators. Thanks!
- My Bonuses for Lindsay Williams' Online Teaching Starter Kit — Aspiring language teachers: Navigate the online teaching world in the best possible way with Lindsay's Online Teaching Starter Kit and click here to secure my Bonus Pack while you're at it!
- Duolingo Events — Make up your own mind about this one 😞(while they take 20%)
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By Kerstin Cable
4.5
137137 ratings
We've never had it so good, have we? Language instruction is easily available these days through apps, social media, and teaching platforms. And it's so affordable ...if not entirely free!
Sounds great, right?
Well, just like every other big global industry "disruption", things aren't so simple with this one either.
In today's podcast episode, we bring you a deep dive into that Boston Review article called "Who Pays for Cheap Language Instruction?"
We discuss:
"We have put up with “products” inspired less by linguistic justice than by game design.
We have acquiesced to corporate cognitive-science experiments that harvest and mold our habits as data
When it comes to acquiring languages, we have learned to ignore our agency, our sense of ethics and social justice, even as we have flexed these same faculties to support a bookstore or a clothing company.
Simply put, we have consented to being the consumers that the language industry wants us to be.
Where do you listen?
Take a photo of where you're listening to the Fluent Show and share it on social media to say hello! Here's where you can tag me:
Love the show? Rate & Review it here
Links:
- Ending & honoring our volunteer Contributor program — A listener supplied this article to show that Duolingo no longer has volunteer course creators. Thanks!
- My Bonuses for Lindsay Williams' Online Teaching Starter Kit — Aspiring language teachers: Navigate the online teaching world in the best possible way with Lindsay's Online Teaching Starter Kit and click here to secure my Bonus Pack while you're at it!
- Duolingo Events — Make up your own mind about this one 😞(while they take 20%)
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