STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS TOWARD THE USE OF DUOLINGO FOR LEARNING ENGLISH PHONOLOGY

Abstrak

English phonology constitutes a fundamental component of language acquisition, encompassing the ability to recognize, produce, and differentiate sounds within the English language system. Despite its significance, learners frequently encounter challenges related to pronunciation accuracy, stress placement, and phonemic discrimination. In response to these challenges, mobile learning applications have emerged as promising supplementary tools in contemporary language education, with Duolingo representing one of the most widely adopted platforms globally. This study examines university students' perceptions of Duolingo as a medium for learning English phonology. A quantitative descriptive research design was employed, involving 20 students enrolled in the English Education Study Program who had prior experience using the application. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire comprising 10 items measured on a five-point Likert scale and subsequently analyzed using descriptive statistics, encompassing frequency distribution, percentage, and mean score calculations. The results indicate that students held predominantly positive perceptions regarding the application's contribution to their phonological development. Participants reported that Duolingo effectively supported pronunciation improvement, enhanced learning motivation, and offered flexible, self-directed learning opportunities. The application was further perceived as both accessible and engaging, fostering autonomous learning habits among its users. These findings suggest that Duolingo serves as a viable and beneficial mobile learning tool for supporting English phonology instruction at the tertiary level.