Whatever foreign language you’re learning, finishing the whole Duolingo tree is an amazing accomplishment. However, you may find yourself wondering what’s next.
If you would like to continue your progression and keep language learning after Duolingo, it involves getting a bit creative with your learning process and tailoring it to line up with your ambitions.
But what to do after Duolingo? In this article, we will tell you the ways to improve your vocabulary skills, speaking skills, listening skills, grammar skills, and language skills.
Below you’ll find some ideas you can put into action to improve your vocabulary, grammar skills, and reading so you can keep moving towards the ultimate language goal – fluency!
Improving Your Vocabulary After Duolingo
Completing a Duolingo tree (see also ‘How To Use Duolingo?‘) gives you a great foundation for popular expressions and keywords.
Still, if you’ve tried to read an article or watch a TV show or movie in the language you’re learning, you may notice there are still a lot of holes in your vocabulary.
If you would like to effortlessly speak, read, and write in the language of your choice like a native speaker, you need to work to plug these gaps in your vocabulary.
You can use other apps to broaden your vocabulary, but the best apps to use are the ones that have spaced repetition, such as Clozemaster, Duolingo, Memrise, and Quizlet.
These apps use spaced repetition algorithms to select the ideal moment to reintroduce an item that you’ve learned previously.
Improving Your Grammar Skills After Duolingo
Although many Duolingo courses (see also ‘How To Remove Course From Duolingo‘) have a wide range of relevant grammar topics, they don’t actually teach you grammar in a detailed way other than in the small Tips & Notes section.
These notes are normally enough to get a handle on the simplest concepts and an idea of the more complex grammar.
But if you really want to understand the grammar of your chosen language, you’ll have to research the grammar independently.
So let’s take a look at a couple of activities you can do to improve your grammar skills once you’ve finished the Duolingo tree.
Write In A Grammar Journal
Grammar is one of the trickiest aspects of learning a target language. But with the right research, you can organize it into a variety of clear topics that make learning more manageable.
Keeping a grammar journal can definitely help you keep track of this. In your journal, you can dissect all types of grammar topics and make sense of them.
Start by making a list of basic grammar topics that you’d like to learn. You may be able to think of a few topics off the top of your head, such as pronouns, tenses, and articles.
You can google the rest or even use Duolingo. A grammar textbook can also come in handy.
This list provides a foundation for your grammar journal. This doesn’t have to be a physical journal, it can simply be a note in your notes app on your phone, or a Word document or Google Doc on your PC.
For Example, if you want to learn Spanish you have to watch Spanish videos and note them in a document.
Take time to research different grammar topics one by one and familiarize yourself with their definitions. Search for good sources and take note of them in your journal.
You can supplement your notes with examples, tables, and anything else that can help you visualize and understand the topic.
It’s helpful to envision yourself teaching the topic of most language learners because you are more likely to keep your notes concise and clear. Simplification is key!
Covering each and every area of grammar isn’t necessary. If you find a much-discussed topic that isn’t challenging to you, you can pass this and move on to something more challenging.
This also applies to aspects of grammar that you wouldn’t use much, such as old-fashioned structures, or those that are only used in a very formal context.
Make sure to regularly return to your notes, as you will be able to see yourself making progress with the native language and native speakers.
You can also return to your notes to add new things to your journal, and this will create the building blocks to fluency.
Adding grammar flashcards also helps to create a spaced repetition system. After all, flashcards are not just great for vocabulary!
If you’re having some difficulty remembering the grammar rules, you can turn it into a flashcard.
This can take the form of a question, and give a pretty detailed explanation as the answer. After reviewing it a few times, it’s certain to stick!
Improving Your Reading Skills After Duolingo
If you really want to be immersed in spoken language, you can’t go wrong with reading.
Reading in your new language can get you familiar with popular patterns in grammar, teach you how to write vocabulary in different contexts, and even help you with writing.
Duolingo courses may teach you how to read a language in very simple terms. However, reading hundreds and hundreds of short and unconnected sentences doesn’t really emulate everyday reading.
This is why it’s important to create your own reading practices. The most difficult aspect of this is deciding what exactly you should read.
However, we believe it’s best to start with books that are adapted for those learning the language, books you’ve already read in your first language, short stories, and comics.
Final Thoughts
We hope the practices and activities you can undertake are helpful in developing your skills after you’ve completed a Duolingo course (see also ‘How To Reset Progress On Duolingo‘).
All of them are helpful, but if you’re overwhelmed by the choices, select the few that you believe will come the most natural and suit your style of learning.
Plus, there is no right or wrong way to undertake these activities, you can adjust them to suit you.
Ultimately, how successful you are in becoming fluent in your new language will mainly depend on how often you practice and how consistent you are.
Once you create an effective learning plan, it’s important to stay focused on your goal and motivated.
If you are struggling with motivation, review your learning strategy and see if you can make it more fun. After all, there is no point sticking to activities that you don’t like and are not fun as you are less likely to learn.
There is no right way to learn a language, and keeping your mind open to new techniques is a great way to ensure you hit your language goals.
