LeZu

The challenge

Challenge: Expats in the Netherlands fail to learn Dutch *at this stage, I focus on Dutch learners* “Ik spreek geen Nederlands” tends to be the only sentence that many expats in the Netherlands learn over the many years when they work here. There are a few reasons for the this phenomenon. “You don’t need Dutch in Holland, everyone speaks English”, many Dutchies as well as other expats tell the newcomers. This is the reason why that those who do try to learn Dutch still have hard time practicing the language because “people just switch to English”. Another reason why they do not learn enough Dutch to confidently use the language is their language learning methods. Although the phrases and sentences learnt on Duolingo provide with basic vocabulary, the knowledge gained through the app is not enough to be able to integrate in the Dutch society. Nevertheless, the success of this app shows that the gamification of the language learning process makes it easier for the users to keep being motivated and actively use the app. Another challenge that language learners have is feeling shy and not confident enough to practice and speak their target language in various social contexts. Therefore, they abstain from doing so.

The solution

My solution to the challenge of expats to learn Dutch is “LeZu”, an innovative language learning app. Second language learners need to develop two types of skills in language: receptive and productive. LeZu imitates the experience of a child learning their native language for an adult second language learner. First, the user focuses on their receptive skills (reading, listening) which help the individual get a general understanding of the logic behind the language. At this stage, they do not produce the language, but focus on building vocabulary as well the understanding of sentences. Therefore, a LeZu user does not translate their thoughts from their native language or English into Dutch, but rather builds up Dutch skills from scratch, imitating a child learning a language. How? LeZu users play with Augmented Reality to interact with the environment. The user points at an item in their surrounding, and the word in Dutch for that item appears. The user continues the interaction by seeing how the word is used in a sentence. Just like a child pointing at an item to their parent who explains the word and teaches the meaning to them. Thus, gamification and interaction are key in language learning. The user also gets to read and listen to narratives to understand the cultural intricacies of the target language. Once the user gets to a certain level of interaction, they unlock the possibility to practice productive skills (speaking and writing). The user speaks to AR generated person in a social setting, for instance, a grocery store or someone asking them for directions. LeZu provides a safe environment for its users to make mistakes and learn from them. It also gives an opportunity to practice the language without the worry to be judged.