Example

An Example of a Social Learning Group for Language Learning

The first Social Learning Group was formed in Canada to support online study by English speakers learning the French language. All members of the group came from a pre-existing French conversation group.

Online learning of languages works well with beginner to intermediate learners. French conversation groups work best for intermediate to advanced learners. Together they can provide comprehensive language learning from beginner to advanced.

Several options for online learning platforms were suggested to the group. Members wanted to study using the same platform and selected Duolingo since it was the most accessible, being free to use.

The group met once a week for two hours in the classroom of a local Literacy Council. Members brought their own laptop, phone, or tablet computer to use for online learning. Some members who started on a phone or tablet switched to a laptop and one member bought a laptop so that all members ended up using laptops.

An inexpensive router was connected to the Literacy Council network to create a separate Wi-Fi network for the group without needing to share the Literacy Council's Wi-Fi password with group members. This router was switched on for meetings and switched off after.

The initial group had about a dozen members. Five or six members continued with the group for the three months that it operated. Four years later, two of them were still using Duolingo every day and were on a learning streak of more than one thousand days continuous learning. Neither of them had any prior experience with online learning before joining the Social Learning Group.