Academic research into the efficacy of EdTech company Busuu’s digital language learning demonstrates the improvements learners can make when combining its self-paced app and Live Lessons with online teachers

• Study participants saw significant improvements in both reading, grammar comprehension and speaking abilities after two months of Busuu
• 100% of beginners and 82% of intermediate learners using Busuu improved their language skills
• Participants improved four times faster than the average US college semester of study

The EdTech study, led by Dr Roumen Vesselinov at the University of Maryland, examed the progress of 113 randomly selected learners who committed to studying with just Busuu for a two-month period. Participants included both beginner and intermediate level learners of Spanish, who used a combination of Busuu’s app and Live Lessons for a minimum of two hours per week. They were assessed both before and after the study period to measure improvements to their language proficiency. 

Compared with the average college semester in the US, participants demonstrated improvements in their language skills in a significantly shorter period of time (28-76 hours on average, depending on their initial placement). 

Other key results from the EdTech study include:

• 100% of beginners improved on at least one speaking or reading test.

• 82% of intermediate learners (n = 74) improved on at least one speaking or reading test.

• 77% of beginners (n = 39) improved more than one semester on their WebCAPE placement.

• Beginners took an average of 28 hours to move up out of their current speaking level. 

• Intermediate learners took an average of 76 hours to move up out of their current speaking level.

Commenting on the study’s findings, Busuu’s Chief Learning Officer, Kirsten Campbell-Howes said:

“Needless to say, we’re incredibly proud of the results of this efficacy study. We’re proud to offer a superior method of learning a language that reflects the way the world learns today. We believe that the combination of Busuu’s self-paced courses, our community, and access to online teachers, all powered by AI, are the key ingredients to providing the best way to learn a language…”

The full published study can be found here: http://comparelanguageapps.com/documentation/Busuu_Efficacy_Study_2021.pdf 

About Busuu

Busuu’s vision is to inspire the world to learn together. We are the world’s largest online community for language learning, with more than 100 million users. With human interaction and courses created by experts, all powered by AI, Busuu offers the best way to learn a language.

Busuu was co-founded in 2008 by Adrian Hilti and Bernhard Niesner, who both shared a passion for languages and were frustrated by traditional methods of language learning. Today, Busuu is one of the top 50 EdTech companies in the world, and has won numerous awards for its innovation and impact in language learning.