Duolingo’s Learning Scientist Dr. Cindy Blanco On The Importance Of Learning A Foreign Language, Her Interest In Linguistics & More

Studies have shown there are many more benefits to learning a second language outside of ordering a “Bier” at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich or a “cappuccino” while people watching at the Piazza Navona in Rome. Learning a new language changes your brain and switching between 2 languages may give your brain a special kind of cognitive practice to strengthen your attention and control skills. And bilingual adults have even shown a delayed onset of dementia compared to monolinguals, because their brains are better able to resist the disease and function healthier and at a higher level for longer.

Furthermore, language learning connects you with new people and cultures, and technology makes it easy for older adults to participate in language exchanges with people from around the world. And we know that more varied social networks — interacting regularly with more people — has benefits for one’s health and quality of life. Yet learning a new language doesn’t have to take more than 10 minutes a day, about the same amount of time it takes to find something to watch on Netflix or scan through your Twitter feed. So whether you are planning a trip abroad, want exercise your brain and/or seeking to learn your new home’s language, Duolingo is a free tool to help you meet your goal(s).

Cindy Blanco, Ph.D. is a Senior Learning Scientist at Duolingo, where she works to improve teaching efficacy. She collaborates with machine learning engineers, software engineers, designers, and product managers to develop new ways to teach languages through technology. Dr. Blanco has worked on Duolingo features for speaking, grammar, reading and writing. She also conducts research with the largest data set ever amassed on how people learn languages. I spoke with Dr. Blanco on August 26, 2021 via Zoom, as embedded below. More on Duolingo can be found here, here and here.

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Tags: Apps, Cindy Blanco, Dr. Cindy Blanco, Duolingo, Languages, Linguistics

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."