Fun activities and gamification may not be worth costly subscription service

Submitted 10 years ago

Community Review for Babbel

Caitlin M.
Caitlin M.
Shorecrest Preparatory School
Saint Petersburg FL, US
My Rating
Pedagogy
Supports

My Take

Babbel makes it easy to get started, placing users in a recommended course based on an initial placement test. Activities incorporate a varied combination of images, sounds, and visuals - repetition of new concepts is important. Earning points by completing activities adds a gamification element - but all of this is only free for the first lesson in each language. A monthly subscription with a year commitment is $6.95/month or over $80 a year. With every student needing a subscription, the cost would add up quickly. I would recommend teachers try the product and if they really like the content, pay for a subscription for themselves and use the content in whole group instruction as a class.

How I Use It

The activities were engaging, using images, sounds, and visuals. There was quite a bit of repetition, but mainly to introduce new concepts. The placement test did not seem accurate - it seemed to underestimate skill level and placed users at lower skill levels. The lessons were interesting, and it was fun to earn points for work - but use of the resource was limited to one lesson. The website was simple, but a bit confusing - younger students may not know where to click and may lose time searching.

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Mike S.
Mike S. Teacher Southwest High School Jacksonville, NC
January 23, 2019

It is easy to navigate and tends to be user friendly.

The bite -size lessons work well for students who may not have a lot of time for additional assignments. Also, the fact that it is portable and can be used on the go with the Smart Phones, is a definite plus.
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Adrienne D.
Adrienne D. Owner/Director Miami, FL
February 19, 2016

Great Assistant in Preschool Classroom for English Language Learners

In my overall opinion I found this product as a great benefit to my students, my class, and my teaching ability. It helped form me as a teacher and helped me develop a skill I never knew I had. I used Babble to better the educational experience for one student and affected the lives of a class of 15 preschoolers. It’s amazing what technology can do! This one application connected a classroom of different nationalities, colors, and creeds together and helped formed an everlasting bond. I liked that it was free and it lived up to my expectations and so I paid to continue the service and even used it for homework for the parents to use at home on the weekends. This application was the start of my technology journey and I am happy I was able to use it and affect so many minds.
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