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I am creating a language learning app and am interested in sources/publications which offer statistics on retention rate of languages over time.

For example, I have data that my product taught students "basic introductions" in an hour. What can I compare this to?

The demographic is 12 - 18 year old students, but I am open to any statistics on this.

Something similar to how Rosetta Stone and Duolingo are able to quantify that their products achieve the same retention as "a semester of college".

I've found articles, such as this, that provide some details. But I am unsure of their credibility: http://www.languagesurfer.com/2014/08/12/how-many-vocabulary-words-a-day-should-you-learn/

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  • This is too broad. Are you asking about vocabulary, grammar, phrases. What is your app anyway?
    – Andrew Ravus
    Commented Apr 10, 2016 at 11:35
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because is better suited to the language learning stackexchange (currently in private beta)
    – Sir Cornflakes
    Commented Apr 11, 2016 at 15:43
  • @jknappen I wasn't able to find that SE so I posted at the closest one I could find
    – user3871
    Commented Apr 11, 2016 at 16:02
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    @jknappen it may be better suited, but it's not off-topic here. Linguistic subfields are on-topic, and the list on meta linked to in the on-topic guidelines include "Language acquisition, Language assessment, Language development, Language education". Additionally, "papers/articles on a given topic" are on-topic. The question could be tightened up a bit for better responses, but off-topic it's not.
    – user0721090601
    Commented Apr 11, 2016 at 22:48
  • The development of language-learning software is not a topic in linguistics proper.
    – James Grossmann
    Commented Apr 18, 2016 at 16:48

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ACTFL has a detailed list of language learning goals/outcomes and offers a comparative scale of achievement in relation to classroom hours. They correlate various levels of language skill comparing scales used in the US and Europe so that all concerned can interpret what a score on a competency test is worth compared to commonly used certificates, eg A a Level, B Level etc.

I realize this isn't exactly what you're looking for. I'm not a programmer, but I'm wondering if you're hoping for a very valuable set of learner data probably no one would give you for free. The data isn't my area, but I know language acquisition and curriculum for that age group... And I'm doubting you will find this easily.

I think this is a difficult problem to approach without deep knowledge of the target language, instructional experience with that learner population, with that native language, with that target language and with that content in that part of the instructional sequence using that method for that duration of time... etc.

If you aren't a teacher or are not partnering with one, this might help.

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  • This was quite helpful - sorry for late reply. I've recently gone through the ACTFL standards, and read through the World Readiness Standards (WRS) document, along with the WRS for Chinese and Spanish specifically. Rosetta Stone seems to adhere to 6 standards (rosettastone.com/k12/education-standards), foreign and domestic. If I'm building an app focused first on domestic US audience, should I still understand foreign standards like Common Euro Framework of Reference? Also, I wasn't able to find the ACTFL relation to classroom hours. Do you have that list handy?
    – user3871
    Commented Jan 13, 2017 at 8:00

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