THE USE OF THE DUOLINGO APPLICATION TO IMPROVE WRITING SKILLS FOR SECOND GRADE AT SMP NEGERI 5 PALOPO

The objective of this research was to determine whether Duolingo could influence the writing skills of Grade II students at SMP Negeri 5 Palopo. This research employed an experimental design. The population consisted of all students of second grade, and a sample of 30 students was selected for the study. The researcher used a test as the data collection instrument, and the data were analyzed using SPSS.
The findings revealed that (1) the use of Duolingo had a simultaneous effect on students’ vocabulary mastery and writing skills; (2) students who learned using the Duolingo application demonstrated better vocabulary mastery compared to those who learned through conventional media; and (3) students who learned using the Duolingo application showed better writing competence than those who used
conventional media. Thus, it can be concluded that the Duolingo application enables students to acquire and master new vocabulary, thereby improving their writing competence and motivating them to learn English in an enjoyable way.

Kata Kunci : Duolingo Applicatiom, Writing Skills, English Writing