The Duolingo English Test: Design, Validity, and Value

Abstract

Colleges, universities, and secondary schools around the world are using the Duolingo English Test (DET) as a new way to assess English language proficiency. The DET offers many advantages to admissions offices and applicants: on-demand accessibility, low cost, remote test proctoring, and rapid score reporting, as well as an integrated video interview and writing sample. The DET also looks and functions differently from other proficiency tests, which raises an obvious question. If DET item types and administration differ from those used on other large scale tests like the TOEFL® or IELTS®, can DET test scores be used in the same way as the scores from those instruments?