Lingokids, a curriculum-based English learning app for children between two and eight years old, has partnered with the Dream Centres in India, an educational institution that offers, quality, affordable education to underprivileged children. Featuring content from the Oxford University Press, Lingokids is present in more than 190 countries and has over 20 million subscribers worldwide.
There has been a dramatic impact on education by COVID-19, given that millions of students (90% of total students worldwide) have been forced to study from home due to school closures. Technology and education have merged even more than before the pandemic due to worldwide stay at home mandates, but only a handful of private schools have been able to adopt online teaching methods. The low-income private and government school counterparts, on the other hand, have completely shut down, as they lack access to e-learning solutions.
According to UNESCO, 1.9 billion learners in 150 countries, particularly students in pre-primary to upper-secondary courses (over 830 million), have been affected. This has forced parents, teachers, and students to use and adapt to e-learning tools. Centuries-old teaching models are now driven by technology and there is an urgent need to tackle the digital divide with inclusive learning solutions, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized groups. Lingokids has collaborated with NGOs and foundations around the world and has donated over 30,000 licenses of the app to schools and NGOs to help address the digital divide. In India, Lingokids has donated over 600 licenses to the Dream Centres schools, enabling students to continue their learning during the lockdown.
Commenting on this initiative, Cristobal Viedma, Founder and CEO of Lingokids, explains, “The pandemic has changed the future of education and this new normal is here to stay. We need to adapt and ensure that these challenges are turned into opportunities and that we leverage technology to make education more accessible and inclusive for all. E–learning will be able to democratize and personalize education for every student at the same level, thereby eliminating the digital gap. Our association with the Dream Centres is an effort to contribute to the cause of education and to work towards a world of equal opportunity for everyone.”
Naomi Hendricks Co-founder of the Dream Centres said, “Lingokids has been an invaluable APP that has enabled us to leverage technology, making early learning fun and accessible to the hundreds of marginalized children we serve. During this Pandemic, we have pivoted our children to digital learning by the licenses that have been so generously given by Lingokids. We live and learn in community, this has, therefore, enabled many siblings and neighbors of our children, to also enjoy digital learning via a single license. ‘One by Two’ has been adapted to ‘One by Four.’ Education is a tool that lifts people out of poverty and digital equality is an important factor in building a more equitable world for the next generation.”
Lingokids’ playlearning method is simple: the more kids enjoy playing, the more they’ll learn. It enables children to expand their vocabulary, improve their writing skills, and get involved in a safe game-based learning experience. The app offers engaging content and games that teach words, colors, numbers, animals, fruits, and everyday language, while exposing young kids to 21st-century skills and topics, such as creativity, caring for the environment, critical thinking, collaboration, and empathy. Lingokids’ online platform also offers weekly plans, blog posts, videos, and several tiers of programming that include a parent community.
