250 million children in the world cannot read for meaning in any language. This significantly harms their health outcome and opportunities for meaningful employment, among many other components of human welfare. Learning to read in home language is proven to be most effective for children to achieve literacy, yet 40% of kids globally are taught in a languages that are not their home language. A multitude of apps exist that teach kids to read in English - but almost no apps exist for reading in other languages. Our digital reading tutor, Padhan, is the world’s first digital reading tutor for non-European languages.
UNESCO reveals that one in four young people in poor countries are unable to read a single sentence. UNESCO collated research states that “children who begin their education in their mother tongue make a better start, and continue to perform better, than those for whom school starts with a new language.”
Hindi is the fourth most spoken language in the world and India has the largest illiterate population.
There is an urgent need to digitize and make available educational audio and video resources, which exist in different languages, media standards and formats. India’s National Policy on Education stresses the need to employ educational technology to improve the quality of education.
The Indian government is currently installing infrastructure to enable extensive internet access, as well as the development of digital learning platforms. Various state governments in the country, like Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, have mandated laptops for all school children.
There is a clear need to develop a digital reading tutor in Hindi that maximises India’s ICT access to increase literacy.
Emphasis on home language as the initial point of entry to reading is the key to improving literacy.
Our digital learning tutor, Padhan, teaches basic reading skills and then learners progress to understanding the meaning of words and language. Merely translating English Apps does not account for the nuances of language structure in teaching reading. Padhan will be developed with linguistic specialists to ensure relevance.
Our research on existing English reading apps reveals the following standards for creating a good app:
- Multisensory, interactive format
- Strong narrative
- Comprehensive content
- Specific feedback
- Connection with supportive parents/teachers
India already has a digital content development and publishing platform called EkStep.
Padhan will leverage EkStep as well as existing research on successful reading app development and proven reading strategies.
Padhan allows multiple stakeholders (parents, teachers, school management & government) to access the data produced on student’s progress. A holistic approach to reading is more effective than a singular solution. Padhan is program where all learners are supported through interactive content. Teacher training and parent workshops will ensure successful adoption of Padhan’s features.
There is a need for a comprehensive, structured reading tutor, as well as teacher and parent training on digital education platforms.
Ekstep and Genie are new platforms that are launching on a broader scale in September. Ekstep and Genie have done extensive work on the platform development as well as setting up relationships with key government stakeholders such as the Ministry of Human Resource Development, National Council for Education Research and Training. As an open platform EkStep and Genie rely on users to contribute content. They have invested extensively in developing APIs that can be used to generate further digital solutions.
One of the challenges EkStep and Genie are facing is the perception that cellphones are entertainment devices, as well as teachers’ reluctance to purchase data plans for schoolwork. Existing apps have overcome data constraints through side loader solutions based on shipping SD cards.
Some of the strategies Ekstep and Genie have used reframe the role of the phone are aligning digital content with curriculum standards, face to face parent and teacher workshops, as well as introducing the technology to all stakeholders rather than handing devices directly to students. Given the volume of learners and teachers in India there is a need for greater support in stakeholder training and content development, hence Ekstep and Genie’s emphasis on partnerships.
Padhan’s impact will be through building on existing strategies and platforms.
More than 200 million children under 5 years fail to reach their potential in cognitive development because of poverty, poor health and nutrition, and lack of early stimulation (UNESCO).
According to Oxfam, India is home to largest population of illiterate adults in world – 287 million to be exact, amounting to 37% of the global total.
Nearly half of the out-of-school children in India are girls and in the next census they will be calculated as illiterate women, which would then have a ripple effect on the education of their children.
Literacy is central to education and education is central to meeting all the SDG goals - e.g. no poverty, no hunger, good health and well-being, gender inequality, decent work and economic growth, innovation, reduced inequalities and peace, justice and strong institutions.
Our main focus is on SDG 4.6 to enable literacy and numeracy in primary school children as a form of early intervention to achieve the goal by 2030.