According to Forbes magazine, the use of AI in education is predicted to grow by almost 50% by 2021, while many learners are looking for a more customized and personal approach.
Lingvist, a language-learning app, is bringing these two worlds together—AI and personalization—to create Course Wizard, a customizable language course tool. Course Wizard gives Lingvist’s 1.4 million users the ability to create, customize, and share language courses based on the things they love, such as music, food, hobbies, careers, and other personal passions.
It starts with users adding in words or a piece of text to the platform, with the app’s algorithm quickly creating an entire course stemming from their input, presenting example sentences to study and stitching a huge vocabulary set together. The result is that an American expat living in France who is into jazz can learn how to speak about jazz in French without going through a whole language course, or international festival-goers can learn the language they need to get by while living it up in a different country.
“The development of Course Wizard is a revolutionary step in education technology that allows users a wide scope of personalization and customization—defining traits of the next generation of learners,” said Mait Müntel, Lingvist co-founder and CEO. “We hope that Course Wizard will motivate people to learn languages again, while giving them the freedom to learn them exactly how they want to, meaning they can fully integrate themselves into another country’s culture,” he added.
PresenceLearning partners with schools and districts to help them meet the increasing need for special education–related services, using a proprietary teletherapy platform combined with a network of nearly 1,000 highly qualified, certified clinicians—including speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, behavior and mental health professionals, and occupational therapists—to help schools and districts increase their impact and serve more students.
Clinicians use the therapy platform—which integrates traditional therapy materials such as assessments, class assignments, games, and more—with a unique video-conferencing experience to enable them to work with students across the country. During the therapy sessions, clinicians view the student from multiple angles while working on engaging activities within the platform. The platform features an Irlen filter to improve accessibility; 100,000-plus worksheets, an interactive whiteboard, and mouse controls to help redirect or refocus students; and the ability to track a student’s goals and progress during a given session.
During the 2019 school year, PresenceLearning provided services to more than 25,000 students during more than 500,000 sessions across hundreds of schools and districts. By working collaboratively with schools and districts to offer online therapy opportunities while the schools continue to offer onsite services, they enable students to take advantage of both learning environments to maximize therapy outcomes. www.presencelearning.com.
According to
a new study (“Different languages, similar encoding efficiency: comparable
information rates across the human communicative niche”) published in Science
Advances, languages differ in complexity and speech rate, but not in the
rate of information transmission.
“Surprisingly,
we find robust evidence that some languages are spoken faster than others (for
example, Japanese and Spanish speakers produce about 50% more syllables per
second than Vietnamese and Thai speakers). Also, some languages ‘pack’ more
information per syllable due to their phonology and grammar (for example,
English has about 11 times more types of syllable than are possible in
Japanese)”, explains co‐author Dan Dediu. “However, more importantly, there is
a trade‐off between the two such that ‘information‐light’ languages are spoken
faster than the ‘information‐dense’ ones, balancing out at a rate of about 39
bits/second in all languages in our sample.”
“Crazy, isn’t
it?”, asks Dr. François Pellegrino, lead author of the study and expert in
linguistic complexity. These findings point at the existence of a relatively
narrow optimal rate of information transmission, probably due to constraints,
deeply embedded in the way our brains work, on how fast language can be
processed and produced. However, there are several ways this optimum can be
achieved: either you pack lots of information in each one of the few syllables
coming out of your mouth, or you produce many less informative syllables.
“It is like
bird wings: you may have big ones that need few beats per second or you have to
really flap the little ones you got, but the result is pretty much the same in
terms of flying”, adds Dr. Christophe Coupé, senior author of the study. How is
this optimum achieved? The authors suggest that each language and each speaker
are a tightly‐coupled system, where changes in the structure of the language
(due to normal processes of language change across decades or centuries) affect
its informational content, and are compensated by the language users during
development. “This may be one of the few true language universals out there and
it results from pressures external to language”, says Dr. Yoonmi Oh. Thus,
languages and their speakers are like living systems inhabiting an ecological
niche of information transmission.
The study was conducted by an international and interdisciplinary
team involving scientists from France (Laboratoire Dynamique Du
Langage/CNRS/Université Lyon 2 and Collegium de Lyon), New Zealand (The
University of Canterbury), South Korea (Ajou University), and Hong Kong (The
University of Hong Kong) in, who compared
recordings in 17 languages (Basque, Cantonese, Catalan, English,
Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin,
Serbian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese) of 15 short texts describing daily situations,
read out loud by 10 native speakers per language. For each of the languages,
they measured speech rate, in number of syllables per second, and the average
information density of the syllables uttered. The more easily the utterance of
a particular syllable may be predicted from the preceding one, the less
information the former is deemed to provide.
An academic activist, Albert Razin, died in Russia after setting himself on fire in a political protest about government policy surrounding his native Udmurt language. According to the Moscow Times, the man self-immolated outside the State Council building in Izhevsk, and held a banner that read, “If my language dies tomorrow then I’m ready to die today.”
Razin committed the act to protest a law passed in June that
prevents regions from requiring the study of and teaching in minority languages
and requires the study of Russian language and culture. According to Radio Free
Europe, many in the ethnic republics fear the change would mean fewer
opportunities for minority-language speakers and would represent a major
intrusion by the federal government into an area previously delegated to the
regions.
The Udmurt language is one of 131 languages in Russia that
are considered endangered by UNESCO, with a decrease of 3% of speakers from
2002 to 2010. It is an official language of Udmurtia (a federal subject of
Russia) and has 340,000 speakers according to the 2010 census.
The line, “If my language dies tomorrow then I’m ready to die today,” seems to be borrowed by the poem “Native Language” by Rasul Gamzatov.
And, vaguely hearing the sound of the native speech
I came to life, and the moment has come
When I understand that would cure me
Not a doctor, not a medicine man, but the native language.
Someone heals from a diseases
An another language, but to me on it it is not sing,
And if tomorrow my language disappears,
I am ready to die today.
Photo by The Moscow Times Credit Vkontakte /
zlou18
Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell bring more than twenty-five years of research and classroom observation of literacy development to the timely expansion and completion of the Continuo de la lectoescritura, Grados PreK–8. More in-depth and more intuitive than ever, Continuo de la lectoescritura is a tool to guide assessment, activate responsive teaching, and support Spanish-speaking students’ language and literacy growth.
Working in close collaboration with Eduardo Aparicio and a team of bilingual literacy experts, Fountas and Pinnell have expanded and completed the Continuo de la lectoescritura, Grados PreK–8 and text levels A–Z.
In it, they combine everything they have learned about the development of readers, writers, and language users to create a comprehensive curriculum document as an assessment tool and as a guide for teaching.
Now, with the flip of a page, you can quickly identify the literacy goals appropriate to each grade level, PreK–8, and each text level, A–Z, and determine the specific competencies Spanish-speaking students’ have achieved.
This resource provides a vision of what Spanish-speaking students need to be able to do as competent readers, writers, and language users, and informs every aspect of literacy teaching. The Continuo de la lectoescritura, Grados PreK–8 is designed to elevate language and literacy expertise, develop an understanding of the demands of texts on readers, and create a common vision and common language for literacy. www.Heinemann.com
Published by Cambridge University Press, Teaching Adult English Language Learners is a fully revised and updated edition of Betsy Parrish’s definitive textbook Teaching Adult ESL, which has supported novice and experienced teachers since 2004. It retains the accessible style, comprehensive coverage, practical focus and real world examples of the original, while reflecting the changing focus of Adult ESL teaching over the last 15 years.
As the author explains in her introduction, these developments include a shift in focus from life-skills competencies to “far more emphasis on preparing adults for the demands of work and school in the 21st century, which includes academic language, digital competence and strategies for accessing complex texts…the field is now acknowledging the need to assist adult English learners to transition to new opportunities at school, work, and in their communities that takes them well beyond survival English. Instruction needs to provide support that allow learners to thrive in their new communities.”
Another significant change is the global focus of the new edition. While the original book was written primarily for a U.S. audience, it now includes research, resources, and examples that reflect the teaching of adult learners from around the world
Devotees of the original publication will be glad to see that the overall structure remains the same. The book is organized into 10 chapters which guide teachers through topics including Working with Adult English Language Learners, Approaches and Programme Options for Adult English Language Learners, Teaching Language for Meaningful Purposes, Developing Listening and Speaking Skills, Developing Reading and Writing Skills, Planning for Teaching and Learning, Managing Learning in Adult English Language Classes, Selecting Instructional Materials and Resources, Assessing Learning and Teaching, and Standards and Accountability.
Chapters are clear and informative. They each include points to consider before starting the chapter, clear explanations, tasks, vignettes, tables of key terms and activities to help teachers to reflect on and apply what they’ve learned. Each chapter also includes a list of recommended reading, which is supplemented by additional information on the book’s website, enabling the author to provide teachers with the latest relevant resources. www.cambridge.org/Parrish
With more than 50 years of experience in education, hand2mind, a family-owned company, provides interactive, hands-on learning products and supplemental content for math, science, STEM, and literacy that are engaging, developmentally appropriate, and standards-based. VersaTiles® Literacy, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, is an action-oriented alternative to skills practice. It combines the game-like experience of a puzzle with standards-aligned activities. VersaTiles is perfect for centers, independent practice, or take-home reinforcement. The literacy content in VersaTiles seamlessly integrates science and social studies concepts while helping students master phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. VersaTiles combines hands-on skills practice with instant self-checking to create a safe and rewarding learning environment that’s screen-free and requires no copying or grading. Differentiated Literacy Centers incorporates hands-on literacy and meets the needs of all learners. These standards-based centers include activities and manipulatives that boost student engagement and interest through a hands-on learning experience. Each kit includes 63 activities covering the most important literacy objectives taught at that grade. There are three activities per objective to support three levels of differentiation (Approaching, Meeting, and Beyond) for use in small groups and centers. hand2mind.com
The Hub, from Empowering Writers, is a one-stop shop for teachers looking to improve student writing and administrators interested in developing a common, effective approach to writing throughout their school or district. Featuring professional development resources, digital teaching tools, how-to videos, and direct-to-student content, The Hub leverages years of professional instructional coaching experience to deliver pragmatic guidance for teachers as they work to develop students’ writing skills.
The Hub’s teacher background videos offer foundational information on all genres of writing to inform and improve instruction, while modeled lessons from actual classrooms demonstrate skills as they’re taught, offering Hub users real-world insights into lesson content management. Coaching segments provide overviews along with pacing and troubleshooting tips on all aspects of writing instruction from Empowering Writers Master Teachers.
The Hub offers access to all of Empowering Writers’ teacher manuals, including:
Dozens of lessons for all genres, including argument, expository, narrative, opinion, and response-to-text;
Scaffolded lessons on specific writing skills;
Lesson plans with step-by-step instructions and expected outcomes;
Mentor texts for annotation and analysis;
Strategies to help students break writing down into a series of smaller, manageable steps;
Effective modeling through scripted lessons;
Tools for differentiating instruction;
Suggestions and resources to help apply writing skills across the curriculum; and
Teaching resources for grammar, mechanics, and punctuation.
The direct-to-student content available in The Hub offers virtual field trips to introduce students to topics along with background information and vocabulary, Skill Power! slideshows for clear whole-class instruction, and animated video lessons to present the main skills of narrative and expository writing. www.empoweringwriters.com/
The Lindie Lou Adventure Series books are charming, educational chapter books written at a second-grade reading level by author Jeanne Bender. Used in schools and libraries nationwide, the series helps readers bridge the gap and gain stamina between early chapter books and middle-grade novels. It is recognized by Follett School Solutions online ordering system, Titlewave, as a “safe” choice for schools and libraries. Bender’s intention is to provide education and excitement for readers. She aims to inspire children to pursue their passion for literature and a desire to “continue reading.” She incorporates life lessons and factful information in her books, all while providing crucial methods for developing reading skills.
The books contain short chapters and color illustrations and are 150–280 pages. They each take place at a different time of the year and in a different city. This allows readers to learn about seasons, environments, and basic geography. Three clues are given at the end of each book, which ignite curiosity and teach readers how to piece together information and problem solve.
The Lindie Lou Adventure Series endorses topics ranging from social studies and science to arts and music. There are countless creative fonts and charming color illustrations, which make turning every page entertaining and intriguing.
This series is used by young gifted readers, as well as English learners, high-low, dyslexic, and emergent readers. It is available from all major distributors including Follett, Ingram, and Baker & Taylor.
Jeanne Bender is passionate about providing interesting, forward-thinking books for everyone. Her priority is to cultivate stories with terminology that can be both challenging and familiar. Her audience is impressively divided between male and female readers, with approximately 60% of her readers being boys. “It is delightfully challenging to entice boys to read books,” says Bender, “something I constantly have in the back of my mind when I write. Lindie Lou is a perfect choice for this challenge. She is a lovable and resourceful main character and a role model for all who read about her adventures.” lindielou.com
White and Hispanic adults make up the largest percentage of U.S. adults with low levels of English literacy, according to the most recent results of a survey on adult skills.
The National Center for Education Statistics has released a Data Point entitled “Adult Literacy in the United States,” that summarizes what data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) show about adult literacy in the U.S.
The findings include the following:
Forty-three million U.S adults possess low English literacy skills.
U.S.-born adults make up 66% of adults with low levels of English literacy skills in the United States.
Non-U.S.-born adults comprise 34% of the population with low literacy skills.
White and Hispanic adults make 35% and 34%, respectively, of U.S. adults with low levels of English literacy.
PIAAC is a large-scale international study of working-age adults (ages 16–65) that assesses adult skills in three domains (literacy, numeracy, and digital problem solving) and collects information on adults’ education, work experience, and other background characteristics. In the United States, when the study was conducted in 2011–12 and 2013–14, respondents were first asked questions about their background, with an option to be interviewed in English or Spanish, followed by a skills assessment in English. Because the skills assessment was conducted only in English, all U.S. PIAAC literacy results are for English literacy.
Four in five U.S. adults (79%) have English literacy skills sufficient to complete tasks that require comparing and contrasting information, paraphrasing, or making low-level inferences—literacy skills at level 2 or above in PIAAC (OECD 2013). In contrast, one in five U.S. adults (21%) has difficulty completing these tasks. This translates into 43.0 million U.S. adults who possess low literacy skills: 26.5 million at level 1 and 8.4 million below level 1, while 8.2 million could not participate in PIAAC’s background survey either because of a language barrier or a cognitive or physical inability to be interviewed. These adults who were unable to participate are categorized as having low English literacy skills, as is done in international reports (OECD 2013), although no direct assessment of their skills is available.
Adults classified as below level 1 may be considered functionally illiterate in English: i.e., unable to successfully determine the meaning of sentences, read relatively short texts to locate a single piece of information, or complete simple forms (OECD 2013).
PIAAC was developed and organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In the United States, PIAAC was conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the Institute of Education Sciences within the U.S. Department of Education. More PIAAC results are available on the NCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/.
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