Arizona implements K-6 language development and literacy intervention for English learners

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is continually seeking effective ways to support educators as they work to help English language learners (ELLs) develop academic English fluency. Toward that end, the ADE, in cooperation with the Arizona State Board of Education, has embarked on an innovative, two-year pilot program to bring a technology-based language development and literacy intervention to ELLs in grades K-6.

Following a competitive bidding and review process, the State Board of Education has chosen to partner with Scientific Learning Corp. to implement the neuroscience-designed Build English Fast™ solution for this project to help ELLs accelerate their English language acquisition, and make fast and lasting gains in their language and reading skills.

Approximately 70,000 of Arizona’s K-12 students are ELLs. On the 2015 AzMERIT statewide benchmark exam, only 2 percent of ELLs passed the language arts section, and 6 percent passed the math section of the exam.…Read More

App of the week: Eddy’s Number Party!

Name: Eddy’s Number Party!

What is it? In this kindergarten readiness app, young children practice counting, matching numbers, and improving memory and attention, while preparing for Eddy the dog’s surprise party. Part of the Kinderspark series from Scientific Learning Corp., Eddy’s Number Party! was selected from thousands of apps to be featured in the new book, “iPad Apps for Kids for Dummies,” by Jinny Gudmundsen, Kid Tech columnist for USA Today and Gannett News, and editor-in-chief of the “Computing with Kids” Ezine.

Best for: PreK and kindergarten.…Read More