Learning Upgrade Adds Elementary Math Courses to Support ELLs
Math Upgrade is available on iOS and Android, and includes 360
lessons that offer learning on the go for ELL students in grades K-5
(SAN DIEGO, CA) August 29, 2017 – Just in time for back to school, Learning Upgrade, an innovative ed tech company providing digital, differentiated literacy curriculum designed to support English language learners (ELLs) during learning breakthroughs, has added 360 new math lessons to the Learning Upgrade App. Each standards-aligned Math Upgrade lesson is aimed to serve ELL students in grades K-5.
​Designed by educators, the lessons integrate exciting songs, video, and games that engage even the most reluctant students.
In each mobile Math Upgrade course, students are guided through a series of interactive, differentiated, step-by-step lessons to help them meet the rigors of Common Core and State Standards. Each lesson provides practice problems accompanied by immediate intervention and remediation with multimedia supports. Students can repeat lessons until they master them, earning a gold certificate when they are proficient on each of the standard's benchmarks. Each full course takes students 20–25 hours to complete.
"Although designed for K-5 students, the courses can also help older students and adults catch up on basic math skills," said Vinod Lobo, co-founder and CEO of Learning Upgrade. "A lack of math skills often keeps ELLs from moving up to higher education and passing qualifying tests for technical programs. Learning math alongside English helps support the student's use of the language, since they are using English language skills in a real-world context during the lessons. Lessons that include animation, dialog, and text help students understand math terms and allow them to work at their own pace until they reach mastery."
The Learning Upgrade app was recently named a top eight semifinalist in the $7 million Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE presented by Dollar General Literacy Foundation, a global competition challenging teams to develop mobile applications for adult learners that result in the greatest increase in literacy skills in just 12 months.
"Low-literate adults often do not have computer or Internet access at home, but we know over 75% of them own smartphones," said Lobo. "Mobile learning is an exciting new frontier and we are proud to offer a flexible curriculum applicable to ELLs of all ages. Adding these Math Upgrade courses to our mobile app was in response to overwhelming requests from our customers who take advantage of the freedom to learn anytime and anywhere."
The app is available now on the Google Play Store and iTunes.
About Learning Upgrade
Founded in 1998 by educators, musicians, artists, and programmers in San Diego, Learning Upgrade designs innovative, engaging lessons to support struggling students in reading and math. Through the incorporation of songs, video, games, and educational research, Learning Upgrade has helped more than 1 million students make learning breakthroughs. For more information, please visit LearningUpgrade.com.