SBIR-STTR Award

The project team will strengthen the functionality of Lingo Jingo, an on-line foreign language teaching and learning website, by adding lesson development capabilities, management tools, analytic capabilities, and activities aligned with commonly used language textbooks. The product will be used by middle and high school teachers to develop or modify classroom instruction, assign lessons, and provide diagnostic information about student learning. In the Phase I pilot research, the team will examine whether the software prototype functions as planned, if teachers are able to integrate it within the classroom environment, and whether students are engaged with the prototype

Purpose: In this project the research team will develop and test a web-based platform, Lingo Jingo, designed to support educators in efficiently and effectively generating customized plans and materials to support the needs of K–12 English language learners. In 2012 in the United States, 4.4 million or approximately 9% of all K–12 students were classified as English language learners (ELLs). ELLs are a diverse group, who come to school with a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, skills, and levels of English proficiency. These students must be proficient in English to be successful in school, and to prepare for college and careers. Educators are also challenged to deliver instruction that covers academic content while meeting students' language capabilities. Many teachers do not have adequate instructional resources or capacity to meet this challenge.