Culturally relevant literacy program helps Spanish-speaking students build mastery of fundamental reading concepts and skills in their native language
Los Angeles, August 5, 2024 – Age of Learning Inc., the leading education technology innovator, today announced an expansion of its school solutions’ mastery programs with the launch of My Reading Academy Español, an authentic, culturally relevant Spanish literacy program designed to accelerate Spanish reading fluency in classrooms throughout the U.S. The adaptive and standards-aligned program helps kindergarten through 2nd grade students build mastery of fundamental Spanish reading concepts and skills to achieve proficiency through individual learning pathways and continuous assessment.
Grounded in the Science of Reading, My Reading Academy Español was created by education, technology, and gaming experts and is designed to support biliteracy instruction. Developed by teams in Guadalajara, Mexico and the U.S., the program is built on authentic Spanish pedagogy progression to support instructional parity and features diverse and authentic Spanish texts, such as nursery rhymes like “Pin Pon,” “Tres Pececitos,” “Naranja Dulce,” and “Un Elefante Se Balanceaba,” to help students develop vocabulary, strengthen comprehension, and build fluency while honoring cultural identities.
“At Age of Learning, we are committed to advancing educational equity and that starts with providing learners with access to high quality literacy tools as they begin their journey toward reading proficiency,” said Alex Galvagni, CEO of Age of Learning. “To develop a program for native Spanish speakers, authenticity was paramount. That is why we built a studio in Mexico, used original Spanish texts, and grounded the curriculum in the Science of Reading in Spanish. This intentionality is what makes Age of Learning’s mastery programs so unique and effective.”
According to a research report produced under the US Office of Special Education Programs, English learners who have learned to read and write in their first language may learn to read in English more easily, especially when the orthographic systems of the two languages are similar[1]. These findings further underscore the need for targeted and comprehensive approaches to bilingual education. My Reading Academy Español addresses this by purposefully designing its scope and sequence to teach Spanish reading skills through explicit instructional videos and dynamic learning games, providing a thorough and engaging learning experience.
“Studies prove that strong readers in their native language learn new languages more easily and quickly,” said Victor Raga, Director of Biliteracy Curriculum Design at Age of Learning. “With over two decades of experience in bilingual and ESL education, I have seen firsthand the transformative impact of culturally relevant, research-based materials. My Reading Academy Español is designed to help millions of Spanish-speaking children in the U.S. build a powerful reading foundation in their native language, which will pave the way to learn to read in English, as well and set the stage for academic success and a lifelong love of learning.”
To support administrators and teachers, My Reading Academy Español features dashboards that enable educators to take immediate action based on real-time insights to support each student’s progress toward mastery, including measuring against state standards and benchmarks.
About Age of Learning
Age of Learning® is the leading developer of engaging and effective Pre-K through 5th grade learning resources that help children build a strong foundation for academic success and a lifelong love of learning. The company’s research-based curriculum, developed by education experts, includes the award-winning ABCmouse.com® Early Learning Academy, as well as the adaptive, personalized school solutions, My Math Academy®, My Reading Academy®, and My Reading Academy Español. Having served over 50 million children worldwide, Age of Learning is a global leader in efforts to advance equity, access, and opportunity for all children. To learn more about Age of Learning, visit www.AgeofLearning.com.
[1] US Office of Special Education Programs. “Core and Supplemental Instruction for ELs.“