Bamboo Learning, Inc. today introduced the Bamboo Learning App for iOS, a touch and voice-enabled reading and listening comprehension learning program for children in Kindergarten through 5th Grade. The Bamboo Learning app offers children a unique, voice-driven, self- paced experience for reading and listening to books and incorporates interactive activities to improve reading fluency and comprehension, promote active listening, expand vocabulary, and boost confidence.

Bamboo Learning features over 25 free books and hundreds of free reading and listening comprehension activities levelled for each grade from K through 5. Up to six children per family can use Bamboo Learning independently. Bamboo Learning is a free download, available today in over 170 countries in the Apple App Store

HOW DOES BAMBOO LEARNING WORK?

After parents go through a simple, one-time setup wizard and select an animal avatar (cat, elephant, frog, monkey, pony, tiger) for each child, children can easily use Bamboo Learning without requiring parental or caregiver assistance.

Each day Bamboo Learning’s (human-narrated) Panda greets each child, and guides them through activities appropriate for their grade level. Children may select a book from a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction titles via touch or using their voice. Then children embark on a first-of-its-kind, interactive literature experience with professional narrators reading the story and beautifully designed screens with illustrations and text to follow along with the narrator. Every few sentences or paragraphs, depending on the grade level, the narration pauses, and the Bamboo Learning app offers listening comprehension questions. Children may answer questions using either voice or touch – we leave the choice up to them.

Bamboo Learning’s pioneering, patent-pending solution evaluates children’s voice responses or touch responses and provides immediate feedback to the learner. The Panda praises children when they

answer correctly, and supportively nudges them to try again if they answer incorrectly. To keep children engaged, Bamboo Learning includes professional custom-designed sound effects accompanying both correct and incorrect answers; children earn tokens (with accompanying sound effects) when they answer questions correctly.

“As a former educator, I know how critical conversational learning is to boost children’s in-context reading and listening comprehension, vocabulary, and narrative skills,” said Irina Fine, Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer, Bamboo Learning. “Bamboo Learning for iOS is the first-ever app to offer children a choice to respond using their voice or touch. We’re so excited to make it available today for families to use on iPads and iPhones in over 170 countries.”

FOLLOWS STANDARD K–5 CURRICULUM

Bamboo Learning’s educational activities are designed around the standard K–5 curriculum and aligned with the Common Core and other state standards. For each grade, there are thousands of reading and listening comprehension activities and questions based on fiction and nonfiction books, legends and fables from different cultures, fairy tales, and more. Examples of comprehension activities include:

• True or False: The second billy-goat Gruff was going up to the hillside to make himself fat. Is this true or false? (The Three Billy-Goat Gruff, Kindergarten)
• Actions, Behaviors, Feelings: How did Peter feel when he rushed all over the garden? (The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Grade 3)
• Expand Your Vocabulary: What is the definition of the word DISTINGUISH — (A) to break open, or (B) to tell apart? (The Emperor’s New Clothes, Grade 3)

“Bamboo Learning’s iPad app offers great books for each of my kids, who are 4, 9, and 12 years old, and they are already improving their reading, listening, and speaking skills,” said Shayle E., high school teacher and mother of three from Kingston, MA. “Bamboo Learning has been a fantastic resource to use at home with my children during remote and hybrid learning.”