Google launched on Tuesday the Arabic version of its Read Along app for android devices. The app provides an interactive amusing experience to help children over the age of five improve their reading skills with the help of an in-app reading virtual buddy named "Dia".
The company has observed remarkable progress among children since the launch of the app earlier this year. Children who read less than 45 correct words per minute made an improvement of 35 percent to 85 percent in their oral reading fluency after using the app for 100 minutes over two to three weeks.
Once downloaded, Read Along can be used offline. It uses Google's speech recognition technique to interact with the children and help them read visual and verbal notes while reading the books provided by the app from around the world. Children can learn how to read with "Dia" which reads first then listens to the little ones' performance. It also gives positive and encouraging feedback during the reading like parents and teachers. Children can click on the image of "Dia" every time they want to listen to the pronunciation of a certain word or sentence. The app provides customized suggestions for each child based on the progress they make and offers programs and educational games that encourage them to read more.
The Arabic version of the app is characterized by a richer library that includes a collection of creative stories specially designed by Google for the app users. The stories include "Kuku going to the party," which highlights important values in the Arab world like friendship, compassion, and perseverance. The app also includes many creative stories aimed at stimulating writing, composition, and expression in Arabic.
As part of the company's commitment to promoting Arabic reading in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Google has called young writers, aged five to 11 years, to write their own stories and send them before September 30, to get the opportunity of publishing them in many languages on major educational platforms such as Read Along, The World Digital Library, and Pratham Books Storyweaver. Winners will be announced in October.
