New literacy app ‘Animal Friends Learning’ Launched

The Ministry of Education launched a new literacy app, ‘Animal Friends Learning’ on Friday at the Tuschen Nursery School.

The app was conceptualised to provide a work-based programme to develop children’s word recognition skills and expand their vocabulary.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand in her address highlighted that technology if used properly can be vital in the education sector.

“What’s happening now is that everybody is on the device, so while we want to get back to some outdoor activities…we can use the device in a useful way to make sure learning and fun happen. We now have Animal Friends, Pat and Roy that all of you grew up with on a device where your children get to sound that out, move it around and manipulate it.”

The app is an adaptation of the Timehri Reader Series, the Animal Friend’s reader, and workbooks. It has 40 preloaded programmes to support learners’ development in linguistic communication, mathematical competence, knowledge and interaction with technology, processing with information, digital competence, artistic and creative thinking.

It also complements the ministry’s tablet initiative by providing the scope for active classroom participation and increased attendance at school.

To this end, the ministry has distributed over 2,000 tablets to schools in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, as well as 130 riverine schools in Regions Two, Three and Ten in an effort to bridge the gap between hinterland, and coastland education delivery.

The tablet includes all the ministry’s resources which consist of textbooks, and worksheets that were developed for nursery education. It also contains the MOE Animal Friends learning app, Kids ABC phonics life, kids painting light, kids picture dictionary, and more.

Minister Manickchand welcomes all persons interested in transforming the education curriculum through technology.

“Hear is the sound to all Guyanese, young people, and old people. If you want to innovate around technology in any way, to present anything from our curriculum, come, we have open doors. In my view, everything in the curriculum can be thought through technological means,” she stated.

The app can be downloaded on the google store and only requires internet connectivity for the downloading process. It is also appropriate for both year one and two learners. (Extracted and modified from DPI)