CHENNAI: The State School education department has partnered with Google to launch ‘Read Along’ an app to help children practise reading in schools. Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the partnership at an event on Thursday.
The app, developed by Google, helps children have fun while they learn to read. With an in-app reading buddy that listens to the young learners read aloud, the app offers assistance when the children struggle, and reward them with stars when they do well. Once downloaded, the app can be used offline. It supports reading practice in both Tamil and English.
As part of the partnership, the State will use the app in its ‘Illam Thedi Kalvi’ scheme — the country’s first and largest volunteer-driven State led initiative — to improve language learning outcomes of students. The app will also conduct formative reading assessments as part of the ‘Ennum Ezhuthum mission’ with an aim to ensure that all children read with understanding, and learning outcome assessments to understand the reading levels of children. It also works as a tool in English labs for students of classes 4-9 to improve their English reading and speaking skills, said a statement.
Licensed content from the State will be ingested into the app to support this initiative. “The Read Along app is a testament to how technology can solve crucial problems like foundational literacy. With Diya, the in-app reading buddy powered by Google’s advanced text to speech technology, Read Along will enable the students of Tamil Nadu to grow a love for reading,” said the statement from Google.