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Alpha Tiles��January 25, 2024

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“…of about 1 billion students in LMICs, 370 million are not being taught in the language they best speak and understand.”

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Scaling literacy game apps for Android

Hemphill, C. & Hemphill, A. (2021). Maximizing scalability in literacy game app design for minority languages. International Journal of Technology in Education (IJTE), 4(4), 668-680. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijte.138

Organization

Apps

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10

11-

50

51-

100

101-

200

201-

500

501-

7139

Curious Learning

43

6

12

10

12

3

0

GraphoGames

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4

2

2

4

0

0

Ubongo

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2

1

1

0

0

0

Enuma

3

1

0

1

0

1

0

onebillion

3

1

0

1

1

0

0

VGWB

3

2

1

0

0

0

0

Chimple

2

1

0

1

0

0

0

Language tier ranked by number of speakers

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Scaling literacy game apps for Android

Hemphill, C. & Hemphill, A. (2021). Maximizing scalability in literacy game app design for minority languages. International Journal of Technology in Education (IJTE), 4(4), 668-680. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijte.138

Organization

Apps

1-

10

11-

50

51-

100

101-

200

201-

500

501-

7139

Curious Learning

43

6

12

10

12

3

0

GraphoGames

12

4

2

2

4

0

0

Ubongo

4

2

1

1

0

0

0

Enuma

3

1

0

1

0

1

0

onebillion

3

1

0

1

1

0

0

VGWB

3

2

1

0

0

0

0

Chimple

2

1

0

1

0

0

0

Language tier ranked by number of speakers

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Scaling literacy game apps for Android

Hemphill, C. & Hemphill, A. (2021). Maximizing scalability in literacy game app design for minority languages. International Journal of Technology in Education (IJTE), 4(4), 668-680. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijte.138

Organization

Apps

1-

10

11-

50

51-

100

101-

200

201-

500

501-

7139

Curious Learning

43

6

12

10

12

3

0

GraphoGames

12

4

2

2

4

0

0

Ubongo

4

2

1

1

0

0

0

Enuma

3

1

0

1

0

1

0

onebillion

3

1

0

1

1

0

0

VGWB

3

2

1

0

0

0

0

Chimple

2

1

0

1

0

0

0

Language tier ranked by number of speakers

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Alpha Tiles

  • A gamified wordlist supporting early literacy

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  • A fully functional offline Android app

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  • An open-source project

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  • A neutral platform (NO default word list)

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    • PRO: wordlist suits each context

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    • CON: finding image is a challenge

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Alpha Tiles

  • 79 localizations of Alpha Tiles in 28 countries

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  • 165 more app projects in preparation

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  • Most of the 79 languages have fewer than 100,000 speakers

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  • 9 localizations into Arabic, Devanagari, Lao and Thai script languages

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Alpha Tiles Games

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Explore the Tiles

Tile List

Match Tiles

Match Lower to Upper

Match Syllables

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Alpha Tiles Games

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Identify First Tile of Word

Identify First Syllable of Word

Choose Missing Tile

Choose Missing Syllable

Choose Correct Word

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Alpha Tiles Games

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Memory

Game of 15

Lotería

Word Search

Spell from Memory

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App Demo

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Localizing Alpha Tiles into New Languages

  • 57 of 79 apps: virtual collaboration with SIL in Google Drive

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  • 21 of 79 apps: in-person and virtual workshops

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  • 1 of 79 apps: created by others (open-source user)

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Speed of Localization

14 new localizations in a 1-week workshop in January 2024 in Mitla, Oaxaca, Mexico

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Our Language First

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The Future: Multilingual EdTech Programs

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Typical

EdTech

program

Non-dominant language EdTech program

Multilingual

EdTech

program

Spanish

Miꞌpha̱a̱

Miꞌpha̱a̱ &

Spanish

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Assets Overview

  • Google Drive project main folder (all users)

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  • Google Drive asset subfolders (all users)

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  • Google Drive Google Sheets data (all users)

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  • Local \res folder (app builders only)

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Validator Demo

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Android Studio Overview

  • Processing Steps (Google Doc)

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From 50 to 500 Localizations

  • Help need in…

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    • Assisting the 165 teams still in the preparation phase

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    • Creating and updating apps

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    • Adding apps to more local Play Stores

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    • Coaching teams on distribution and promotion

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    • Collecting feedback

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Workshops

  • Medellín, Colombia, Nov 27 to 30, 2023

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  • Mitla, Mexico, Jan 8 to 12, 2024

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  • Bangalore, India, Feb 5 to 7, 2024

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  • Chiang Mai, Thailand, May 22 to 25, 2024

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  • Nairobi, Kenya, Jun 24 to 28, 2024

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aaron_hemphill@sil.org / alpha_tiles@sil.org

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Links

  • https://alphatilesapps.org/

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