Polyglots was commissioned by the Government of Australia to increase the number of students that learn a second language. Mainly, the app is meant to appeal to children in preschool. Therefore, the program had to be developed with young children in mind.
Polyglots uses bright, colorful illustrations to create a gamification of language learning. Children interact with fun characters to complete challenges and learn a new language in a fun way. The design of the app is simple, and it allows for the story element of the program to become the focus. Large buttons indicate how to navigate the app. Beyond that, there is not much that can distract users from the game itself.
Because the app was built for preschoolers, there is little to no textual content. Preschool-aged children have varying levels of reading ability in their native tongue, let alone experience with a second language. Audio and visual cues are used to help further the student through the game.
The design of the game also had to be exciting. Educational games are often not as fun as the many, many games available these days. However, Polyglots offers a colorful, educational activity that’s just as fun as it is practical. Overall, the main hope is that Australian children will start learning a second language at a young age, and they’ll continue that education throughout their educational career.
PolyGots is a playful app design in the education industry.
