Edtech start-up Ambani Africa has seen growth in teaching young children African languages through augmented reality (AR) and a gaming app.
With four language options (isiZulu, Kiswahili, Tshivenda and Setswana), the platform has a total of 15 000 users and about 400 weekly active users, with the aim of helping learners master a language faster and enhance their language skills.
“The augmented reality application lets you see 3D models of animals, numbers and bodies through your phone,” says Mukundi Lambani, founder of Ambani.
“You need to point your camera onto any graphics on our set of available books, posters or cards and it will pop up a 3D graphic which you can learn based on the language you selected.
“Once you have downloaded and opened our augmented reality app, you need to have one of the books that allows for the scanning of graphics to then show the 3D object and the voice-over in the specific language.”
The start-up says the mobile app has a lot of games and videos for kids to learn a specific South African language, while having some interactive fun.
For example, it adds, if a card with an elephant is held in front of the camera, a trumpeting 3D elephant will appear and the narrator will say its name in whichever of the four languages has been selected.
The app is free and available on Android and iOS. There is also a web version called ambanizulu.com.
In an e-mail interview with ITWeb, Lambani says: “The objective of the product is to preserve cultures and provide a fun educational tool for anyone who wants the best introduction to learning an African language.
“There is a need for more digital resources in African languages, and that is one of the reasons we decided to combine books with tech. Many schools are introducing previously marginalised African languages as subjects but don't have any resources for teaching these languages in an engaging way.”
Share