Central California District Taps iPad for Elementary ELL Instruction

  • By Jim Barthold
  • 04/24/12

Lodi Unified School District will use the Rosetta Stone TOTALe Course HD application for iPad devices to help individual learners grasp the English language at their own pace.

The Central California K-12 district will use the application for second and third grade English language learners whose language development has reached a "plateau," the district said in a news release. Rosetta, which makes the application part of its TOTALe PRO solution, said Lodi is using a "blended learning model that combines classroom instruction with individualized independent study."

Students are "reacting very positively to Rosetta Stone solutions," according to Art Hand Jr., assistant superintendent for Lodi Unified School District. "Children that have more limited language skills are often less confident in the classroom setting. Now that students are working with a program that enables them to go at their own pace and focus on areas where they tend to struggle, we see their confidence increasing. They're excited about speaking and learning."

Rosetta Stone is known for language training programs that run the gamut from widely used languages like English, Mandarin, and Spanish to less widely used ones like Swahili and Filipino (Tagalog). The programs are used by schools, business and global organizations, as well as individuals.

The Rosetta Stone TOTALe Course HD application for iPad devices blends the company's language tools with classroom instruction via Apple devices and lets teachers create individualized classroom programs based on each student's learning curve.

The application "provides teachers and students with an improved opportunity for language learning that is not only engaging but also highly effective," said Cathy Quenzer, senior director of education at Rosetta Stone.

Rosetta Stone TOTALe Course HD can be access in the iTunes Store. The app itself is free for TOTALe subscribers.

About the Author

Jim Barthold is a freelance technology reporter. He can be reached at [email protected].

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