Introducing Bamboo Learning: First Comprehensive Learning Program on Alexa with 100+ Million Educational Activities to Engage Children in Daily Learning Adventures

SEATTLE, May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Bamboo Learning, Inc. today introduced the Bamboo Learning Alexa skill, the first comprehensive children's learning program on Alexa, offering millions of free introductory and grade-level activities in listening & reading comprehension, language arts, and math based on the standard K–5 curriculum. Featuring a human-narrated Panda as a guide and incorporating entertaining sound effects to keep kids engaged, Bamboo Learning offers children and families a simple alternative to more complicated computer- and tablet-based learning programs. Up to six children per family can use Bamboo Learning independently, and parents can sign up to receive email progress updates for each child. Kids can just say, "Alexa, open Bamboo Learning" to get started.

When children start Bamboo Learning each day, the human-narrated Panda character greets them and guides them to choose voice-based learning experiences in listening & reading comprehension, language arts, and math. The Panda praises kids when they answer correctly, and supportively nudges kids to try again if they answer incorrectly. To keep kids engaged, Bamboo Learning includes professional, custom-designed sound effects accompanying both correct and incorrect answers; children earn tokens (with accompanying sound effects) when they complete rounds of questions or achieve learning milestones or daily learning streaks.

"With the new Bamboo Learning Alexa skill, kids in grades K–5 can enjoy an incredibly fun learning experience for listening & reading comprehension, language arts, and math," said Ian Freed, Co-Founder & CEO, Bamboo Learning. "Bamboo Learning now includes a Panda guide voiced by a professional actor, custom-designed sound effects, the ability to earn tokens, and millions of free activities to help kids catch up on unfinished learning over the past 15 months."

FOLLOWS STANDARD K–5 CURRICULUM
Bamboo Learning's activities in listening & reading comprehension, language arts, and math are designed around the standard K–5 curriculum and aligned with the Common Core and other state standards. For each grade, there are several learning modules within language arts (Phonics, Spelling, Grammar, and Vocabulary) and math (Number Sense, Operations, and Measurement/Time/Money), as well as grade-leveled listening comprehension exercises based on 20 free books that include classic fairy tales and other well-known children's stories. Examples of activities include:

Listening & Reading Comprehension

• True or False: The second billy-goat Gruff was going up to the hillside to make himself fat. Is this true or false? (Three Billy-Goats Gruff, Kindergarten)
• Actions, Behaviors, Feelings: How did the elves feel when they saw the clothes made for them? (The Elves and the Shoemaker, Grade 1)
• Explode Your Vocabulary: Is the definition of the word DISTINGUISH — (A) to break open, or (B) to tell apart? (The Emperor's New Clothes, Grade 3)

Language Arts

• Phonics: Which word rhymes with BOUNCE – ANNOUNCE or BEHIND? (Grade 2)
• Spelling: In the word CAT, is the last letter T? (Grade 1)
• Grammar: This movie is exciting. Which word is an adjective? (Grade 3)
• Vocabulary: If you add the letters -ER at the end of the word PAINT, what word do you get? (Grade 2)

Math

• Numbers: What number goes between 6 and 8? (Kindergarten)
• Operations: 4 penguins are watching a sunset. 3 zebras joined them. How many animals are watching the sunset? (Grade 1)
• Measurement/Time/Money: How many days are in March and April combined? (Grade 4)

"Bamboo Learning worked with literacy experts and teachers to carefully design voice-enabled activities for children in grades K–5 based on the standard elementary school curriculum; our goal is to help children gain academic confidence in reading, language arts, and math," said Irina Fine, Co-Founder and Head of Content, Bamboo Learning. "Children are used to receiving verbal instruction and guidance in the classroom, and for the first time ever, they have access to a comprehensive voice-based learning tool covering areas as diverse as comprehension, phonics, spelling, vocabulary, number sense, and calendar math."

KIDS CAN USE INDEPENDENTLY; UP TO SIX KIDS PER FAMILY; PARENTS CAN REVIEW PROGRESS
Bamboo Learning is easy-to-use. There are no passwords required, and no daily setup. Kids just say "Alexa, open Bamboo Learning" and they pick up where they left off during their last session. Families find that children can use Bamboo Learning applications independently, without requiring adults to sit next to their kids during the activities. Up to six kids per family can use Bamboo Learning, and each child is assigned a unique animal avatar (cat, elephant, frog, monkey, pony, tiger), eliminating the need for children and families to set up cumbersome usernames and passwords.

Parents have the option to sign up for a Bamboo Learning account to receive weekly email highlighting progress for each child, including:

• Each child's grade level for each subject and activity (e.g., Phonics, Spelling, Number Sense)
• % of activities completed in each subject and learning module
• Number of questions answered for each subject
• % of questions answered correctly for each subject

Parents can sign up for an account at http://www.bamboolearning.com/grove.

"My daughter likes school and has always excelled, but focus has been challenging over the past year, and we've had to help her with many of the online platforms that school provides," said Michelle K., mother of 2 from Brooklyn, NY. "Using the new Bamboo Learning Alexa skill with a fun Panda, and uplifting and fun sound effects, my daughter now has a learning tool that she can't wait to come back to every day. What's more, we don't have to sit with her while she is using it, and we can see the results via email on our own time."

BAMBOO LEARNING PLUS FOR ACCESS TO FULL LEARNING PROGRAM
Bamboo Learning also announced Bamboo Learning Plus, a subscription to Bamboo Learning's full program of beginner, grade-level, and advanced activities, including over 60,000 language arts exercises and over 100 million math problems. Bamboo Learning Plus includes access to 50 fiction and nonfiction books, with more books coming throughout 2021. Books offer listening comprehension exercises at different grade levels. A complete list of books for Bamboo Learning Plus is available at http://www.bamboolearning.com. Bamboo Learning Plus is only $3.99/month per family, for up to six users, providing incredible value to help kids learn throughout their elementary school years. Families can sign up for Bamboo Learning Plus by saying "subscribe" within the Bamboo Learning Alexa skill.

BAMBOO LEARNING AVAILABLE ON ALL ALEXA-ENABLED DEVICES
Bamboo Learning activities are available on all Alexa-enabled devices, including Echo Dot, Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Show, Fire TV, and Fire tablets. Bamboo Learning running on Alexa devices with screens, including Echo Show, Fire TV, and Fire tablets, incorporates illustrations for listening comprehension exercises and images for math problems.
To try the Bamboo Learning Alexa skill, just say "Alexa, open Bamboo Learning." To learn more, visit http://www.bamboolearning.com

About Bamboo Learning
Based in Seattle, Bamboo Learning is the award-winning leader in voice-powered education with a mission to bring engaging, high-quality learning experiences to customers worldwide. Bamboo Learning develops applications based on K–5 standard curriculum that enable children to have fun learning and practicing different academic and afterschool subjects while listening, viewing images, and using their voice. Bamboo Learning applications, including Bamboo Learning, Bamboo Math, Bamboo English, Bamboo Books, Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo, Bamboo Luminaries, and Bamboo Music, offer a range of challenging and engaging exercises to help customers master different levels of subjects. Parents can sign up to get email updates and online reports for their children's progress.

In less than two years, Bamboo Learning has won 5 industry awards, and has been a finalist or otherwise honored for 11 industry awards. Awards and honors include:

• Bamboo Learning – Project Voice Education Developer of the Year – 2020 & 2021
• Bamboo Math – Voice Summit Awards Best Multi-modal Experience – 2019
• Bamboo English (2021), Bamboo Luminaries (2020), Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo (2020) – Webby Award Honorees – 2020 & 2021
• Co-Founder & CEO Ian Freed – Voicebot Top Design & Product Pros in Voice – 2020

Bamboo Learning's co-founders are Ian Freed, CEO, and Irina Fine, COO and Head of Content. Ian Freed is a thirty-year veteran of the technology industry, including twelve years as an executive at Amazon, having served as vice president of Amazon devices, where he led both the Amazon Echo & Alexa and the Amazon Kindle businesses, and served as technical advisor to Amazon founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos. Irina Fine is a thirty-year veteran of curriculum development and teaching, having worked in public and private sectors of education in New York, Washington DC, London, and Moscow.

Connect with Bamboo Learning, and learn more at: http://www.bamboolearning.com, Instagram: @learnwithbamboo, Facebook: facebook.com/BambooLearning, Twitter: @learnwithbamboo, YouTube: bamboolearning.com/youtube

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Press Inquiries:
Ian Freed for Bamboo Learning
[email protected]
+1 218-4BAMBOO

Media Contact

Ian Freed, Bamboo Learning, Inc., +1 (218) 422-6266, [email protected]

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SOURCE Bamboo Learning, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.bamboolearning.com/