January 10, 2020 – Award-winning language learning platform, Drops, today announces its entry into the children’s education market with the launch of Droplets, the app designed specifically to teach kids aged 8-17 to learn foreign languages.
Through beautifully designed word games, swipe-based interaction and quirky illustrations, Droplets is an accessible, effective and COPPA -compliant approach to language learning that is both parent-approved and kid-friendly. Droplets’ short 5-minute sessions are ideal for kids and teens with shorter attention spans and also for parents concerned with screen time limits.
Doubling down on this new market, Drops also announces its official partnership with nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange program, Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE).
CIEE Global Navigator High School Study Abroad programs take students to over 50 global destinations for three to four weeks every summer. These immersion programs prepare U.S. high school students to navigate across languages, engage with cultures, and address global or local issues in today’s interconnected world.
Through its partnership with CIEE, Drops will provide approximately 2,500 high school CIEE students a 3-month premium subscription to Droplets ahead of their study abroad programs to further their language learning goals as they undertake their study abroad experience.
“Our partnership with Drops affirms our mutual commitment to broadening international access and opening doors to new cultures. We’re excited to partner with Drops to provide our students with a fun, engaging, and effective way to enhance their vocabulary prior to and during their study abroad programs. We believe this will complement the communicative and task-based approach of CIEE language learning programs, providing students with a jump start to engage more completely in their chosen immersion destination,” said Matt Redman, Vice President, CIEE.
Learning a second language is an invaluable skill that increases empathy and understanding, promotes cultural connection while also reaffirming memory, attention, and focus. Yet, only 20% of US students are enrolled in a foreign language class. Traditional approaches to language learning focus heavily on grammar and sentence structure, which are often confusing and can lead to frustration and burnout.
The Drops suite of language learning tools teach core vocabulary, new alphabets, and common phrases, and is built on a pedagogical framework that combines visual mnemonics, spaced repetition algorithms, and game theory. The result is a fast-paced, visually engaging, fun approach to language learning that builds the foundation required for learning a new language by establishing a consistent language learning habit and confidence gained through an ever-increasing vocabulary breadth.
“Providing a fun and accessible way to learn language has always been at the root of our mission at Drops. We’ve taken our vocabulary-focused approach and our proven pedagogical framework to create Droplets to specifically cater to kids and teens to help them to begin, and stick to, their language learning journeys. We believe the trademark Drops approach combined with CIEE’s communicative and task-based approach to language learning is the perfect synergy to enrich the students’ study abroad experiences.
“Through our partnership with CIEE, we hope to empower students to immerse themselves in their chosen destinations, enabling them to better connect with the local culture and become global citizens,” said Daniel Farkas, CEO, Drops.
Since launching its flagship app in 2015, Drops has expanded its language learning scope with three companion apps: Scripts, which teaches learners how to read and write new alphabet and character-based writing systems; a visual online dictionary; and a Drops web app. Droplets is the company’s first app to broaden the platform’s reach beyond adult language learners.
Droplets will be available for free download on iOS and Android, with the premium subscription providing unlimited access to the Drops suite of apps.
Drops teaches the essentials of language – vocabulary – by combining engaging word puzzles with visual association. With 37 languages and 18M users and counting, Drops is one of the fastest-growing language platforms in the world. The app’s 5-minute sessions of swipe-based word games are fast, fun, and effective and quickly become as second nature as an Instagram scroll. Additionally, Drops’ companion app Scripts teaches learners how to read and write (and in the case of ASL, sign) 4 alphabets and 4 character-based writing systems. For more casual language learners, the Drops app has a Travel Talk category, so you can pick up essential words and phrases without having to learn an entire new language. In 2018, Google named Drops the best app of the year, and in 2019 Fast Company named Drops as one of the top 10 most innovative education companies in the world.
Drops was founded in 2015 by language and learning enthusiasts, Daniel Farkas and Mark Szulyovszky. The Drops suite of apps – Drops, Scripts and Droplets are available for free on iOS and Android, with a premium version available for $9.99 monthly, $69.99 yearly, or $159.99 for lifetime access.
The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) is the oldest and largest non-profit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization in the United States. The world leader in international education and exchange since 1947, CIEE helps people develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world. The organization sponsors a wide variety of opportunities for cultural exchange, including work exchange programs, teach abroad programs, and a worldwide portfolio of study abroad and internship programs for college and high school students.
