Research
Experience
Experience
Experience
Our team has decades of experience in educational technology.
Learning
Experience
Experience
Joy School English is based on the latest research from studies on languages and learning.
Cognitive load in multimedia learning
In the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning it is shown that we have two primary channels for processing information: visual and auditory. Digital programs must be designed carefully so we don’t overload these channels. This is a trap that many programs fall into. They want to make the program exciting and engaging. We do too. However, if the engagement elements are extraneous to the learning, it can actually interfere. The brain is trying to attend to too many things.
- Sorden, Steven (2018) The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning
- Mayer, Richard E. and Moreno, Roxana (2003) Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning
- Gilakjani, Abbas Pourhosein (2012) The Significant Role of Multimedia in Motivating EFL Learners' Interest in English Language Learning
Electronic books
Research has also guided our design of ebooks. Many ebooks simply put the print version of the book on a digital platform without considering things like quality, font, or size. Or, they include a lot of extraneous animations, sound effects, etc. All these detract from comprehension. For a language learner especially, this results in confusion and cognitive overload. However, if a language learner has information that reinforces comprehension, as in Joy School English, learning can be significantly accelerated.
- McKechnie, Lynne and Schreurs, Kathleen (2014) "Every single one is my favourite" (Theo, 4 years): Children's Experiences and Perceptions of E-Book Reading
- Bus, Adriana G., Takacs, Zsofia K., Kegel, Cornelia A.T. (2014) Affordances and limitations of electronic storybooks for young children's emergent literacy
- Doty, Karen Marie (2015) Designing for interactive eBooks: an evaluation of effective interaction elements in children's eBooks
Semantic sets
Research reveals that when we teach words that are closely related to each other—called a lexical or semantic set— they’re harder for students to learn. Joy School English takes advantage of the brain’s innate desire for novelty by teaching non-lexical sets of vocabulary in the cases where it is strategically advantageous, enabling students to learn more effectively.
In this picture, the top row is a lexical set (colors). The second row are categorically diverse, easier to learn.
- Silverman, Rebecca and Hines, Sara (2009) The Effects of Multimedia-Enhanced Instruction on the Vocabulary of English-Language Learners and Non-English-Language Learners in Pre-Kindergarten Through Second Grade
- Folse, Keith S. (2004) Myths about Teaching and Learning Second Language Vocabulary: What Recent Research Says
- Nation, Paul (TESOL Journal 2000) Learning Vocabulary in Lexical Sets: Dangers and Guidelines