Galway language learning company helps turn dictionary into a game!
Galway-based start-up English Bubble, who make digital language learning games, have released Word Bucket, a free mobile app that turns the traditional translation dictionary into a fun and personal learning game. Word Bucket allows learners, of up to ten languages, to save the words they find in their dictionary and then learn them through fun tests and games.
English Bubble was co-founded by Robert Hanley from Craughwell and former teaching colleague Danny Smits from Kildare, and Word Bucket is the first of their language learning games to hit the market.
The idea for Word Bucket came from Danny and Robert’s experience as language learners and teachers while working in Spain. “We saw a gap”, says Robert, who leads design of the company’s innovative educational content, drawing on his experience as an ESL (English as a second language) teacher and serial language learner. “While learning Spanish, we couldn’t find a dictionary that allowed you to learn the words you had searched for. You’d have to write them down on scraps of paper, which would of course get lost, and you forget the words. Word Bucket is an app that solves that problem as it saves the words you find and tests you on them in a fun way that ensures you remember them.”
"We wanted to improve the passive and limited experience of using a language dictionary." says Danny, who is a former campaign manager for the World Wildlife Fund in London and leads English Bubble’s marketing team. "Currently most dictionary apps are reference tools which the learner uses just to find a translation at any given moment. Learning a language is a personal journey and we wanted your dictionary to play a part in that.”
“After Word Bucket we’ve got another couple of exciting products on the way. It’s been an exciting summer so far, and we’ve already started making more games like Word Bucket where you can have fun, but improve your language skills at the same time.”
To download Word Bucket free, just visit http://www.wordbucket.com