Here’s a bit of hot news for you …
The Thai government has just bought 800,000 tablet PCs for every primary grade one student in the country in their “One Tablet Per Child” initiative.
They’ve just been delivered this week, and guess whose favourite English software is on there?
Yep, they all come with Genki English software built in! 🙂
It is amazing that they chose Genki English out of all the other options out there.
(Although I guess having Genki English as part of the national curriculum helps!)
Very Exciting
This has a potential to be *huge* for the kids.
In all the development (Tanzania, India, China etc.) projects I work with, tablets would solve so many problems.
Think of them not as tablet PCs, but as full colour, light, bright, talking, moving, interactive genki textbooks!
(I used this picture again as I like it so much! Thanks James!)
Now that’s cool!
How to use the tablets in class?
I do have a feeling the biggest benefit will come from the kids playing with the software at home (set them next week’s lesson as homework for this week!)
I’ve worked with the One Laptop Per Child computers in Cambodia and that’s how it worked there.
But having a tablet for *every* child in class is like being in a candy store, there are so many different ways to bring the lessons to life!
So if you have the tablets in your class do get in touch with me or leave a comment so we can really brainstorm the very best ways to get the most use out of these machines for the kids.
Similarly if you know anyone who is teaching in Thailand, please do share this page with them.
Here are copies of the original lesson plans we did for Thailand, you just have to change the parts about using flashcards into using the tablets!
  Thai  (+ English version pdf) |
With your help hopefully we’ll have a brand lesson plan ready soon that makes full use of the new tablets.
Enjoy the new machines, what we learn here is going to help so many other children all over the world!
If you have any comments, or would like a project like this in your country, please write them in the comments!
Be genki,
Richard
P.S. Pakistan, Brazil, South Africa and Malaysia are all rumored to be looking at such a programme, and it would be amazing to have Genki English on all those too. All you need to do is ask them!
WOW! Richard, I remember you saying that your goal was (how many?!1 billion?!) students by (when?) Sorry I forgot the most important points. But it seems you’re getting closer to the goal anyway.
How do you count 800 000 students any way? (Even thinking about it, kind of scary)
I would really really be interested in learning how this effects their improvement. How many lessons do they use them what way and what changes; I bet pronunciation is somewhere in first line.
Any chance to get reports from teachers in Thailand?
I think though, that teachers in Thailand really should try to get you there for workshops regularly , because without, it is such a pity and the outcome will be so much less than it could be.
For now CONGRATULATIONS!
~ah! I don’t want to use ANY tablet, but only i-pad, so here we have a problem. I got an app to open “flash” at least, but I can’T play any games on there. ?!
Now, but I never thought about those students using other tablets: would it be possible for them to use the software they got on there? We need to talk about this again.
Dear Richard, Many congratulations. You are doing great things with Genki English. Its very admirable.
Keep to it
Congratulations, Richard! Excellent news! I am very happy for you and the kids. The method is really great! Keep on!
Richard, That’s VERY exciting. I’m SO happy for you. You have worked hard setting up Genki and now it’s really paying off. I just wish my grandkids had Genki for learning Spanish. They’re just made a “C” in Spanish–that’s because it’s mostly grammar and they’re both poor in spelling, both of which are on their tests. Ugh! I know your way is so much better!
WOW! Thats great! I know you have done a lot of hard work and its a good product
I shared this with my other teaching friends and they loved it. It is embarrassing to see that these countries, with so little material wealth, seem to value effective and FUN education over countries like Japan, who have all the money in the world but continue to churn out kids who are not only incapable of speaking English, but who HATE speaking English.. yikes!
I hope someone at MEXT is reading your blog. 🙂
What a great entrepreneur success story! I’m glad such kudos are going to a creative educator.
Richard, many tablets run on Android OS! Unlike iPads, they do run Flash.
I assume these Tablet PC’s, as used in this Thai government “One Tablet Per Child” initiative, just offer Adobe Flash (SWF)capability?
If so what is the minimum specification on such Android Tablet, for running such GE Software?
I would rather use a touch screen Tablet PC, than this Samsung Netbook, that I borrowed off my step-daughter.
Are you selling such Tablet PC’s pre-installed with GE Software as per this Thai government “One Tablet Per Child” initiative. If not perhaps you should be perhaps?
There are some really good Chinese Tablets coming out now, at some amazing prices. Buy in large quantities, and they get even lower!
Not sure what the minimum spec is, but we’ve had the software running on the $100 laptops for years so I would imagine anything that can run flash will run the GE stuff no problem.
I’m also looking forward to seeing how it turns out on all the Windows 8 tablets that will come out next week!
Funny you should mention about having GE pre-installed on tablets for sale …… keep an eye on the blog! 😉
hey richard
Im in china and i m sure this project could be done in some schools 🙂
I’d love to know more about it 🙂
And if we could manage do offer this 🙂
Cool! Congratulations! An amazing teaching method. Mexico has a National English curriculum. Could be a good target.