Glotto
Shaanzya Dongre
Having struggled with learning disabilities as a child, I had to work with special educators throughout elementary school. I learned how important it was to use visual tricks to break any type of learning into smaller steps. After several conversations with professionals and learning disability specialists, Glotto was conceptualized.
Glotto is an application for 5–10 year old children who are in the early stages of enhancing their written and spoken English skills. It aims to improve spelling, increase vocabulary and introduce grammar rules by turning intuitive games into structured lessons. In designing the app, I used the techniques that helped strengthen my own language learning to create bite size, customizable modules.
The Glotto name comes from glottogony, which is the study of the origin of language. It’s used like a prefix meaning “tongue” and is simple for young children to pronounce.
Unlike existing learning apps, Glotto takes into account slower and faster learners. Users can go at their own pace, and learn without supervision by using Glotto’s visual and auditory cues. It allows each user to eventually build their own unique glossary and even has a section to assist with reading comprehension. Glotto means to upskill alongside classroom learning, rather than replace regular curriculum or pose a contrarian threat to a teacher’s methods.
The interface is intentionally simple for a child to independently navigate. The muted color palette as well as the handmade, whimsical quality of the illustrations are mentally stimulating, interactive and help make each game feel exciting and personal.