Hi! Langee is an AI-powered web application that integrates language learning into daily life with curated activities, raising oral proficiency while fostering emotional bonds and cultural sensitivity
Responsibilities
This 11-month-long project was envisaged as part of the Learning, Design, and Technology program at the Stanford Graduate School of Education under the guidance of Guadalupe Valdes, Ramon Martinez, Karin Forssell & Brigid Barron. As a co-founder of the project I was responsible for:
Conducted market research & foundational research to conceptualize a Theory of Change model and 2 week-long user studies with Bilingual Parents to inform the product development process.
Research
Developed the Minimum Viable Product including the design system and visual identity and branding for the mobile app
Product Development
Defined product requirements for all the app features and collaborated with engineers to optimize database schemas and API integrations for enhanced app performance.
Product Management
Product Features
Timely reminders & ideas Parents are reminded to practice and get ideas through just-in-time notifications on their preferred apps
Context-rich activities Parents receive curated activities based on their child’s interests, age, and routines, promoting contextual conversations
Expertise and guidance Parents learn about bilingualism through other families’ stories and curated content grounded in research
How does it work?
Onboarding
Parents input their native language, child’s interests and routines
Choosing Prompts
Parents choose from suggested prompts or regenerate new ideas with just a click!
Starting point
Parents in the United States who speak at least one language other than English may struggle to sustain their heritage (Non-English) languages at home, due to the over-dominance of English in their child’s life through school, playgroups and media. A few months ago, I met Ellie who shared ““I am trying to teach my daughter Spanish, she is picking it up but it breaks my heart a little when I speak to her in Spanish but she responds in English."
32% of children aged eight and under in the United States live in households where at least one parent speaks a language other than English (Chung et al., 2019). Young children need a caring adult to speak, interact with, and play in language at all times for them to build oral proficiency in the language (Guadalupe, 2024)
Understanding parents’ existing practices
In order to design a tool that could help parents to sustain their heritage language it was important to learn from their existing practices and find opportunities for intervention.
5 day Diary study
Pre-study interviews 30 minutes in-depth conversations to understand parents’ general schedule
Audio Reflections Parents shared their reflections based on prompts through WhatsApp
Post-study interviews 30 minutes in-depth conversations to focus on reflections that stood out in the diary study
Emerging themes from parents’ reflections
All the audio notes and interview recordings were transcribed and open-coded using an AI tool. During the open coding process, parents’ existing practices were categorized as enablers and disablers of heritage language practice or use.
Theory of change
Providing parents with ideas backed by learning sciences and rooted in their daily lives will encourage increased usage of their heritage language at home.
But can sending timely prompts create shifts in language practice?
It was important to gather evidence that sending timely prompts with ideas to incorporate heritage language practice with daily routine would increase the practice or encourage the use of it. A 5-day intervention study was designed:
5 day Intervention study
Mapping routines Parents' routines were mapped through a diary study and interviews.
Selecting moments Parents selected moments in their day to receive prompts.
Receiving prompts Parents received these prompts via WhatsApp
Sharing reflections Parents shared their reactions to the messages and reflected on the experience
Metrics of success
Frequency More interactions
Agency New practices
Persistence Language beliefs
Learnings from the intervention study
The audio reflections from the intervention study were transcribed and the following insights were found:
Yes! Parents created more moments for interactions.. P1 created more moments and reported using the prompts. However, P2 reported a challenge during bathtime, as it was difficult for her to speak Spanish during this time because they were all tired by the end of the day.
Yes, prompts inspired new practices and reflections Prompts also inspired parents to repurpose existing practices and even places. P1 highlights that he never sort of imagined playing I Spy, the game we suggested incorporating Tamil into that and P2 also says she ha never really thought about playing the game in the car.
Future product directions
A section is being envisioned where stories from other families can be read and learned from, and personal experiences can be shared by parents. This will be enhanced with insights backed by research from the learning sciences. Ways to measure and celebrate parents' progress are also being worked on.