The language stimulation programme Word Gold

The app Orðagull is a new language stimulation app for tablets, released today on the Day of the Icelandic Language. Orðagull aims to strengthen vocabulary, working memory, auditory processing and expression. An effort is made to engage students' interest by making the learning material interesting and fun, thereby utilising the opportunities offered by apps to build and maintain interest. The app is based on material published in 2010, which has been very popular.

Strengthens the essential foundations of language and literacy

Word Gold is suitable for the oldest children in nursery school and for children in the early years of primary school. It can also be used by older pupils who struggle with working memory, auditory processing, vocabulary and retelling, as well as by pupils for whom Icelandic is an additional language. These are all important foundational components of language and literacy. The authors are Bjartey Sigurðardóttir, a speech and language therapist and literacy adviser at the National Centre for Education, and Ásthildur Bj. Snorradóttir, a speech and language therapist at the Office of Education and Leisure Services, Hafnarfjörður. The illustrations are by Búi Kristjánsson, and the software company Rosamosi handled all the software development. The project was, earlier this year, supported by the Bjarni Snæbjörnsson and Helga Jónasdóttir Memorial Fund and the Children's Friends Association, Sumargjöf. In addition, the project received two grants from the Development Fund for Learning Materials at Rannís. Bjartey and Ásthildur were the project managers and among the authors of the City of Hafnarfjörður's reading strategy, 'Reading is the Play of Life', and 'Word Gold' is one of many spin-off projects from the strategy, which covers both nursery and primary schools. 

A language stimulation material that has received a great deal of attention

The app is largely based on tasks from the language stimulation material. Gold of Words which was published in 2010 by the same authors. The language stimulation material has been very popular and is sold out. The app can be accessed Words of wisdom  in the App Store and is free to download. The app will be useful both as teaching material in nurseries and primary schools, as well as at home. Through the Word Gold registration system, parents and teachers are able to assess achievement and monitor progress. The registration system is set up in a simple and accessible way, partly to make the work of assessment easier for teachers. It is also intended that pupils can monitor their own progress.