Abstract:

The TooTak project addresses the critical need for effective heritage language education among Persian-speaking families in the diaspora, particularly focusing on children aged 6-10. Despite the desire of many Iranian immigrant families to teach their children Persian and connect them with their cultural roots, current resources often fall short in addressing the unique challenges these children face. These challenges include mastering the right-to-left structure of Persian script, distinguishing pronunciation distinctions and homophones, and recognizing visually similar letters.

The TooTak project aims to overcome these obstacles by developing an innovative mobile application that employs game-based learning methodologies. Building on existing research that highlights the benefits of gesture-based actions and digital game-based learning for children, this project leverages interactive and multimodal game elements to enhance language acquisition. The application integrates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities to make learning Persian engaging and effective.

Our project is structured into three phases:
(a) understanding the problem through community engagement and literature review,
(b) designing and developing multiple prototypes, and
(c) user evaluation.

We have engaged a diverse team of curriculum and second language acquisition specialists from institutions such as UCUI, University of Chicago, University of Maryland, and the University of Ottawa, as well as educators from the Association of Persian Schools in the USA, to ensure the pedagogical soundness of the learning materials.

The current working prototype of the TooTak app features a progressive curriculum that covers vowels, letter-vowel combinations, sentence building, and reading comprehension. Through a design-based research approach, we will conduct cycles of design, implementation, and evaluation. Our iterative process involves extensive field testing with Iranian children and their families to refine the app based on real user feedback. This approach ensures that the final product is not only theoretically sound but also practically effective in real-world settings.

Initial user studies have shown promising results, indicating that the app’s interactive and game-based features significantly improve engagement and motivation among young learners. By associating gestures with specific letters and sounds, children find it easier to remember and distinguish between similar letters and words. The use of culturally relevant content further enhances the learning experience, helping children build a strong connection to their heritage.

This project represents a significant advancement in the field of heritage language education. By harnessing the power of game-based learning and integrating cultural elements into the curriculum, we aim to create a sustainable and impactful tool for teaching Persian to children in the diaspora. This project not only addresses the linguistic needs of Persian-speaking communities but also promotes cultural preservation and a sense of belonging among young learners. The TooTak project also aims to contribute to the broader field of heritage language education by providing a model that can be adapted for other minority languages.

Keywords:

Technology, Education, Game-based Learning, Inclusive Learning, Cultural Diversity.