Feed the Monster available in 25 languages
Feed the Monster was developed with the aim to help Arabic-speaking children learn to read. Since the launch of the game in March 2017, the non-profit foundation Curious Learning has developed an impressive number of different language versions of the game.
18 months after the game was first made available for download, it is now possible to choose between 25 language versions of the game for Android on Google Play.
The game is available in a wide range of languages, including Kiswahili, Oluganda, Yoruba, Brazilian Portuguese, Hindi and Turkish. Curious Learning purposefully chose languages used in parts of the world where a great number of children lack quality literacy learning opportunities when developing new versions of the game.
Open source localization kit
Based on Curious Learning’s experiences in localizing the original Arabic version of Feed the Monster to new languages, they have developed an open source localization kit in collaboration with the UNICEF Innovation Fund. The toolkit aims to provide an overview and specific guidelines concerning the process of localizing early learning apps, especially localizing literacy apps to other languages.
To localize an app means designing and building the app so that the process of converting to another language and/or culture becomes easier, faster, and less expensive. The kit demonstrates how various technical and design aspects of Feed the Monster make the game close to ideal for such localization.
The kit is available in Google Docs, in order for users to be able to provide feedback.
Listen to the King of Kannywood
Feed the Monster has already been localized to Nigerian Hausa. The well-known Hausa-speaking actor Ali Nuhu, also known as “the King of Kannywood”, has lent his voice to this game version.
The Nigerian Hausa game will be included in implementation research planned by the World Bank in the Nigerian states of Kano and Katsina.
The research will have a particular focus on innovative methods for providing literacy learning opportunities to young girls in the communities where they live. Many of these girls are deprived of the opportunity to attend school regularly both because of security risks associated with the journey to school and social norms, which discourage educating girls.
Part of the Global Digital Library
In addition to availability through Google Play, some of the Feed the Monster language versions are also available through the Global Digital Library. So far, three language versions of the game havebeen added to the platform.
The synergy between EduApp4Syria and the Global Digital Library was carefully planned;
“Feed the Monster is a perfect supplement to the books in the Global Digital Library. For someone who lacks even basic decoding skills, the learning app can be an excellent tool for learning to read letters, syllables and very simple words in a fun and interactive way. The books in the library are great resources for continuing to practice these early reading skills,” Liv Marte Nordhaug, project manager for both the Global Digital Library and EduApp4Syria at Norad asserts.
Feed the Monster is an open source app, and all language versions of the game are open-license and free. Curious Learning also plans to make a number of additional language versions, to be released over the coming months.