As the cost and complexity of language localization creates barriers to information and participation, marginalized communities face a digital divide. SIL LEAD helps communities and their partners leverage technology to simplify the complex process of language development, making health education and early grade reading programs more effective. 

Using free, open source programs such as Bloom, SynPhony, and WeSay, communities can build their own library of graded reading materials, dictionaries, or resource materials—in their own language.

WeSay helps communities build wordlists and organize them into a dictionary format. These wordlists can then be analyzed using SynPhony to optimize them according to grade level. Finally, Bloom makes it easy for authors to create grade-level appropriate reading stories with the optimized wordlists.

Small language communities have been overlooked by the publishing industry, which needs big audiences to justify large print runs. Cost and complexity has traditionally prevented NGOs and community organizations from localizing information themselves. As a result, communities lack access to vital information along with enough reading materials to teach literacy in their own language.  Bloom makes it easy to create simple materials and to translate these materials into multiple languages.  

Visit The Bloom Website

Simple words in one language can become complicated words in another. SynPhony helps educators improve mother tongue literacy acquisition by optimizing the introduction of letters and words in reading curricula to create graded reading materials.

Creating a dictionary is an arduous task. WeSay helps communities gather words and organize them into a dictionary. 

It's simple, easy-to-use, and prompts language speakers to think of words and associations for their dictionary.

Visit the WeSay Website

From the Blog...