Helping Children Learn to Read Using Games
News Release
Funding supports the development of export opportunities for animated, online reading platform
October 15, 2017 – Bayers Lake, NS – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Squiggle Park is an exciting new learning tool that is helping children and educators on the path to early reading success, a key building block to lifelong learning and participating in highly skilled workforces of the future.
Thanks to a $500,000 investment from the Government of Canada, Squiggle Park’s online, animated learning environment is now ready for international marketing.
The announcement was made today by Darrell Samson, Member of Parliament for Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
Squiggle Park is a world filled with fun games that helps kids master their pre-reading skills through practice and play. Simple to use dashboards allow teachers to track student progress and inform instruction. The games can be played both in the classroom and at home, helping align the time children are playing to their expected reading outcomes at each stage of learning.
The funds enabled Squiggle Park to acquire specialized equipment, test the product and bring it to its current level. Launched twelve months ago, Squiggle Park has been used by more than 4,000 schools throughout Canada and the United States, with the number of users in countries such as China growing at a rapid pace.
The funding is being allocated through ACOA’s Business Development Program, which supports small and medium-sized enterprises and not-for-profit organizations that provide support to Atlantic businesses. This investment builds on commitments made by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces to build a vibrant economic future in the region through the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which supports strategic investments in initiatives that address both longstanding and emerging regional challenges as well as the growth of the middle class.
Quotes
“Our continued focus with the Atlantic Growth Strategy is hinged on revitalizing the economy, growing the middle class and improving overall quality of life. The Government of Canada is pleased to support Squiggle Park as they work to increase literacy rates by developing new tools to assist children with mastering a critical skill in their education.”
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA
“Education is the key to a successful society. A strong foundation in literacy will ensure greater success and prosperity. This educational tool will help in this important process.”
- Darrell Samson, Member of Parliament for Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook
"We’re thrilled that a Nova Scotia company values literacy as much as we do. Having Squiggle Park as part of the Nova Scotia Book Bureau is significant. We’re proud to support any product that promotes reading and literacy.”
- Sandra McKenzie, Deputy Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Government of Nova Scotia
“We set out to create a game that was so effective it would raise global literacy starting here at home in Nova Scotia. Now, only 12 months after being launched in classrooms and at home, we are so proud of the program’s success and feel even more driven to help every child become a strong and confident reader through play.”
- Julia Dexter, Co-founder & CMO, Squiggle Park
“Kids are playing 10,000 hours of online games by age 21. If we can shift that time to be spent on building a solid reading foundation, then we can change education at a huge scale”
- Leah Skerry, Squiggle Park CEO and Co-founder
“Squiggle Park provides children the opportunity to utilize technology to further develop their literacy skills. This tool has assisted many children who attend our clubs in a fun and engaging way that we have never seen before.”
- John Burton, Atlantic Regional Director, Boys and Girls Club of Canada
“Squiggle Park is an education tool that does everything it claims to. Students are engaged and loving it! It is wonderful to finally have a Canadian made program as high quality as this.”
- Shelley Langille, DES Resource Teacher, CCRSB, Nova Scotia
Quick Facts
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The Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has added Squiggle Park to the Nova Scotia Book Bureau to make the program accessible to all Nova Scotian public school students.
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In addition to its success in schools, the program is enhancing after school programming in Boys and Girls Club of Canada and the YMCA.
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Squiggle Park covers topics including print knowledge, phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words and spelling.
Associated Links
Contacts
Alex Smith
Director of Communications and Outreach
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Phone: 902-426-9417 / 902-830-3839 (cell)
E-mail: alex.smith@canada.ca
Julia Dexter
Co-Founder & CMO
Squiggle Park
Phone: 902-222-5838 (cell)
Email: julia@squigglepark.com
@SquiggleParkEDU