The Science behind BZabc

BZabc.tv is a uniquely effective system for enabling young learners to embed language and math skills, eliminating learning gaps. Let me outline the principal reasons why.

BZabc embodies Mastery Learning. From the linked article: 'Mastery learning maintains that students must achieve a level of mastery (e.g., 90% on a knowledge test) in prerequisite knowledge before moving forward to learn subsequent information. If a student does not achieve mastery on the test, they are given additional support in learning and reviewing the information and then tested again. This cycle continues until the learner accomplishes mastery, and they may then move on to the next stage.'

BZabc is similar, but we focus on successful core skills' acquisition, which is chiefly about the development of ability through successful practice. Think of it this way: anyone can learn to read music, but that doesn’t mean they can then play the piano. Knowing all the rules and stats of basketball doesn't mean one would have the skills even to bounce a basketball, let alone play for the Raptors. A musician or athlete develops skills unique to the performance demands of their chosen field. Successful practice is not just 'helpful' it is *the way*.

Similarly, when we speak a language or perform math operations, we are improvising - spontaneously making use of all the skills we have naturally developed during our lives, particularly in early life. So BZabc isn’t about imparting information, it’s about developing core skills: ability.

Our multidimensional blended learning approach simultaneously develops all the various skills kids need in language and math to speak, listen, read and write the language, in other words, to function naturally in language and math. Let’s look at how it does that.

ENGAGEMENT

If there’s one truth about learning, it’s that you won’t absorb anything if you’re not paying attention. Because our children are fully engaged at every stage in the learning process, BZabc.tv offers a system that the traditional textbook and classroom approach simply can’t touch. So keeping kids engaged, entertained and wanting to come back for more is at the heart of what makes BZabc.tv. successful.

SPACED REPETITION

Another key principle of BZabc is reinforcement or spaced repetition, as referred to in educational psychology. It has been experimentally shown to be highly effective. Just as a musician needs constant practice in order to improve, a language student needs regular skills training to get more proficient in all aspects of language use. This is where information becomes truly internalized, and knowledge becomes a skill. Therefore, our user-specific navigation system makes sure that young learners get lots of review and reinforcement of material they’ve already covered, while constantly exercising their burgeoning language skills.

RETRIEVAL PRACTICE

Our quizzes also form another important training dimension. By regularly making kids remember and use what they’ve learned, they’ll soon find they have everything they know at their fingertips. This approach is sometimes called retrieval practice, and like spaced repetition, it’s been demonstrated by clinical psychologists to be an excellent tool for developing fluency and accuracy in language use. The result is that kids stop thinking about language and math, they just use it.

There are plenty of examples, Patricia Kuhl discusses the optimal age for learning in a TED video. Also, a Business Insider article actually refers to a study with Taiwanese-American kids exposed to multiple languages and mathematics and how quickly they acquire skills in all, in a sense, getting 'hard-wired' for language and math skills by employing this technique naturally.

'Babies and children are geniuses until they reach 7, then there's a systematic decline. After puberty, we fall off the Map'. According to the research cited above, the most effective time to start learning a second language and developing listening and speaking skills is in early childhood. However, in many countries, children do not begin learning second languages or math until they are 6 or 7 years old, and the focus is often more on writing than on oral skills. This means that the traditional approach to language and math education may not be optimal for maximizing learning outcomes.

Our carefully structured approach, employing a combination of evidence-supported methodologies, make BZabc.tv uniquely effective in helping kids develop instinctive listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in language and math in a natural and coherent manner.