Contract Open

Building Math Literacy Confidence for Early Multilingual Learners: An Inclusive EdTech Solution

NCSER

Program: Small Business Innovation Research

Award amount: $250,000

Project director: Rashi Bahri

Awardee:

Shoonya Digital

Year: 2025

Award period: 8 months (09/12/2025 - 05/11/2026)

Project type:

Phase I Development

Contract number: 91990025C0099

Purpose

This project will develop and evaluate Shoonya Kids, a multilingual, game-based learning platform that supports mathematics and early literacy instruction for English Learners (ELs) in preschool, transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade. Many ELs lack access to culturally relevant, language-supported math instruction, creating early learning gaps that persist through later grades. Shoonya Kids addresses this challenge by integrating math concepts with foundational literacy skills in both English and Spanish through engaging, developmentally appropriate activities. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate feasibility, improve learning outcomes for EL students, and provide teachers with classroom tools that can scale across diverse school contexts.

Project Activities

The project team will design and prototype digital activities that integrate Common Core–aligned math skills with early literacy instruction, incorporating bilingual supports and culturally relevant themes. Activities will be accessible through a student-facing tablet application and paired with a teacher portal that organizes resources by topic, module, and activity type. The team will work with curriculum experts, including Dr. Melissa Morgenlander, and research partners at WestEd to guide content design and ensure alignment with evidence-based practices.

New math activities to support early math literacy will be integrated into the existing app and piloted with bilingual classrooms to test usability, engagement, and early learning outcomes. Data on accuracy, attempts, activity completion and usage will inform iterative design improvements. The project will also develop onboarding materials and professional development resources to support teachers in implementation. Findings will be used to refine the product and prepare for a larger efficacy study in Phase II.