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Learning Upgrade empowers NGOs around the globe to rapidly upskill learners in English ESL, math, test prep, and job skills via an engaging mobile solution.
Does your organization need to help people learn English, upskill for work, earn a diploma, or pass a test? Learning Upgrade helps you transform lives by rapidly upskilling underserved communities around the globe.
Our program does not require classrooms, computer equipment, instructional materials, transportation, or a large staff. The people you serve can learn at home on their own smartphones, and the staff helping them can be located anywhere in the world. With Learning Upgrade’s simple deployment and affordable pricing, your organization can scale up rapidly and impact large numbers of people.
We are already working with organizations globally to impact lives through learning. Can we help your organization? Let’s talk!
Each account provides access to thousands of standard-based lessons that use songs, video, and games to teach. Students take placement exams and start at their current learning level. At the end of each 60-lesson course, students must complete a cumulative test to earn a certificate.
Available on the web, smartphones, and tablets. Students self-enroll into engaging courses with full instruction, followed by practice questions that provide instant vocal and visual remediation.
Learning Upgrade courses begin with foundational lessons for pre-literate learners and build all the way up to GED, HiSET, and TOEFL/IELTS test prep. Our secret is a self-paced full immersion online lesson path that allows learners to gain confidence and progress at their own pace.
Learning Upgrade is more than just a fun and engaging ESL solution. We're also grand prize winners of the Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE! The Learning Upgrade app produced the greatest gains between pre- and post-test on a standardized, validated reading assessment in a field test of 12,000 adult learners.
We can help you customize a fast deployment that meets your program's needs. We've had over 3 million students go through Learning Upgrade courses, and have developed easy to deploy models for any program size.
The Learning Upgrade LMS can push login credentials and report cards to uploaded student accounts via SMS, WhatsApp, and email.
See individual growth with student reports that track progress by lesson, course, and subject area. We also track when students are logging in, which lessons they're working on, and when they complete a course. Reports can be exported for use in other LMS systems. Our LMS also has admin accounts to allow for tracking of multiple teacher accounts, multiple sites, or multiple districts with one login.
Set up a muilt-site directory to track all licensing, activity, and progress from a single login.
Students face many challenges when accessing traditional education pathways. Childcare, work responsibilities, and transportation being the most common issues that prevent students from attending fixed schedule classes in daytime hours. Learning Upgrade allows students to learn on their own schedules, while teachers track and monitor their progress remotely.
We regularly test the Learning Upgrade app on budget smartphones to ensure equitable access for all learners. This puts the power of a classroom into the hands of every student for synchronous work with a teacher or tutor, or self paced binge learning on their own time.
Education providers can sign up for a no-cost pilot with Learning Upgrade and continue with affordable licensing options.
Learning Upgrade’s courses provide a clear path to higher education and job growth. Each person starts at their own level and then moves up through ESL, literacy, math, diploma, and job skills. With easy access on their own smartphones at home, learners can make years of progress in just months of accelerated learning.
Education is the pathway to self reliance and opportunity. Learning Upgrade helps refugees achieve a higher quality of life through ESL, digital skills, life skills, mathematics, and financial literacy.
Learning Upgrade empowers education providers around the globe with the ability to adopt new approaches for delivering learning to refugees. NGOs and education providers are able to train, onboard, and track learners from anywhere in the world. Our app-based solution is self paced with grading, feedback, and remediation built in. This allows organizations to reach thousands of learners with only a small group of volunteers to manage the license.
Over 1 million immigrant children and adults have completed Learning Upgrade lessons including ESL, GED prep, math, digital literacy and work skills. Our remote learning model helps immigrant families learn at home using their own smartphones, enabling high time-on-task. Immigrants often engage in “binge learning” late into the evening after children have gone to sleep, so they can rapidly accelerate their skills to pass the GED, enter higher education, and qualify for better jobs. Organizations can enroll children and parents using a 2-Gen learning model which brings families out of poverty and prepares the next generation for academic success.
Learning Upgrade enables low-income people to accelerate their learning so they can access higher education and better jobs. The program gives people access on their smartphones to over 1,000 lessons which close the skills gap including English, math, digital literacy and work skills. Because the program is scalable and does not require computers, facilities, or transport, organizations can rapidly scale up to serving large numbers of underserved people.
There is a large gap between the basic skills of underserved people and the requirements of typical job training and college programs. Learning Upgrade enables people to start at any level of literacy and numeracy and rapidly make progress to full proficiency. Using their own smartphones at home, people can prepare for a diploma, GED, or qualification exams. Organizations can scale up to help large numbers of people upskill to reach their job goals.
Learning Upgrade empowers education providers around the globe to rapidly upskill their learners in English ESL, math, test prep, and digital skills via an engaging mobile solution.
The Learning Upgrade App and LMS
Our ESL Philosophy
The magic of Learning Upgrade’s online ESL solution is our ability to deliver a rigorous standards-based curriculum in a fun and engaging app-based format using songs, video, and games.
Unlike other ESL programs that only address language acquisition, Learning Upgrade teaches academic English that will prepare students for college level coursework.
The Student Journey
The Learning Upgrade App is a proven ESL solution for learners of all ages and levels. We’ve had millions of students use our proven and validated solution around the globe.
Learning Upgrade ESL for Adult Education
Instructors at traditional adult schools and community colleges can use Learning Upgrade in their blended-learning classes. Students can be onboarded centrally by teachers or remotely via self-enrollment. Teachers can then track and monitor all standards met and progress achieved using detailed LMS reports.
Learning Upgrade is perfect for adult education ESL classrooms because it works for all levels, from beginning literacy to advanced. Students improve their English with step-by-step lessons packed with interactive voice and visual help for real time feedback and remediation. This gives students an accelerated path towards English proficiency using their own smartphones and devices at home.
Learning Upgrade ESL for Refugees
Education is the pathway to self reliance and opportunity. Learning Upgrade helps refugees achieve a higher quality of life through ESL, digital skills, life skills, mathematics, and financial literacy.
Learning Upgrade empowers education providers around the globe with the ability to adopt new approaches for delivering learning to refugees. NGOs and education providers are able to train, onboard, and track learners from anywhere in the world. Our app-based solution is self paced with grading, feedback, and remediation built in. This allows organizations to reach thousands of learners with only a small group of volunteers to manage the license.
Learning Upgrade ESL for Libraries and Literacy Centers
Tutor-based education providers like literacy centers and libraries can expand their reach and empower their tutors with Learning Upgrade. Students at all ESL levels can onboard into a proven curriculum using their own devices while tutors and site directors track and monitor all progress.
We’ve helped libraries across the nation address their long tutor placement wait lists by enrolling students into our app. By the time students get paired up with a tutor, you’ll have granular data and reports to help target your intervention.
Learning Upgrade ESL for Workforce
Learning Upgrade is a proven education solution for English learners at all levels. We’ve been in use in K-12 ELL programs, adult school ESL programs, community college ESOL programs, and have partnered with many other types of ESL education providers over the past two decades.
Learning Upgrade is more than just a fun and engaging ESL solution, we’re also grand prize winners of the Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE. The Learning Upgrade app produced the greatest gains between pre- and post-test on a standardized, validated reading assessment in a field test of 12,000 adult learners.
You can read more about or success stories and see user testimonials on our News Page.
Learning Upgrade is a proven education solution for refugees and immigrants. Our courses are effective with pre-literate beginners and advanced students. Our focus is to help improve the self-reliance of immigrants and refugees while also increasing their employability and mobility.
Refugees and immigrants should not have to wait on traditional education pathways to be provided. Our smartphone based courses allow these students to learn anywhere and at any time. We also provide more than just traditional ESL, with courses in math, digital skills, and test prep.
Learning Upgrade is a proven and validated adult education provider partnering with hundreds of adult schools, community colleges, and literacy centers.
What makes Learning Upgrade so popular is our ability to engage learners, provide a wide range of courses, move the needle for students, and fit into any school budget. We provide measurable growth for CASAS, TABE 11/12, NRS, GED, HiSET, and more. Learning Upgrade is also able to work for in-person synchronous blended instruction or asynchronous remote learning.
Students at adult schools can be onboarded centrally by teachers or remotely via self-enrollment. Teachers can then track and monitor all standards met and progress achieved using detailed LMS reports and analytics.
Learning Upgrade is perfect for adult education ESL classrooms because it works for all levels, from beginning literacy to advanced. Students improve their English with step-by-step lessons packed with interactive voice and visual help for real time feedback and remediation. This gives students an accelerated path towards English proficiency using their own smartphones and devices at home.
IELTS and TOEFL are standardized tests for non-native English speakers needing to prove their English proficiency. Learning Upgrade is a proven ESL solution that will help students master the reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills needed to pass these exams.
Unlike other programs, we’re much more than just language acquisition. Learning Upgrade helps prepare learners for the academic reading and writing portions of the test with rigorous standards-based instruction.
For students ready to take the IELTS and TOEFL exams soon, we have 60-lesson IELTS and TOEFL prep courses. For students needing review or just beginning their ESL journey, we have six 60-lesson English courses with everything a student will need to know to demonstrate their proficiency.
Learning Upgrade is available for family home use and for school use.
For education providers, we provide a Learning Upgrade school license. Schools can get started with a free pilot and then purchase a site license from there. We also have licensing for districts, regions, and states. A school license provides access to our LMS for teachers and admins, and access to all of our courses for students.
For home use families and students, our app has a membership subscription. To get started, launch our app and click the buttons to ‘Sign Up’ with a ‘Personal Account’.
Learning Upgrade is a one app solution for English, math, test prep, and digital skills. Students get access to all of our courses with each license.
English Upgrade B to 5 (6 Courses – 300 Lessons)
Reading Upgrade and Comprehension Upgrade (2 Courses – 120 Lessons)
The Reading Upgrade course provides rapid intervention for students struggling to read proficiency. This includes students with reading difficulties including dyslexia, English learners, and older students who need to learn reading fundamentals. The Comprehension Upgrade course helps student to master the understanding of complex passages including literature, social studies, and science texts. Students learn key concepts like main idea and point of view through videos, examples, and practice questions.
Math Upgrade B to 8 (9 Courses – 540 Lessons)
The Math Upgrade courses help students overcome math struggles and become confident problem solvers ready for success in math classes and tests. Students start at their level and quickly fill in gaps to reach proficiency through interactive lessons filled with video, practice, and help.
Algebra Upgrade and Pre-Algebra Upgrade (2 Courses – 120 Lessons)
The Algebra and Pre-Algebra Upgrade courses prepare students for success in math classes and passing difficult tests. These courses go beyond simple practice to help students learn difficult concepts through video and interactive games. Students gain the confidence to solve a variety of problems step-by-step on their own.
GEDⓇ Math and HiSETⓇ Math (2 Courses – 120 Lessons)
Digital Literacy (1 Course – 60 Lessons)
The highly anticipated new Digital Literacy course in the Learning Upgrade program teaches digital literacy standards. The 60 engaging lessons use video, music, games, and rewards to help learners understand difficult tech topics. Learners get experience with content creation, messaging, data, privacy, security, and digital citizenship.
The Learning Upgrade app is available using the Chrome browser on Chromebooks and can be accessed using any browser on a laptop or desktop computer.
Students with iPhones, iPads, or Android mobile devices can download the Learning Upgrade app to access their courses. Learning Upgrade is not currently available on Amazon Fire tablets.
Each Learning Upgrade school accounts provides access to the Learning Upgrade LMS for teachers, tutors, and admins.
With the Learning Upgrade LMS, you can:
Learning Upgrade is free to start and affordable to grow. We provide free pilots with unlimited access to the Learning Upgrade student app and teacher LMS. Request a pilot.
Yes, the program is designed to assess students and can start them at the basic level.
Yes, we provide training for organization staff including volunteers.
No, the program can be implemented by facilitators since instruction is done within the lessons completed by learners on their own smartphones.
Yes, we have a 60-lesson IELTS course for test prep.
Yes, we have a 60-lesson TOEFL course for test prep.
Yes, our CEFR report shows starting and current levels for each student using the CEFR Scale: A1, A2, B1, B2,C1 and C2.
Yes, our NRS CASAS report shows starting and current levels for each student using the NRS levels 1 to 6 and the CASAS and CCRS levels.
Yes, we have our onboarding instructions in a number of languages and can accommodate new languages on request.
Yes, the program can send login credentials directly to students using Whatsapp or SMS text messages.
