From Afrikaans to Zulu

When it’s fun it doesn’t feel like learning. That’s one of the mantras that Eurotalk lives by in its development of language learning software for 112 different languages.

A KTP project at interactive language learning company, Eurotalk, will bring an extensive software library to mobile phones and other hand-held devices to over 40 countries. Eurotalk’s next vision is to make their software accessible through mobile phones. DVD’s and hand-held devices so that people across the globe can easily access the software they need to learn a new language. “We know we have got a fantastic library of products and we have a particular platform it works on, but we can see other platforms that the same library can work on,” said Richard Howeson, Managing Director of Eurotalk.

Although making Eurotalk’s products available on more than one platform began as a hope, it is now becoming a major part of the company’s business plan through the help of London South Bank Universities KTP programme. “Anything involved with the government is bureaucratic, yet our experience so far is that we have been surprised at how un-bureaucratic it is. The KTP gets right to the core of the problem; it gets right to the core of the project. Without KTP it is highly unlikely that we would have got this far already,” praises Richard.

One of the reasons Eurotalk is working toward providing their language-learning software to mobile phones and other hand-held devices is because of the easy access it will provide to language students in developing countries. Although a small percentage of the world’s population have access to computers, many more have access to mobile phones or DVD players. Eurotalk is working with the charity ‘The Starfish Initiative’ to develop language lessons on more readily available platforms aimed at users in developing areas of Africa.

At the centre of Eurotalk’s KTP project is KTP Associate Oszkar Nagy who will be using his computer and design skills to create fun language lessons available in alternate platforms as well as for purchase on the internet. Not even half way through his project, Oszkar has already written a scientific paper on the topic of Mobile Educational Content and presented it at The 2006 World Congress in Computer Science held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oszkar’s paper helped focus on the goals of his KTP project that will create new mobile language-learning graphics for thousands of children and adults trying to learn a new language. “The KTP has helped Eurotalk explore these new platforms without spending a lot of money,” commented Richard. “The costs of the KTP are low compared to the project’s returns. Yet the key benefits are not just financial, it can help companies get the resources to carry out a project in a disciplined manner.”

Professor Allen Long, academic on the project said the KTP at Eurotalk is at the forefront of new technology. “Mobile computing technology is a hot topic and it gives us the know-how to deploy a real-world system.”

Encouraged by early KTP success, Eurotalk recently decided to pursue a second KTP project aimed at developing a multi-language e-commerce system to help increase over-seas sales.