Get to Know Penda
Students with diverse abilities and skills can build their science knowledge with Penda Science. From auto-assigning activities based on individual mastery to translation from English to over 60 languages and sophisticated text-to-speech capabilities, Penda supports the inclusive classroom and makes science mastery fun, engaging and possible for all students.
Integration with Immersive Reader, a Microsoft Learning Tool, makes all of Penda’s interactive, game-based science activities accessible to learners of all abilities.
Using cutting-edge natural language processing (NLP) technology, Penda
activities can be translated into more than 60 languages. English Language
Learners (ELL) can choose to view activities completely in their native language
or select individual words to translate. Read-aloud in English and other languages
further increases access to science content as ELLs develop their language skills.
Penda activities are fully accessible to students struggling to read and can
even help build fluency and comprehension. Features like text read-aloud with
simultaneous highlighting, breaking words into syllables, isolating parts of speech,
and a picture dictionary help students navigate text and engage with content
that may be at a higher level than their reading ability.
Students with word-reading difficulties such as dyslexia will also benefit from
flexible display features like increasing the space between lines and letters,
changing the background color of text, and narrowing the focus of their reading
to just one, three or five lines at a time.
Penda is designed to meet students where they’re at in their learning. Every
student’s Penda activities are auto assigned and scaffolded based on their skill
and mastery level. A built-in feedback cycle supports independent learning by
providing students with opportunities to review and practice concepts they’re
struggling with.
The ability to increase the size of text and advanced read-aloud capabilities, that
even allow students to select the speed of reading and a male or female voice,
help students with visual impairments or learning differences to access Penda
content independently.
