English for a Song™ (EFAS)

A free portable tutor with an innovative, interactive music and games format, designed for adults and young adults who need to master basic English skills in order to pass high school equivalency exams, prepare for college admission tests, and succeed in college classes.
For the billions of students world-wide preparing to take English proficiency tests, the EFAS app goes beyond conversation to teach the fundamental structures of English.


The App

WHO BENEFITS FROM ENGLISH FOR A SONG?

Why English for a Song™?

85% of current jobs and 90% of new jobs require some or more college or post-secondary education....
BUT:
Roughly 32 million Americans age 18 and up lack a high school diploma–and that number grows yearly
On average, 200,000 high-school dropouts who sit for high school equivalency exams each year fail to pass
Black and Latinx students in particular struggle to achieve higher levels of education: data indicates their population size shrinks by 27% at each educational tier
1 in 4 college freshmen pay on average $3000 for no-credit English remedial coursework, costing US families $1.5 billion a year
First-year college students taking remedial courses are 74% more likely to drop out, with negative financial consequences over a lifetime
Millions of young immigrants to the US struggle to master the basics of English BUT funding for ESL/ELL classes has remained flat since 2002
1.6 billion learners worldwide strive to become fluent in English
35 million foreign students have taken the TOEFL test of English proficiency which is required for enrollment in American universities/colleges

English for a Song

Tens of millions of native English speakers can read and write pretty well BUT

• Have difficulty passing high-school equivalency or college admission tests
• May be admitted to community college but require uncredited remedial English classes
• Do not qualify for advanced job training programs due to poor English skills
• Struggle to comprehend high-level texts, such as complex news stories about politics, health, community issues, and other topics
• Have difficulty helping their children with English-based homework

Tens of millions of foreign-born adults in the U.S. may be literate in their own language BUT

• Struggle to comprehend spoken and written English
• Live in neighborhoods where little English is spoken
• May be stuck in low-level jobs because of poor English skills
• May have foreign educational credentials but have trouble obtaining U.S. degrees
• Can’t help their children with English-based homework and/or communicate with teachers

English for a Song

The App - How EFAS Works

A free, easy to use, accessible, English learning app for American adults and ESL students everywhere that uses music to inspire and teach.

EFAS is an appealing and innovative approach to English-language learning that features:
• Curated hit songs in English, in popular genres from rock and roll to rap to country & western to the golden oldies, sung by famous artists
• Playful activities based on the song lyrics that teach the essentials of English
• Continuous assessment to tailor games to the user’s level of proficiency and need
• A multi-layered curriculum developed by adult education experts and based on studies that show the efficacy of language-learning through music.



Music People Love

EFAS entices learners through its menu of popular songs drawn from a range of genres: pop, rock, C&W, rap, blues, R&B, and golden oldies.



A Simple Workflow

Learners build fluency as they sing along to new or familiar lyrics. Then they move on to interactive English learning activities based on the song.



Learning as a Game

The carefully-scaffolded EFAS curriculum prompts learners to engage in playful lessons and games that teach different levels of grammar, vocabulary and idioms, reading comprehension and writing.

THE MARKET

The app is intended to be free for the end-user in the United States and around the world, while programs and institutions can buy EFAS licenses and get access to valuable diagnostic backend data about user progress.
EFAS Total Addressable Market is:

Community Colleges and Universities:
• 4200 Community Colleges and Universities with 25 million full and part-time students
• The 40% of college and community college students stuck in developmental English classes
Educational Institutions:
• 67,000 public middle and high schools in 13,500 districts
• 30,900 private schools
• 50.1 million students in middle and secondary schools
Public Libraries and Library Systems:
• 16,887 public libraries
Immigration:
• 42.4 million immigrants (including undocumented) living in the United States
Farm workers:
• The thousands of children of farmworkers, 16 and up, served annually by the High School Equivalency Program (HEP)

English for a Song Revenue Projections

UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES:


There are lots of English-teaching websites out there -- but there’s nothing like ENGLISH FOR A SONG™

TUNEFUL

Popular music is the heartbeat of the app: it’s what distinguishes EFAS from rote, workbook-like English teaching tools. Learners can start with songs they know and love or pick new tunes from our varied playlist.

RELIABLE

EFAS is an ever-present English tutor that learners and teachers can count on; best of all, it’s free to the adult learner.


BALANCED

The EFAS app strikes the ideal mix of fun + learning, combining game-like instruction with academic rigor. Song-based activities make repeated practice enjoyable.

LEGIT

The EFAS curriculum is the real deal: our expert team is knowledgeable about accepted standards and strategies for effective adult basic education. Adults who use the app repeatedly are expected to improve their reading, writing, and listening skills in measurable ways.

RECIPROCAL

The EFAS team doesn’t take learners’ commitment lightly: we guide, reinforce, and encourage at every step of their learning journey.

ADAPTABLE

EFAS creates a new platform, the basis for a versatile product that can be adapted into other languages and into diverse social and community settings.

 
 

Team

Person

Joshua Harrison

PRESIDENT - PROJECT LEAD AND CO-DEVELOPER

Josh spent over 20 years in interactive and instructional media, designing, developing and producing inspiring and effective educational and training programs, marketing tools, product launch training and other learning tools for Fortune 100 corporations. His work in interactive technology led to a Fulbright fellowship in Argentina in 1995-6 researching how a then new thing called the “internet” affected the ways we learn and transfer knowledge. He is currently Co-Director of The Center for the Study of the Force Majeure, a climate research center based in UC Santa Cruz.

Person

Lora Myers

CHIEF ADULT BASIC EDUCATION EXPERT AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPER

Lora created numerous adult basic education and GED programs for members of 1199/SEIU, the healthcare workers’ union. She worked for ten years as Curriculum Director at TV411, a nonprofit project that created multimedia learning materials that help low-literate adults learn the basics of reading, writing, math, finance, and health literacy. She co-authored two books aimed at helping parents strengthen their children’s reading and writing abilities.

Person

Paul Shorr

DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST - PROJECT DIRECTOR

Paul is a producer, technology strategist and programmer of eLearning and computer-based training programs, delivering projects to the pharmaceutical, technology, banking and consumer products industries. Paul directs the efforts of information architects, instructional designers, graphic designers, programmers, graphic artists, compression artists, testers and end-user support staff in the creation of eLearning, websites, exhibits, apps, performance support systems and training.

Person

Simone Tarantino

BUSINESS ADVISOR AND INFORMATION ARCHITECT

Boasting more than 20 years of tech and business experience, Simone started his career with companies like Intel and Acer. In 2001, he launched a management and marketing consulting company focused on creating new intersections between technology and the workplace to create smarter and more efficient ways to conduct business. After that, in addition to founding Inspect Manager, a cloud-based testing infrastructure, he also invested in and co-founded AudioBox.fm, one of the most advanced media platforms in the cloud, Gallery Records, an international record label, expanded the disruptive co-living concept of Startup Home from UK to the US, and other successful ventures, including ImpactMentors, a path to funding for underrepresented entrepreneus.

Person

Alex Porter

HEAD OF ENGINEERING

Trained in Music and German Literature, Alexander was first drawn to software engineering through his work in composition, and a desire to build a more interactive performance experience with electronics. Over the course of this pursuit, Alexander has attained fluency in the wide range of technologies necessary for modern full-stack development. Alexander’s areas of expertise include: digital audio processing and synthesis, apis, streaming, and interactivity. Originally from Eastern Montana, Alexander finds solace and inspiration in the outdoors. English for a Song exists at the intersection of his interests in music, education, and software development.

Get Involved

Help us help millions of American adults improve their English — and their lives!

Become a shareholder in English for a Song, Inc. a Public Benefit Corporation. We expect to generate revenue but only after putting public good first!

INVEST
invest@englishforasong.org

Make a tax-deductible contribution to our 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor, the Center for New American Media.

DONATE
donate@englishforasong.org

Help us bring EFAS to life: through your programming skills, your adult education expertise, your knack for fundraising, or your connections to the music industry.

VOLUNTEER
volunteer@englishforasong.org




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Partners

CNAM
TV411
Pearlfisher
ustwo
Cozmic Group