10 Free or Inexpensive Educational Apps That Could Help Underprivileged Students Close the Racial Achievement Gap

common core

Common Core

This app doesn’t involve games or activities but it’s perhaps one of the most important apps for students, teachers and parents at underprivileged schools to utilize. The app clearly defines and lists all the core state standards that students need to meet during their K-12 years. Having access to this information is important for many reasons. For parents, it can help them follow along with their child’s classes to make sure they are truly getting all the information they need to succeed. For teachers, they can make notes through the app to keep track with what concepts their students have mastered and which ones they need more practice with. This means they can better monitor how prepared their students will be when it comes time to take standardized tests or move on to more challenging concepts. It also has educational resources like glossaries and helpful tips for students using the app.

duolingo

Duolingo

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill noted that while learning a foreign language often helps students succeed both academically and later in their career, many students at underprivileged schools miss out on this opportunity. It turns out that many underprivileged schools don’t have the type of veteran teachers that can really get students involved in learning a foreign language and boosting their overall literacy and academic performance. With so many studies pointing to the benefits of a thorough foreign language program, Duolingo is a great resource for students at underprivileged schools. The free app allows students to learn a variety of languages for free including Spanish, French, German, Swedish and more. The app has earned praised from Time magazine, The Wall Street Journal and PC Magazine for its effectiveness and ability to get students “addicted” to learning foreign languages. Students become engaged in games and virtual lessons and as they continue their journey to reach the next level, they don’t even realize they are picking up foreign language skills along the way.