Learn a New Language
FlipWord teaches language by integrating learning into everyday activities.
PROBLEM
Language educators and app developers have tried to increase the effectiveness of their lessons by making learning more fun.
These efforts, however, have done little to improve results. Knowledge fades. Review habits don’t stick.
Based on the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, half of new memories are lost within a few days unless reviewed. Even though review is part of traditional language curriculum, no teacher can help after the semester ends.
Language apps schedule learning and review for users. But people ignore their scheduled notifications, procrastinate studying, or stop visiting the app entirely.
SOLUTION
FlipWord integrates effortless language learning into web browsing.
FlipWord is a Chrome Extension (and soon mobile app) that intelligently and automatically replaces a few words with the language you want to learn on every English webpage, as you casually browse the web.
Simply hover over to access a bite-sized lesson. Your knowledge will grow exponentially, quantified through progress charts and various tiny quizzes.
With FlipWord, you don't need to set aside any time to learn. Instead, you constantly learn as you browse your favorite content. FlipWord aims to make sure this personal but effective habit will accompany you through life.
STATS
* Over 6,000 users signed up for the company's beta, with over 50% user retention
* Addressing $5 billion online language learning industry
* Earned Top Prize at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC) Cozad New Venture Competition
* Founded by two passionate UIUC alumni with experience working at Amazon, and New Oriental (Asia's largest language-training company).
Thomas earned Top Prize at the University of Illinois Cozad New Venture Competition.
He earned degrees from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Missouri University of Science and Technology (UMR).
Yinghua earned her Bachelor's Degree from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, and her Master's Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
She has been a Graduate Teaching Assistant at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a User Experience Researcher at John Deere, and an English as a Second Language Instructor at New Oriental Education & Technology Group.