VIPKID Signs Strategic Cooperation Agreement with HMH to Bring Premium English Content
Beijing-based global leading education startup, VIPKID, announced a strategic cooperation agreement with global educational and trade publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) on August 28, making the former the first online education platform to get full access to HMH’s K12 curricula. The content will be adapted for online education and localized to better serve the growing Chinese market of English learning.
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The cooperation this time entails an official authorization for VIPKID’s online learning platform to adopt K12 ELA curricula from HMH. The contents include three series of reading books that foster deep reading and critical thinking, namely, Journeys (GK-G5), Collections (G4-G8), and Escalate (G6-G12).
According to Cindy Mi, founder and CEO of VIPKID, the three book series are well-known for their premium quality. She said that there are currently over 6.7 million American elementary students using the Journeys series, and numerous high schools across the United States using Collections. Escalate English, on the other hand, was named the best instructional solution for English Language Learners of 2017 in the 32nd annual SIIA CODiE Awards.
Using the three original book series as the basis, the two English education giants are devising together a brand new online English curriculum for advanced English learning for kids (ages 5 through 18). The new program will be highly personalized to cater to the specific needs of each Chinese student, allowing them to be on the same page as American students in terms of English education.
HMH’s senior vice president, Sam Bonfante, said the cooperation will serve as a linchpin to both companies in terms of combining digital innovation with highly effective content to make learning more engaging and effective for children.
Mi also announced the official launch of the “global quality teaching material pioneer” initiative. The company is planning to cooperate with over 20 different global educational institutes, including HMH, to research and develop more high quality and enriching educational materials for Chinese students in the next five years.
