Privacy Policy

The short version

• There are no accounts. Nobody signs up, logs in or gives an e-mail address to use the app.
• A child's name, picture and learning progress are saved only in the browser of the device being used, unless a class code from a teacher is typed in (see "Class codes" below).
• The learning app itself (the games, cards and stories a child plays with) shows no ads and sets no advertising or analytics cookies.
• The information pages of this site (word lists, level pages, the blog and similar pages) show advertising from Google AdSense (see "Advertising" below).
• A parent can delete everything at any time.

What the app stores on your device

To remember a learner between visits, the app saves the following in your browser's local storage:

• the first name or nickname and the picture chosen for each profile;
• learning progress: words seen and learned, stars, levels, stickers, badges, daily streak, minutes of study;
• choices such as level, difficulty, accent, speaking speed and sound settings;
• words a parent adds in Parents' Corner, and the Parents' Corner PIN if one is set.

Where this information goes

It stays on your device. Unless a class code is used, the app does not send profiles or progress to Speak English Center or to anyone else, and we cannot see them.

Because the information lives in the browser, it does not follow you to another phone, tablet or computer. Parents can save a backup file in Parents' Corner and load it on another device. That file is created on your device and is yours to keep.

Microphone and voice

Two activities can use the microphone, and only after you allow it in the browser: "Say It", where the child says a word, and the record-and-compare button on the word cards.

Recordings made on the word cards are played back on the device and are not saved or uploaded.

"Say It" uses the speech recognition built into your browser. Depending on the browser, the sound may be processed by the browser maker's own service to turn it into text. This is handled by your browser under its maker's privacy policy, not by us. You can use the whole app without ever turning the microphone on.

Services from other companies

• Fonts are loaded from Google Fonts. When a page loads, your browser asks Google's servers for the font files, which shows them your IP address, as with any website request.
• The spoken voice comes from your device or browser. Some browsers offer online voices that are produced by the browser maker's service.
• Like every website, the company that hosts this site may keep standard server logs (such as IP address, time and page requested) to keep the service running and secure.

Class codes

A teacher at our centre can give a learner a class code. Only if that code is typed into the app, the first name (or nickname) of that profile and its learning progress (words learned, stars, levels, minutes of study, quiz results) are saved on this site's server. This lets the teacher follow the learner's progress and lets the learner continue on another device.

No e-mail address, password, photo or other personal detail is asked for. Only the teacher and our staff can see this information. A parent can stop the sending at any time in Parents' Corner → Settings, and can ask us to delete what was saved. Without a class code, nothing about a learner leaves the device.

The contact form

If you write to us through the contact form, your name, e-mail address, subject and message are saved on this site's server, where only our staff can read them, and may also be sent to our mailbox, so that we can answer you. The internet address (IP address) the message came from is saved with it to keep automated spam out.

We use this information only to answer you. We do not add you to any mailing list and we do not share it. Please do not include a child's personal details in a message. You can ask us to delete your message at any time.

Cookies

The learning app does not set advertising or analytics cookies. It uses the browser's local storage for the information described above, and a cache so that it can open without an internet connection.

On the information pages that show ads, Google and its partners may set and read cookies, or use similar technologies, to show and measure ads.

Advertising

To help pay for this site, its information pages (for example word lists, level pages, game pages, story pages and the blog) show ads provided by Google AdSense. The learning app itself, the Privacy Policy, the Terms of Service and the Contact Us page do not show ads.

Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on those pages. You can read how Google uses information from sites that use its services at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites, and you can change your ad settings at adssettings.google.com.

We do not choose the single ads that are shown and we do not receive personal information about you from Google. If you see an ad that is not suitable for children, please tell us through the Contact Us page.

Children's privacy

The app is meant to be used by children together with, or with the permission of, a parent, guardian or teacher. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. We suggest using a first name or a nickname for a profile, never a full name.

Your choices

• Delete a profile, or reset its progress, in Parents' Corner → Settings.
• Delete everything by clearing this site's data in your browser settings.
• Refuse or withdraw microphone permission in your browser at any time.

Changes to this policy

If the app changes in a way that affects privacy, this page will be updated and the date below will change.

Questions

If you have a question about privacy, please get in touch through the Contact Us page.