Blog – Brighten Learning

The True Cost of Educating our Children

October 22, 2016

Do you know which sector of the US economy is worth $1.3 trillion dollars? Here’s a hint: it is the second largest economic sector in the United States, claiming almost 9% of the US GDP. Yes, it is the education…

Amazing Apps for Autism You Absolutely Need to Try

October 17, 2016

Kids love their devices. Basic web-enabled devices – laptops, smartphones, and tablets – open a universe of learning for children. Kids with autism spectrum disorder can have a high degree of digital readiness, and find device learning second nature. Autism…

How employees with autism are helping one business thrive.

October 3, 2016

In this installment of Stories to Inspire, the focus is on the D’Eri family, who are currently challenging the stigma regarding autistic employees. Their inspiring story appeared on upstanders.starbucks.com, a blog created by Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekran. The site profiles…

Great Social Skills Training Programs

September 19, 2016

Have you tried www.thesocialexpress.com for your child yet? School licenses also available.Recently I have come across many educational Apps & programs while searching for tools and programs to assist special needs children. It’s simply amazing what educational Apps can achieve where standard…

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) software, The Social Express®, Touches Down in Africa

August 5, 2016

The Language Express, Inc. (USA) partners with Prognari to teach Social Emotional Intelligence Skills across Africa SAN DIEGO, United States of America, August 5, 2016/APO/ — The Language Express, Inc. (USA) partners with Prognari to teach Social Emotional Intelligence Skills…

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) software, The Social Express®, Touches Down in Africa

August 5, 2016

The Language Express, Inc. (USA) partners with Prognari to teach Social Emotional Intelligence Skills across Africa SAN DIEGO, United States of America, August 5, 2016/APO/ — The Language Express, Inc. (USA) partners with Prognari to teach Social Emotional Intelligence Skills across Africa Collaboration, communication and problem-solving skills will help African students succeed in a quickly…

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) software, The Social Express®, Touches Down in Africa

August 5, 2016

The Language Express, Inc. (USA) partners with Prognari to teach Social Emotional Intelligence Skills across Africa SAN DIEGO, United States of America, August 5, 2016/APO/ — The Language Express, Inc. (USA) partners with Prognari to teach Social Emotional Intelligence Skills across Africa Collaboration, communication and problem-solving skills will help African students succeed in a quickly…

Boy With Autism Helps Rescue Dogs Get Socialized By Reading To Them

July 1, 2016

Recently, a story appeared on The Huffington Post about a six-year old boy with autism that has formed a love for dogs. Jacob Tumalan, a resident of Gardena, California, visits a nearby animal shelter and reads to dogs that have…

This Video Game Is Helping Kids with Special Needs

May 6, 2016

Marc Zimmerman created Social Express to help his autistic twin boys understand the world around them. Now the game is helping kids all over the world. by Jessica Toomer Musician Marc Zimmerman had been disappointed with how schools handled his twin autistic boys for some time. As a result of autism, his third-grade sons needed extra help developing social and emotional…

Parents of Twins with Autism Open Up About the App They Created to Help Kids Develop Social Skills: It’s ‘Incredible’ to See Its Impact

May 3, 2016

By Tiare Dunlap @tiaredunlap 04/29/2016 AT 01:50 PM EDT Shari Grande and her husband call the day their two-year-old son Elijah was diagnosed with autism “the day of nevers.” “His physician told us he’ll never talk, he’ll never interact, it was just one ‘never’ after the next,” Grande, 49, tells PEOPLE. Eleven years after his…

Learning Social-Emotional Skills in the 21st Century

April 25, 2016

By Heather Lowe on Thu, 21 Apr 2016 It was the winter of 1997, and as my grandmother hung up the phone, tears gradually began to stream down her face. Another one of her friends, a close one, had died. I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her as she cried. It was…

For kids with autism, this tech matters- CNET

April 6, 2016

For these kids, games and cute robots are more than just fun. On World Autism Awareness Day, we look at some of the ways technology is improving the lives of those with the condition. CNET Tech Culture April 2, 20165:00 AM PDT Amanda Kooser mugshot by Amanda Kooser @akooser Leslie Katz mugshot by Leslie Katz…

Social-Emotional Learning Would Benefit From Tech Innovations, Report Says

March 31, 2016

New report identifies key areas for growth By Benjamin Herold Article Tools Educational technology can help students develop important social and emotional skills and character traits, but the market for such tools is currently underdeveloped, concludes a new report from the World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting Group. The report, titled “New Vision for…

These Parents of Autistic Twins Are Helping Kids All Over the World with Social Skills

March 30, 2016

When Marc Zimmerman’s twins were given an autism diagnosis, he decided to create something to make their lives better. By Jamie Pacton Courtesy Marc Zimmerman Marc Zimmerman has been a rockstar, composer, real estate broker, and software startup entrepreneur. But his latest project—founding and running the company responsible for the incredible social situation simulator The…

The Social Express Included In The US Department of Education 2016 National Education Technology Plan

March 14, 2016

ENCINITAS, Calif. – March 14, 2016 – The Social Express®, the award winning interactive program for children with social learning challenges, has been included in the latest version of the National Education Technology Plan 2016 – Future Ready Learning: Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education, published by the US Department of Education’s Office of…