Finland-based Moilo has made its language-training application, Moka Mera Lingua, available in German language.

Helsinki, 14 January 2021 – Helsinki-based Moilo has added German to its language-training application, Moka Mera Lingua. Currently, the application is available in nine languages and provides the opportunity for 3-8 year-olds to combine gaming, play and learning in a fun and pedagogical way. 

The German language addition was enabled at the end of last year through the financial support of the German Embassy in Helsinki and the Goethe-Institut Finland. “Promoting German as a foreign language worldwide is an important goal of our foreign cultural and educational policy,” commented Konrad Arz von Straussenburg, German ambassador to Finland. Recognizing the many advantages language skills bring to young children in today’s globalized society, he continued: “Languages are the door to our world, and learning a foreign language stands for international communication and mutual understanding. This leads to empathy and friendship which considerably eases our economic and political relations with countries all over the world – and ultimately it contributes to our prosperity.” 

“We cannot start learning foreign languages at an early enough age since children learn languages faster and easier. Moreover, speaking German has the potential to connect you to over 100 million German speakers – it’s the most widely spoken mother language in the European Union,” said Ulrike Eichstädt, Head of Language Department at the Goethe-Institut Finland. She is confident in the potential of the application to teach German to a new generation of learners, even more so when applied in kindergartens and by teachers at school. She added: “As a cultural institution, we believe language and culture are linked. Learning a foreign language increases your awareness of other worldviews and can contribute to averting selfish and nationalistic thoughts.”   

In terms of new languages to learn, German tends to be seen as difficult; however, Moka Mera Lingua shows the many similarities between words in different languages and thus makes learning accessible to anyone. Based on Finnish pedagogy, the application teaches languages in a playful context, in which children engage with two animated characters named Atlas and Moka Mera. 

“At Moilo, we strongly believe in ‘learning through play’,” said Co-Founder of Moilo, Petra Holm. “Like learning any skill, acquiring a new language has to be fun. The task of teaching is to trigger curiosity in children, so that they want to learn. More importantly, in Finnish pedagogy building resilience has a central role – an ability to cope with and adapt to unexpected situations, also allowing you to make mistakes and try again.”

According to Petra Holm, there has been a noticeable demand for a German language option, making the newest addition a much-welcomed development in Finland. Arz von Straussenburg shares this sentiment: “The addition of German to Moka Mera Lingua is an outstanding example of close German-Finnish co-operation. It is a project grounded in shared values and demonstrates how both countries value education and exchange.”Moka Mera Lingua is free to download and already heavily used in Finland, as well as in countries including Sweden, The Netherlands, Colombia, Vietnam and China.  It contains no ads or in-app purchases, and it does not collect any user data. It is safe to use and follows all guidelines regarding digital content for children.  

For more information and interview requests, please contact:

Moilo 

Petra Holm  
Co-Founder
+358 40 844 2622
petra.holm@moilo.fi

Goethe-Institut Finland 

Jana Bobkova
Tiedottaja
+358 44 722 2700
jana.bobkova@goethe.de

German Embassy Helsinki

Nora Fritzsche
Head of Media Relations
+358 50 364 6814
pr-1@hels.diplo.de