“Teaching Hindi Literacy with an AI tutor” by Tom Delaney

Executive Summary

• Problem: 70% of 10-year-olds in Low-and-Middle Income Countries can’t read. In India, foundational literacy remains critically low, especially in Hindi-speaking regions.
• Intervention: An AI-powered app based on a proven pedagogy, which achieved +0.4 SD learning gains (equivalent to ~2 years of business as usual schooling) in 45-day RCTs involving thousands of government school students, using paper books. The app will guide 15-minute daily home sessions via parents' smartphones.
• Cost-effectiveness: Estimated $5 per person annual income doubling (Charity Entrepreneurship's bar: $30 or less), with an overall benefit-cost ratio of ~200:1.
• Ask: We’re seeking feedback on our cost-effectiveness model and scaling plan, as well as introductions to contacts at Google, for potential integration with their ReadAlong app.
   

🔗 Links to project materials (these are open access, so please leave comments):

• Detailed report (2 hour read)
• Pitch deck (20 minute read)
• Cost-effectiveness spreadsheet
• Literature review of Ed-Tech in developing countries
• Demo video of app prototype (2 [...]

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Outline:

(00:10) Executive Summary

(01:36) The Case for AI teaching Foundational Hindi Literacy

(04:46) Importance Tractability Neglectedness Framework

(04:51) Importance

(05:17) Neglectedness

(05:58) Tractability

(07:06) How does the app actually work?

(07:38) Scaling Plan

(08:17) Cost-Effectiveness Model

(09:38) My biggest doubts

(11:23) Next Steps and Asks

(12:08) Acknowledgements

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First published:

May 15th, 2025

Source:

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/2pyruWZN3LiWJPbHk/teaching-hindi-literacy-with-an-ai-tutor

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

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