Author:
Sandra Baltazar Martínez
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Mrs. Panda has a sweet voice. She encourages children to pronounce letters and vowels, and to sound out words. Then she instructs them to kiss their smart brains.
The voice behind the colorfully dressed animated character on their computer screens is that of UC Riverside education researcher Linda Ventriglia-Navarrette. Mrs. Panda, an animated pedagogical emissary, was Navarrette’s creation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Navarrette created the character as she transferred all her physical teaching materials into a digital learning platform known as “ABC Rule of 3.” The program gives English learners and other early childhood learners a unique way to learn language and literacy skills. Navarrette adapted her existing, in-person Rule of 3 curriculum by creating lesson scripts, imaginative PowerPoints to enrich children’s vocabulary, animated phonics charts, and catchy songs.