We asked Charlala founder Chris Hammer about building a teacher-created platform for the world language classroom. Chris is a Spanish teacher and world language curriculum specialist in Chicago. He chose Bubble because the no-code platform enabled him to rapidly build, implement, test ideas, and bring his app to life.
Tell us about your app and what it does.
Charlala is a teacher-created platform for the world language classroom. We provide a suite of tools to bypass traditional instruction that focuses on grammar rules and vocabulary memorization. Our tools take a research-based approach to enhance communication and long-term language acquisition.
How does your app work?
Charlala offers two core tools: a simulated conversation tool and a digital whiteboard tool. The simulated conversation tool provides additional speaking practice and assesses students’ interpersonal speaking proficiency. The digital whiteboard is used for various communicative activities, including card talks, weekend chats, and storytelling. Both tools are integrated into the Charlala platform, allowing teachers to organize classes, create asynchronous assignments, host synchronous activities, and provide feedback using rubrics that look and feel like traditional rubrics on paper.
Tell us a little about your background and how you discovered no-code tools like Bubble.
I’ve been a Spanish teacher and world language curriculum specialist for the past decade outside Chicago. While completing my master’s degree in learning and technology, I identified the shortcomings of EdTech tools on the market – they didn’t support modern instruction. With a limited development budget, I discovered Bubble to develop my solution for my pain points in the world language classroom.
Why did you build your app on Bubble?
Building on Bubble has allowed me, an educator with mediocre technical skills, to build our app without outside contractors or funding. The ability to rapidly make, implement and test ideas on Bubble is incredible. Bubble has been a vital tool in bringing Charlala to life, from simple ideas to robust solutions.
What have been your milestones or successes so far?
Charlala has grown from a tool in my classroom to now being used in more than 38 countries across the globe. In 2019, Charlala won the World Languages Design Challenge hosted by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and LearnLaunch. We currently have over 10,000 registered teachers and recently started monetizing the platform.
What are your next steps or future plans for your app?
I plan to continue developing Charlala and creating solutions for the education community. My firsthand experience in the classroom allows me to identify actual pain points felt by educators and students and ensure that modern pedagogy is part of the solution.
Learn more about Charlala: LinkedIn | Twitter
About Bubble
Bubble is a leader in the no-code movement. Bubble offers a powerful point-and-click web editor and cloud hosting platform that allows users to build fully customizable web applications and workflows, ranging from simple prototypes to complex marketplaces, SaaS products, and more. Over 500,000 users are currently building and launching businesses on Bubble - many have gone on to participate in top accelerator programs, such as Y Combinator, and even raise $365M in venture funding. Bubble is more than just a product. We are a strong community of builders and entrepreneurs that are united by the belief that everyone should be able to create technology.
Do you want your app featured by Bubble? Reach out to us and tell us about your app. In addition to this series, we sometimes select our best apps to showcase on our website.
