Welcome to the Kalulu Game Specification Wiki

This wiki outlines the structure, logic, and specifications of gameplay within the Kalulu learning app, with a focus on the minigames that drive adaptive literacy instruction.

Kalulu is designed to support early reading skills through engaging, research-informed activities. Each game session contributes to teaching the alphabetic principle of a language and building a growing model of the child’s knowledge, enabling individualized progression and actionable insights for teachers.

📚 Game Structure Overview

Kalulu’s gameplay is organized into two nested levels:

1. Game Types

Each game type targets a specific reading subskill and adheres to a common functional template.

• Syllable Identifier: Hear a syllable, choose the correct written form.
• Word Builder: Construct a target word from constituent sounds or syllables.
• Pair Matching: Match visual or auditory cues (e.g., word–image, syllable–word).
• Lexical Decision: Decide whether a written item is a real word or not.
• Order Sorting: Reorder syllables or words to match a target structure (e.g., sentence formation, syllabic order).

2. Minigames

Each minigame is a themed implementation of a game type—featuring different animals, visual environments, and motivational mechanics created by different levels. Minigames vary in narrative and animation but inherit the logic of their parent game type.

🎯 #Pedagogical & Technical Foundation

All game types share a consistent input-output framework:

Inputs from the Kalulu Database:

• A list of target items (syllables, words, etc.)
• Corresponding distractors
• Difficulty level

Gameplay Logic:

• Select target(s) and distractor(s) dynamically.
• Log player responses and latency.
• Adapt subsequent games using learning progression rules.

Outputs:

• Response accuracy and reaction times
• Error types (confusion between target and distractor)
• Item-level performance data
• Learner profile updates to inform adaptive difficulty

📈 Adaptive Learning & Teacher Feedback

Each session contributes to a cognitive model of the child’s knowledge. This enables:

• Adaptive Difficulty: Future games adjust based on past performance.
• Smart Target Selection: Items chosen to consolidate knowledge or test thresholds.
• Progress Reporting: Aggregated data shared with teachers to track individual and class-wide learning trajectories.

🐾 Thematic Engagement

While the underlying learning engine is consistent, themed minigames add variety and motivation:

• Children might play the “Crabs” one day and “Jellyfish” the next—both targeting syllable recognition, but through different visual narratives.

Themes are modular and do not interfere with the core game logic, allowing content to be refreshed regularly without altering pedagogical fidelity.

🚧 What You’ll Find in This Wiki

This wiki contains detailed specifications for:

• Each game type and its mechanics
• Available minigame template types and asset requirements
• Data structures and interaction with the Kalulu database
• Adaptive engine logic
• Guidelines for integrating new minigames into existing game types