We are building the platform
our grandmothers would have wanted.
The Modern Griot is a language learning platform built specifically for African learners — at home and in the diaspora. Our mission is simple: keep people connected to who they are.
A word from the founder
Language is the last thing
a people should lose.
We built this because we felt the gap personally. The gap between knowing you belong to a culture and actually being able to participate in it. Between nodding along when your relatives speak and being able to respond. Between understanding a language in your head and feeling it in your mouth.
What we are building at The AlternativeSchool is not just another language app. It is a deliberate act of cultural preservation.
We believe the best language learning combines the irreplaceable warmth of a human teacher with the power of modern technology. Not one or the other. Both. That's the edge we are building. That's the platform we are proud of.
Our goal is not to be the biggest language platform in the world. Our goal is to be the one that matters most to our people — and then, from that foundation of excellence, to grow into something the world has never seen.
Our Mission
“To keep African people connected to their roots — one language, one dialect, one conversation at a time — through a perfect blend of human expertise and modern technology.”
What we believe
The principles we build on
The roadmap
We are building in waves.
Each one deeper than the last.
Every wave is launched only when the previous one is excellent. This is how we build something that lasts.
Roots First
We begin exactly where we mean to — with our people. Wave 1 is strictly Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, taught to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora by certified native-speaker teachers. Live classes, audio assignments, AI pronunciation tools, and a community of learners who share the same drive. This is the foundation. We are getting it right before we get it big.
French & Intelligence Layer
August 1st, 2026, we enter the French market with what we believe will be the most complete French learning experience built for African learners. Whether you want conversational fluency or DELF/DALF certification to study or work abroad, we have built something serious — simulations, self-paced recorded curricula, live prep classes, and above all, human feedback that no AI can replace. Alongside French, we activate our full AI intelligence layer: pronunciation coaching, language games, and spaced repetition across all programs.
Nigerian Dialects
This is our most intentional act yet. Wave 3 introduces Nigerian dialects — the granular, living, breathing variations of the languages our grandparents actually speak. Ife Yoruba. Lagos Yoruba. Ekiti Yoruba. Owerri Igbo. Enugu Igbo. Kano Hausa. Nobody at scale is doing this. We will be the first platform where an Ekiti child raised in London can learn to sound like their grandmother's village. This is cultural preservation made accessible.
Every African Language
By Wave 4, we are no longer a Nigerian language platform. We are an African language platform. Swahili, Wolof, Amharic, Zulu, Twi, Fula — every major African language with a diaspora that wants to reconnect, and a homeland that wants to be heard. At this level, we are not chasing the big players. We are building something they cannot build: a platform rooted in cultural authenticity, where language and identity are inseparable. The gap between Duolingo and what we are building is the gap between a textbook and a grandmother.
The World Speaks
We take everything we've learned building in Africa and amplify it globally. Spanish, Mandarin, Hindi, Japanese, Arabic, Portuguese, Korean, Italian — taught not as generic vocabulary lessons, but as pathways to identity, professional opportunity, and genuine connection. Wave 5 is where we become undeniable. Every language has three parallel tracks: Heritage (reconnect with your roots and sound authentic), Professional (master business vocabulary and ace international certifications like DELE, HSK, JLPT), and Expat (navigate real life, build community, make friends). The difference? Duolingo optimizes for streaks and ad engagement. We optimize for fluency, cultural authenticity, and the life-changing moment when a language becomes not just something you learned — but something you are. This is where Modern Griot becomes the global standard for serious learners who reject the gamification trap.
Wave 5 Intel
The gap everyone misses
Language apps are built for streaks and ads. We built ours for fluency. Here's how we're different.
| Feature | Duolingo | Babbel | Rosetta Stone | Modern Griot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching Model | Algorithm-driven, AI-only | Scripted lessons, generic | Immersion method, no context | Hybrid: Expert live teachers + AI intelligence (pronunciation AI scores, game engine, spaced repetition) |
| Learner Personalization | One-size-fits-all progression | Limited track options | Assumes immersion works for everyone | 3 parallel tracks: Heritage (reconnect with roots), Professional (certifications + business), Expat (real-world survival + community) |
| Community | Leaderboards (competitive, anonymous) | Minimal peer interaction | None — purely individual | Purposeful communities: Heritage speakers mentoring, professional cohorts, language circles with real accountability |
| Pronunciation Feedback | AI only, inconsistent scoring | AI-based, limited nuance | Repetition-based, no real feedback | Hybrid: AI real-time scoring + live teacher correction for accent, tone, dialect authenticity |
| Cultural Content | Decontextualized phrases | Generic cultural notes | Pictures & immersion, no depth | Full cultural curriculum: history, idioms, regional variations, literature, music, food — taught by native speakers |
| Professional Certifications | 'Duolingo English Test' only | No integration, separate courses | Not explicitly supported | Native integration: DELE, DELF, HSK, JLPT, CELI built into curriculum with practice tests + live prep |
| Live Instruction | None — fully automated | Optional add-on (extra cost) | None — method doesn't support it | Core offering: Weekly live classes, 1-on-1 sessions (based on tier), live office hours with teachers |
| Business Model | Freemium advertising, cheap premium ($13/mo) | Subscription ($12-20/mo) | Premium subscription ($15-30/mo) | Value-based pricing: Standard ($30-40/mo for self-paced + AI), Premium ($50-70/mo for 1-2 live sessions/week), Masters ($100+/mo for intensive 1-on-1) |
| Success Metric | Daily streaks, session completion | Lesson completion rate | Time invested | Real fluency: Can hold conversation with native speaker, confidence in cultural context, professional exam passes, community contribution |
| Diaspora Focus | Not targeted | Not targeted | Not targeted | Central strategy: Heritage learners reconnecting after losing the language, rebuilding identity, teaching their own kids |
The journey starts with
one word.
Join 500+ students who are already reconnecting with their language, their culture, and themselves.