The benefits of learning a second language for children are untold, improving cognitive abilities, creativity and their school grades.
Novakid is an award-winning online English school for children aged 4 to 12 years old. They bring English to life through fun, engaging online lessons that kids actually love (yes, really!)
We spoke with co-founder and CEO of Novakid, Max Azarov to find out what first inspired Novakid, their approach to learning and what sets them apart in the industry.
Interview with Max Azarov, co-founder and CEO of Novakid
Can you tell us a little about your background and what inspired you to create Novakid?
Novakid came about because of a trip that Dmitry Malin (co-founder of Novakid) and I took to China for the Mobile World Congress in June 2017, to promote Cloudike, our first start-up business. In the local subway, we saw huge banners advertising one of the ESL companies. This took us by surprise, as it made us realize that this type of business was obviously in demand if this was how it was advertised.
I thought, “Why only in China, and not anywhere else ?” Having struggled to find an English teacher for my own children, I understood that this was an opportunity. Offline centers tended to be taught by students and most online services focused on adults. As a parent committed to ensuring that my children are able to learn the English language and use it in the future, the greatest challenge was how to access quality education with a high standard of teaching.
With my son’s English teacher and Dmitry’s IT knowledge, we as parents decided to build Novakid, so that other parents who also wanted their children to learn English didn’t need to face the same challenges as us.
Dmitry and I both wanted to create a business that was useful and solved a problem. Before the trip to Shanghai, we often discussed the idea of creating a “box for learning languages” – a device with a voice bot that would communicate with the user in the format of lessons and adjust the presentation of the material for the user. But this idea wasn’t successful, so we looked at ways to build a platform that incorporated gamification and story-based learning. The result is Novakid!
Other than offering an online English learning experience with trained teachers, we wanted to create a program that wasn’t boring. We understood from our own experience that the classes needed to be fun and engaging with games and animations to bring the language to life.
We also wanted the kids to feel excited and enjoy self-learning. With the online games and activities that are part of our product, we see that children don’t need to be nagged to join their lessons, they look forward to seeing their teacher and playing the games that supplement their learning.
What sets Novakid apart from other online language schools?
- We offer both individual lessons and group speaking practice . While other schools offer group lessons, no one offers international speaking practice. The children in the group speaking practice sessions are from different countries, and the children only speak English during these sessions.
- Full immersion language learning for kids . Our lessons are exclusively in English and the teacher does not speak the student’s native language.
- Novakid supplements what your children learn at school . The curriculum is based on international standards, individual approach, the use of technology and building skills (beyond language skills).
- We saw a gap to create an online school that is FUN for kids! Our students love our teachers and the teachers make the experience fun and engaging.
- We offer an affordable ESL education for families. Novakid operates in the mid-range price category.
- Our clients’ user experience is of the utmost importance. Lessons are recorded so parents can see how well their little ones performed. Usually parents see progress after a couple of lessons. Students themselves can see their progress by earning badges, stars, and cups for their skills. They can also see how they rank on leaderboards in each mini-game.
What is the ideal number of lessons per week to see progress?
We assess every child during the free trial lesson. This generally helps parents to decide how many lessons per week should be taken. This of course also depends on the family budget. We recommend a minimum of one individual lesson and one group speaking practice session (depending on the child’s level of English) per week.
How does your approach help to speed up learning?
Our methodology places more emphasis on “fun” in the classroom. We do not believe that learning must be done in a heavily structured way. At Novakid, students play games, sing songs, draw and interact in English. All these activities keep the child engaged and willing to learn. The usability of our platform at Novakid directly influences the effectiveness and enjoyment of the learning experience for our users. An intuitive, child-friendly design is key to this.
Our unique approach is not only about teaching our students how to speak and write in another language. Rather we wanted to ensure that our students developed 21st century skills such as problem-solving and reasoning. Our mission at Novakid is to empower our learners through challenging yet rewarding activities, through access to tools, technologies and exercises designed to stimulate critical thinking.
The Novakid teachers’ ability to interact with students and engage them in the learning process is based on an innovative methodology comprising three pillars:
- A communicative approach.
- Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL).
- Focus on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS).
Novakid has integrated HOTS into speaking lessons for their more advanced students. Children develop HOTS through a series of rich and engaging topics. For example, the Virtual Explorer course enables students to explore historical and real places around the world with virtual reality slides. Besides learning a second language, students have an opportunity to discuss historical facts, propose solutions to global challenges and critically analyze their reasons.
Can you tell us more about your teachers? What is the secret to offering classes that kids really love?
Novakid’s network of teachers is one of the biggest in the industry, with over 2,300 native and bilingual professionals certified to teach children ESL.
Our teachers are not just educators—they’re mentors who genuinely care about your child’s progress, and they are well-qualified and experienced in teaching children online. This is a key element of our approach: being able to keep a child engaged through a screen! We constantly receive positive feedback about our teachers.
In individual lessons , teachers focus entirely on the student, which allows them to tailor lessons to each child’s interests and needs, thereby building a strong, trusting relationship. This rapport is crucial for younger learners as it helps them feel secure and supported, encouraging open communication and active participation.
In group speaking practice lessons with up to six students, we organize activities that require collaboration and interaction among peers. This can include group projects or language games that encourage students to communicate, share ideas and work together.
Our teachers often initiate discussions and encourage students to share their thoughts and personal experiences related to the lesson topics. As well as language practice, this also helps children learn to listen to and respect diverse perspectives. The tutors use role-plays, simulations, and real-life scenarios that require students to apply their language and communication skills in contexts that mimic everyday interactions.
It happens that kids can be shy or just not in the mood to attend a class. Our teachers are prepared for this and have extensive experience in making engaging classes for kids. The key is to avoid putting pressure on the child to perform right away.
What is Total Physical Response (TPR) and how does Novakid include this in lessons?
Teaching children in a digital learning environment presents a number of challenges. Promoting deeper engagement with the content, maintaining students’ attention and developing their online learning autonomy are of the utmost importance.
To help young students understand what lessons are about, teachers’ mime, gesture and use physical movements to engage them with lesson content. This method is also known as Total Physical Response (TPR) and encourages students to move along with the teacher. They can wave, gesture, dance and even jump up and down with their teacher if it helps them learn, understand and have fun.
The vast majority of our lessons contain sections which allow students to express themselves by drawing on the slides or being active in their environment. Students share their pets, favorite toys and experiences with the teachers. These elements then allow teachers to understand their student’s interests and build on this further during class. Teachers often use props to enhance students’ understanding and maintain their attention.
How does incorporating games enhance the learning experience? How do you make sure they’re effective as well as fun?
We use gamification to increase student engagement by making learning fun and interactive. We use interactive teaching methods, including virtual reality and engaging online resources, to keep lessons interesting and maintain the children’s attention. Our interactive methods include storytelling, songs, games, and virtual reality experiences. These are inherently engaging, making learning feel less like a traditional classroom lesson and more like an enjoyable activity.
Each lesson and game at Novakid is designed with specific learning objectives in mind, ensuring that the educational content is seamlessly integrated with play. This integration means that while children are engaged in what feels like play, they are simultaneously learning and practicing new language skills. Games like Box Battle, Quiz Corner, Memo Mix and Bubble Snake each focus on specific skills such as recognizing, associating, competing, and analyzing. The game includes social features, like inviting friends to join and giving gifts.
Tailored to different language levels, the games train different cognitive skills and are suitable for various age groups. This ensures that the educational content is neither too easy nor too difficult, keeping the child optimally challenged.
Equally essential are progress tracking and adaptivity. Our games are designed to adjust their difficulty based on the learner’s performance, providing more support when a child is struggling and increasing the challenge when the child is excelling. And the most important part, Novakid ensures that the games and lessons are appropriately challenging but also provides enough support to keep children from feeling frustrated. This balance is crucial in maintaining engagement and promoting a positive learning experience.
Cultural sensitivity and inclusivity are also important, and we try to ensure that games represent diverse characters and settings that children from different parts of the world can relate to. The user interface and user experience is simple and intuitive for young users, with clear instructions and feedback.
These factors have a direct impact on learning outcomes due to a well-known motivational mechanism: the level of interest in an activity directly correlates with the success rate – the more you enjoy doing something, the better you will perform at the task.
Novakid recently launched the World Kids Academy – can you tell us more about the concept and how it works?
Novakid World Kids Academy is revolutionizing the way kids learn and practice English. Students from 50+ countries can now enjoy speaking English in international groups to boost listening skills, improve pronunciation, and build great accents. They connect with their peers globally in small groups of 4 to 6 students, immersing themselves in real conversations that make language learning natural and fun.
World Kids Academy was created in response to a specific need after a Novakid survey showed that 47% of the parents of our students were interested in English speaking practice. Numerous studies have pointed out that one of the best ways to learn a language is to be fully immersed in it.
Over 17,000 children have already joined our online community and practice English in a truly international environment. Parents love seeing their kids gain confidence, make friends, and develop essential English communication skills – all from the comfort of home.
Key elements of World Kids Academy are:
- Qualified native-speaking teachers with diverse accents and cultural backgrounds.
- AI-driven tools that adapt to each child’s pace for truly personalized learning.
- Interactive speaking practice through quests to keep children engaged.
- Speaking time and emotion detection algorithms for a personal approach.
- Mini-groups of up to 6 kids ensure each student has the opportunity to speak up.
These lessons combine qualified teachers, cutting-edge technology, and a global community to create a personalized and engaging online learning environment.
How are the sessions structured?
We offer tailored speaking practice programs for every age and level:
- Ages 4–6 (Pre A1): Perfect for beginners
- Ages 7–9 and 10-13 (A1): Ideal for kids with basic English knowledge
Adrienne, our Head of Methodology, explains World Kids Academy in more detail in this video .
Do you recommend World Kids Academy in tandem with weekly lessons?
Yes, we recommend a minimum of one individual lesson and one group speaking practice lesson per week.
How transformative is this social aspect of learning? What are the greatest benefits of being able to interact with other students in this way?
Our philosophy is to create a global community of young and committed English learners that allows children to create deep and meaningful friendships across cultures and countries. World Kids Academy is truly in line with this vision as students do not just learn a new language, but use it to make friends with other peers from around the world, immersing themselves in both the language and other cultures.
Constant speaking practice also allows them to acquire naturalness and fluency and thus overcome any shyness or self-consciousness that often blocks those who are beginning to learn a second language. Getting used to the different accents also allows you to immerse yourself in what will be the English of the workplace.
The unique advantage of online platforms is breaking down geographical barriers, allowing us to connect learners from diverse backgrounds. This global connectivity not only enhances language acquisition but also fosters cultural understanding and empathy.
We envision a landscape where technology and education intersect seamlessly to create a richer, more personalized learning experience. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are already providing us with tools to tailor educational content to individual needs, making learning more efficient and engaging. With the help of virtual reality and gamified learning modules, we can make the process of mastering a new language both immersive and enjoyable.
However, AI will never replace real teachers and the emotional connection they are able to create with a child.
What would you give to parents who are advice English-speaking but raising children abroad, immersed in a second language?
Early language acquisition plays a crucial role in how naturally a child can pick up a language. Consistency in learning and using English regularly will help reinforce the language skills and make them a normal part of your child’s daily routine.
Introduces English through children’s books, music, TV shows, and movies. Choose content that is age-appropriate and enjoyable as this increases the likelihood that they will engage with the language positively.
Last but not least, make learning English fun, a game rather than yet another subject to be drilled and learned! You can do this utilizing educational platforms like Novakid, that offer interactive and gamified learning experiences.
What aspect of Novakid do you feel most proud of?
As a parent, I am always so proud to see how our students are progressing. Knowing that I played a role in that aspect of their life is very rewarding!
Novakid’s mission is to teach children to speak the universal language of English so that they can participate in opportunities that will enable them to build a better future for themselves and others.
Our hope is that the children who learn English through our platform become adults who communicate effectively across international borders and build responsible and peaceful societies. The launch of World Kids Academy has truly brought this vision to life!
Parents can find out more on the Novakid website .
Read more interviews, articles and resources on the MumAbroad blog .
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