The
Evidence
behind
Morphy.
An independent study by the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana measured Morphy’s impact across two schools in Colombia over 13 weeks. The results show consistent, measurable and statistically significant learning gains.
Universidad Javeriana is one of Colombia’s most prestigious research universities and home to the Laboratory of Economics of Education — the leading center for education impact research in the country.
13 semanas
About the study
In 2026, Kevin Stiven Sánchez Castillo, a Master’s student in Economics at Universidad Javeriana, conducted an independent impact evaluation of Morphy under the supervision of Gloria Lucía Bernal Nisperuza, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of the Laboratory of Economics of Education.
The study followed 81 children in preschool and first grade across two schools in Madrid, Cundinamarca — one treatment school and one control school. Students in the Morphy group participated in 50-minute sessions, five days a week, over 13 weeks. The control group continued with standard instruction.
Learning outcomes were measured using two validated instruments: the Early Years Toolbox, developed by the University of Wollongong, Australia, and a standardized English vocabulary test designed specifically for the study. Both pre- and post-intervention measurements were used to isolate the impact of the program.
The study was conducted independently, with no funding from Morphy. No conflict of interest.
The numbers speak clearly
+0.68 standard deviations of improvement in 13 weeks.
In education research, a gain of 0.2 standard deviations is considered meaningful. A gain of 0.4 is considered large. According to the framework established by Matthew Kraft of Brown University — the standard reference in education impact measurement — Morphy’s results exceed both benchmarks within a single school term. That places Morphy among the most effective early learning interventions documented in education research.
2x vocabulary growth.
Children using Morphy achieved significantly higher results in everyday English vocabulary compared to the control group. Students in the Morphy group reached an average of 75% correct responses, while the control group reached 38%. The difference was statistically significant at the highest levels of confidence.
USD 147 per standard deviation of improvement.
A preliminary cost-effectiveness analysis following World Bank and J-PAL methodology found that Morphy generates one standard deviation of English learning improvement at a cost of approximately USD 147 per student — one of the most competitive ratios documented for early childhood language programs in Latin America.
Early signals in cognitive development
The study also explored the potential impact of Morphy on executive function, including inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and working memory, three foundational skills for learning.
While no statistically significant effects were detected within the 13-week period, the results align with existing research indicating that cognitive gains typically emerge over longer time horizons. The study authors recommend longitudinal follow-up as a next step.
What the data did show is noteworthy. Children using Morphy maintained and slightly expanded their advantage in inhibitory control over the course of the study, a key component of self-regulation and learning readiness.
The literature on bilingual education consistently links early second-language exposure to long-term cognitive advantages. Morphy’s design combines daily immersion, play-based learning and individual adaptive pacing, aligning directly with the conditions that research identifies as most likely to produce those effects over time.
What educators observed over 13 weeks.
The study noted that implementation conditions were especially favorable. Teachers followed the protocol consistently and with direct support from school leadership — a factor the researchers identify as critical for program effectiveness.
Field observations documented high levels of student participation, motivation and sustained engagement across sessions. Children demonstrated natural language production, including spontaneous use of English vocabulary outside the classroom context.
The study authors note that these qualitative signals, while not formally measured, are consistent with the quantitative results and reinforce the case for a larger-scale evaluation.
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