Hundreds of Miami-Dade County public school students now have a new tool for success.

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, at Nova Southeastern University in North Miami Beach, presented 450 students this week with iPads that were purchased with grant dollars from a program designed to help students learn English.

“This is 21st century education, leveraging digital content with good minds at work we are taking advantage of the way kids learn today, exciting them into language acquisitions,” Carvalho said.

“It is a great opportunity for us,” said student Yenifes Alonso.

Miami-Dade is at the forefront of this new program called iWorld, which will provide global access for recently arrived, foreign-born secondary ESOL immigrant students.

In collaboration with Pearson Education, Miami Dade Public Schools created a new curriculum to help the students learn English and though their new iPads they will be able to access the program.

ESOL teachers will be trained to use iPads to teach reading and to use their text and apps to provide content tutorial support and instruction. Students will attend a two-day conference style training called iSummit. Pearson has customized training for ESOL students to learn how to use the iPads to become digital learners

So far, 450 students were given iPads and the program will be available in 12 schools. The project will be tested in Miami-Dade County before being taken nationwide.