“Learning a language is not just learning grammar and vocabulary…It is learning how to function in another culture, how to know a new community from the inside out.” (MLA, 2003)
Our Sponge elementary program has 3 goals:
- Build communication skills,
- Develop language-learning strategies, and
- Broaden students’ understanding of the world
We make it fun with games, drama, crafts and songs. And, we stay in the target language to optimize our learning.
The Sponge elementary curriculum is currently being used under license by Mercer Island School District to teach Spanish to over 2000 students weekly across all their elementary school World Languages Program. Sponge has also been chosen by Highline Public Schools (HPS) to provide Spanish and Mandarin language curriculum for use across twelve HPS elementary schools as part of the district’s new afterschool language enrichment program.
This year, we are happy to announce several new components to our curriculum:
- Online Portal – Students will have access to our new, interactive online portal to practice language skills at home!
- Unit Stories – Each Sponge unit brings together the language learned into context through a fun story. Check out the Sponge Young Language Learner Series available for purchase at Sponge Store.
- Final Projects – Introducing final projects for each unit! Each project uses a fun cultural theme to incorporate and reinforce language learned in the unit
- Activity Book – Each student will have an Activity Book to help practice language in class as well as at home.
- Parent Coordinator – Interested in volunteering to help with the class? Sponge now offers a special Parent Coordinator rate (one/class).
- Scholarships – Sponge is pleased to offer one, 50% off needs-based scholarship for each class that meets the minimum enrollment. Please contact Sponge or your school PTA to learn more