Grade Levels

The Swedish School offers lessons in Swedish on Tuesdays from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Our youngest students (Snails, Frogs, Squirrels, and Badgers) start off each class with a joint singing session. Our older students meet in their respective classrooms at 4 p.m.

Grade placement is based on age and language skills. Each grade level has its own sub-goals and work-methods, but our common goal at the school is to use the Swedish language as much as possible by speaking, listening, showing, and writing.

Snails

18 months – 2.5 years

The Snails sing Swedish children's songs, learn nursery rhymes, read Swedish children's books, count, play, do crafts, and talk about animals, color, objects and the body. The parents are an important part of this grade as we interact with the children and learn together.

Teacher: Annica Levin

Frogs

2.5 – 3.5 years

The Frogs sing Swedish children's songs, count, talk about objects, the body, colors and shapes, animals and nature, traditions and the seasons. We learn by talking and having discussions, reading books, playing, singing, playing games, experimenting and doing crafts. Parent interaction is still an important part of this class.

Teacher: Ina Farestad

Squirrels

3.5 – 4.5 years

The sub-goal in the Squirrel class is to exclusively speak Swedish as much as possible. Each week we introduce a new theme with different activities, tasks, crafts and experiments. In addition to talking and discussing, we also read out loud. The students learn about animals and nature, traditions, seasons, and how to express their feelings, etc.

Teacher: Sophie Muzzy

Badgers

4.5 – 5.5 years

The sub-goal in the Badger class is for the students to talk to each other about the theme of the week. The students also practice speaking in front of the group, e.g. by bringing in a personal item for show and tell. The class practices asking and answering questions and work on listening comprehension with, among other things, different task cards. We read aloud, do practical exercises, experiments and crafts. We teach in a playful and inclusive manner.

Teacher: Helena Peres

Rabbits

5.5 – 6.5 years

The sub-goal in the Rabbit class is for the students to feel comfortable expressing themselves in Swedish in front of the entire class. Learning Swedish should be fun, and so we aim to teach in a playful way. The students talk, color and do crafts. They learn to describe things, tell stories and listen. During snack time, the students practice curtesy and politeness, and play pretend games.

Teacher: Helene Johansson-Kayem

Horses

6.5 – 7.5 years

The sub-goal for the Horses is for the students to feel comfortable expressing themselves in Swedish both verbally and in writing. Students will listen to and discuss chapter books, play language-developing games, and write sentences describing pictures, etc. They will learn about Swedish history, traditions, nature and culture. The students also work on developing their vocabulary by analyzing concepts connected to Sweden, among other things.

Teacher: Marie Bergenholtz

Bobcats

7.5 – 9 years

The Bobcats strive to be able to read simple texts fluently, write short paragraphs, and to expand their vocabulary. We achieve this by reading and discussing different texts together, and by answering questions both verbally and in writing. We use books to practice basic language skills such as word classes, spelling, abbreviations, etc. We read poems, and write about Sweden's geography, history, seasons, holidays and traditions. Students are encouraged to borrow and read books from the school library. Students wrap up a theme or a semester with a quiz or a game of bingo.

Teacher: Susanna Butch

Wolves

9 – 11 years

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Teacher: Margareta Saperston

New Vikings

5 – 12 years

New Vikings is adapted for children with limited language skills Swedish, and so the class is taught in both Swedish and English. The students learn colors, numbers and dates, as well as simple phrases in Swedish so the children are able to converse with friends and family in the USA and in Sweden. We learn about Swedish traditions and aim to create a sense of belonging to Swedish culture.

Teacher: Lisa Saperston