Norwegian for Adult Learners 

The Scandinavian School offers Norwegian courses at several different skill levels.  One course consist of 8 weekly lessons. Each year, we offer four courses: two in the spring and two in the fall. Students may only sign up for one course (8 lessons) at a time. 

Each class level (Beginner to Advanced) lasts 1 year. Students always start at course level 1a, and follow the four course parts (1a+b / 2a+b). For example, all beginners start from level Beginner 1a, and can complete beginner 1a & 1b during the first term and next term move to beginner 2a & b.

Course cost for 8 x 60-minute lessons: $345
Course cost for 8 x 90-minute lessons: $430

Levels

Beginner: This course is suitable for people with no, or little, prior knowledge of Norwegian. A beginner class can also be a good start for people who have lived with the language but not spoken it actively. The focus is on basic pronunciation, grammar, and simple communication in typical everyday situations. Students will also be introduced to the cultural aspects of the society. Textbook: "Sett i gang #1” (3rd edition) by Kari Lier Dorer & Nancy Aarsvold

Intermediate: This course is for people who have done the Beginner courses at SSCC, or who have achieved the same knowledge elsewhere. The class will continue building up vocabulary and speaking Norwegain with a focus on day -to -day conversations. Textbook: "Sett i gang #1” (3rd edition) by Kari Lier Dorer & Nancy Aarsvold

Upper Intermediate: This course is suitable for students who have studied two years at the SSCC or achieved a confirmed level in Norwegian elsewhere. Emphasis is on conversation and to review a range of grammatical topics during these conversations. Beside the textbook other course material is introduced in class, such as articles and podcasts. Textbook: Sett i gang #2 by Kari Lier Dorer & Nancy Aarsvold

Advanced: This course is suitable for students who have already studied three years at the SSCC or achieved a strong level of spoken and written Norwegain elsewhere. Emphasis is on conversation and to improve fluency and listening skills. Students focus on expressing themselves with more complex sentences and expanding their vocabulary. Complementary course material is used in class, such as articles and podcasts. Textbook: Sett i gang #2 by Kari Lier Dorer & Nancy Aarsvold

Conversational: This class is for people who want to practice and develop their language skills through conversation. The students must have close to fluent verbal- and strong grammatical skills. This is a conversational class where different themes are discussed, with starting point in the course material: News articles, TV-shows, podcasts etc.

Our teachers

Native Norwegian Anne-Mette Thunem received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Oslo. The San Francisco Bay Area resident specializes in international marketing communications, adapting companies' products and services culturally to give them a local look and feel. Her background as a managing editor in publishing includes Norwegian as well as other language editions.

John Prusynski is currently a lecturer in Norwegian at UC, Berkeley and a PhD candidate in the department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+ at UW–Madison. He currently lives in San Mateo and has studied in Oslo and Guovdageaidnu (Kautokeino). His research focuses on contemporary Sámi literature, and in his spare time he enjoys classical music and hiking with his dog Figaro.

Maria Pedersen Larson holds a bachelor's in Education with an emphasis on English and Norwegian Language from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She also has a minor in Spanish from Høgskolen i Østfold, Norway, and a master's in Comparative Literature from San Francisco State University, emphasizing Norwegian and British Literature.

Classes March 2024

Beginner 1a (virtual), TBC, Wednesday 6pm-7pm, start: August 21

Intermediate 1a (virtual), Anne-Mette, Tuesday 6.15pm-7.15pm, start: August 13

Upper Int 1a (virtual), Anne-Mette, Monday 6pm-7pm, start: August 12

Advanced (virtual), Anne-Mette, Tuesday 7.30pm-8.30pm, start: August 13

Conversational / Reading Class (virtual), Anne-Mette, Monday 7.30pm-8.30pm, start: August 12