There are myriad options when it comes to online language learning. But to be frank, most are no bueno, pas bon, ??. So for schools and districts looking to increase their foreign language offerings without shelling out a ton of dough, Shmoop is the answer. Shmoop (https://www.shmoop.com), a digital publisher known for its award-winning test prep and certified online courses, is now offering courses in Spanish I, Spanish II, French I, and Chinese I, with more on the way (including French II and German).
Each Shmoop lesson includes vocabulary practice, grammar explanations, and discussions of cultural concepts. With Shmoop-made videos and audio recordings included throughout the units, it’s a comprehensive curriculum that meets the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. Teachers can can follow the course verbatim in its day-by-day progression or cherry-pick specific lessons by previewing the units and seeing which standards, skills, or texts they’d most like to teach. And because each activity includes a comprehensive answer key and ideas for differentiation and extension, teachers don’t need to be veteran language instructors to get the job done.
Shmoop’s Spanish I course has even been a-g approved by the UC and CSU systems, which means it’s honored as part of the requirements for admissions into the University of California system. “Online language learning usually just scratches the surface,” says David Siminoff, founder of Shmoop. “But Shmoop’s courses are rigorous and authentic, giving students all the tools they need to speak, understand, read, and write in the target language.”
Individual users can subscribe to Shmoop and access all of Shmoop’s online courses-along with hundreds of other resources-for $24.68/month, while schools and districts can receive bulk discounts by contacting sales(at)shmoop(dot)com.
About Shmoop
Shmoop offers hundreds of thousands of pages of original content. Their Online Courses, Test Prep, Teaching Guides, Learning Guides, and interactive Study Tools are written by teachers and experts and balance a teen-friendly, approachable style with academically rigorous concepts. Shmoop sees 15 million unique visitors a month across desktop and mobile. The company has won numerous awards from EdTech Digest, Tech & Learning, and the Association of Educational Publishers. Launched in 2008, Shmoop makes the magic happen from a labradoodle-patrolled office in Mountain View, California.
