LANGUAGE WORKSHOPS
SEA ROOTS
The SEAD Project presents SEA Roots: Language Workshops. Led by a team of fluent and qualified instructors, our 8-week language literacy intensives are an introduction to reading, writing, and speaking in Hmong, Khmer, Lao, or Vietnamese. Our content is integrated with music, visual art, storytelling and snapshots of topics such as history, social issues, and culture. Classes meet online on Saturday mornings for 8 weeks, and are offered in the Spring and Fall.
Each language workshop ends with a combined recital where students prepare final projects that reflect their newly learned language skills. Projects include visual art, poetry, animation, song, interviews, and story translation.
​​
​Thank you for your interest in our SEA Roots: Language Workshops. Class is currently paused until Fall 2025 as we develop our advanced language curriculum. Please subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on socials for upcoming registration opportunities.
Before coming in, I was missing some key foundation of the Viet language, and from this class, I was able to fill in those gaps.
It was great, because I got to learn more Khmer even though it was hard to read and write. [The instructor] was very patient and made the lessons relevant by trying them to Cambodia history and culture.
I absolutely love the program and feel it is very necessary for the curious individuals trying to find their own identity to experience these types of programs.
I really enjoyed the program and all of the teachers, they were awesome. The time worked great for me and I feel like I learned so much more than I was expecting.
IMPRESS YOURSELF. IMPRESS YOUR ELDERS.
By developing core in-language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, this program upholds the importance of language as a means to strengthen our understanding of our diasporic experiences (or that of our loved ones), as well as to strengthen our connections to people and heritage. We currently offer online language courses in Hmong, Khmer, Lao, and Vietnamese.
2 TYPES OF COURSES
Course difficulty is determined after student registration. We will reach out to all prospective students once registration is closed. All information submitted on this page is confidential and will be used solely for language program purposes. For questions or more information, contact us at hi@theseadproject.org.
01
Beginner Literacy
for Non-Fluent Speakers
This course offers beginning language foundations of alphabet, grammar, and introductory themes.​
If you have little or no prior experience in speaking the language, you should take this course.
If you speak the language fluently, you should not take this course.
Majority of the class will be taught in English.
02
Accelerated Literacy
for Fluent Speakers
This course offers advanced foundations of alphabet, grammar, themes—as well as formal language skills building.
If you are a fluent speaker who has little or no prior experience in reading and writing in the language, you should take this course.​
If you speak fluently but want to refresh or improve your reading, writing, and public speaking skills; you should take this course.
Majority of the class will be taught in the heritage language.
"Apsara" Illustration by Mattaya Fitts, former student of the Khmer language course
PREREQUISITES
The course is open to the general public, those who are English-speaking heritage and non-heritage. Students must be at least 17+ years old (if younger, you must check in with the teacher). In order to participate in the virtual course, students should read the technology requirements here.
REGISTRATION FEE OR SLIDING SCALE FEE
Registration fee is $450 plus processing fees. You may request a Sliding Scale Fee, depending on your income and if you identify as Southeast Asian and/or BIPOC. The fee covers teachers’ time, coursebooks, resources, materials, and technology. If cost is a barrier, you can apply for a scholarship (full or partial).​
"CON ĂN CHƯA?" Illustration by Brenda Trần, former student of the Vietnamese language course
REGISTER NOW
We strongly recommend reading all the information above before taking the following required steps.
FINAL PROJECTS
We ask each student to apply what they've learned in a culminating creative final project. Here are a few we'd like to highlight from the most recent program.
