GOSHEN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
In Goshen, Indiana, GrapeSEED is being successfully implemented in seven different schools across the Goshen Community Schools District. The program is used with children as young as Kindergarten all the way through the fifth grade! Whether using the push-in or pull-out approach in EL groups, or self-contained EL and general education classrooms, GrapeSEED is making a powerful impact.
Hear how GrapeSEED is making a difference in not only the children’s lives, but in the lives of the teachers, too!
Mrs. Estrada’s at West Goshen Elementary
“I believe that GrapeSEED has better met the needs of my EL Students. This is a curriculum that is engaging and age appropriate for kindergarten which is hard to find.”
Ms. Yost at Waterford Elementary
“Before GrapeSEED, I was always pulling materials out of thin air and never feeling confident that they were as effective as I wanted them to be. It feels so good to have a curriculum that is full of fun and engaging materials. The progressions that I’ve seen in my students is phenomenal.”
Mrs. Coleman at Chandler Elementary
“I became familiar with GrapeSEED over five years ago and it has become one of my most favorites parts of my day. I absolutely love the energy that I see in the kids and how much they love it, how much their families enjoy it.”
Mr. Rhodes at Chandler Elementary
“I was astounded at how you have everything you need. You have all these engaging songs and poems and stories. All the kids want to come to the GrapeSEED lessons. They’re all engaged. They come back singing the songs and poems from memory because it’s fun.”
A Principal’s Take on GrapeSEED
Berrien Springs Schools in Berrien Springs, Michigan serves students from over 30 different countries, each with their own unique culture and language. In this district, Mars Elementary School successfully implemented GrapeSEED, making it the firm foundation that allows their children to acquire English faster!
Darla Campbell, former Berrien Schools County Principal and Executive Board Member of MEMSPA, was thrilled with the
positive results that she has seen with GrapeSEED!
“One thing that was loud and clear right away is that the children that were exposed to GrapeSEED achieved at much higher levels than children who were not…Everything comes back that GrapeSEED is making a huge difference in children’s ability to be literate.”
Darla Cambell, former Berrien Schools County Principal and Executive Board Member of MEMSPA
Kids are doing very well in learning English. I have one that came in August speaking no English and now that is all he wants to speak. I heard him using the “Yes I am” chant at lunch with the food on his tray.
Martha Sanderson
Westside Elementary School
An ELL student in my Kindergarten classroom refused to speak since the first day. He went sixty six days before I was able to hear his voice for the very first time. I had no idea what he was comprehending. Until we downloaded GrapeSEED on his Ipads along with a small group of students in November. After three months on GrapeSEED and the 66th day of kindergarten, my student spoke! His first words were “I love GrapeSEED!” Not only did he speak to me for the first time but his progress monitoring went through the roof. He went from Tier 3 with 0 letter sounds to Tier 1 with 21/26 correct letter sounds! I had tears as this child had been soaking in all the material throughout the school year like a sponge. GrapeSEED has made such a great foundation of learning for my students.
Melinda M. Westbrook, A.S., B.A., M.A
Kindergarten Teacher
Buckeye Elementary, Salem City Schools, Salem, Ohio
We are SO very grateful for the partnership and appreciate all of you so much! We love GrapeSEED!
Shannon Cooper Toma
Corunna Public Schools
Before GrapeSEED, life as an ELL educator was hard. My colleague and I struggled to provide the Pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade students with a curriculum that could support and boost their English acquisition. Since receiving the GrapeSEED training and materials, our students have grown considerably. We have been able to provide research-based instruction that has enabled us to give repetitive opportunities for movement, songs, chants, poems, and stories. Thank you, GrapeSEED, for helping ease the load and make educators feel and look like rock stars!
Julie Bungard
East Lansing Public Schools
I really like teaching the GrapeSEED Program. It is a great combination of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
Terry Martin
Clintondale Community Schools
GrapeSEED has helped boost my students’ reading and speaking confidence in such an engaging way! We always get to enjoy a special activity with each unit.
Paula Caraballo
Hammonton Public Schools
GrapSEED is an engaging, lively, way to introduce our new students to beginning language development. We have seen so much growth in our EL population over the last three years. North White Elementary School LOVES GrapeSEED!
Melissa McIntire
North White School Corporation
I have seen an amazing improvement in my non-English speakers since starting GrapeSEED. They love to sing along and dance to the beat!
Sarah Telfor
IU 1
GrapeSEED helps the students learn English the natural way they learn their native language. It enables them to develop and improve their oral language, reading fluency and their writing skills. Students learn the language in a safe and fun environment while dancing and singing. They are engaged and motivated every single day by this rich program.
Manal Shaktour
Melvindale Northern Allen Park Public School
Just wanted to share some happy news for a change… Recently, while on patrol during morning bus duty, a little girl named Thania from the 3rd grade hi-intensity ESL classroom got off her bus and ran up to me to thank me for getting the GrapeSEED program. She said she loves it. My own classroom observations as well as feedback from teachers and the other students I’ve talked to also confirm this. Both teachers and students enjoy the program and the teachers feel it is filling gaps in language acquisition patterns. We hope to see growth in literacy among our ELLs after having implemented the program over a longer period of time.
Tom Fischer
Hammonton Public Schools
We just started Unit 4 and the students are very excited about the new materials. They love reading and singing along with us. GrapeSEED has really improved our oral language and reading skills this school year!
Mrs. Horchem & Mrs. Komaromi
Van Buren Public Schools
I teach 25 active kindergarten children oral language using the GrapeSEED program. We love the songs, stories and action activities we do every day to improve our oral language. I get so excited when I can hear my students singing, recite poems or reading independently from our books. GrapeSEED has been wonderful with improving the oral language usage in my classroom!
Ms. Kim Aspin
Kindergarten teacher
I love that GrapeSEED incorporates the four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. GrapeSEED is a fun and engaging way for students to acquire the English language.
Emilee Johnson
East Allen County Schools