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The following information was submitted to Wallyhood by Melissa Lucas, PhD, Director of the Scandinavian Language Institute. If you have ever had any interest in learning a Scandinavian language, the following two courses would be a great opportunity to learn or improve your Norwegian skills.

Anyone who wants to join should go to the Scandinavian Language Institute website and click on the Norwegian flag 🇳🇴 or the words “Norsk/Norwegian” to get to the class listings. We have two levels of Norwegian classes meeting in Wallingford: NOR 1A (Beginning) and NOR 2C (Advanced Intermediate). Both courses consist of nine weekly classes lasting 1.5 hours. Pictures from the website for reference:

Norwegian Class 1A: Beginning

Norwegian 2C: Advanced Intermediate

Here are the details:

Beginning Norwegian classes (NOR 1A)

• Dates: Every Monday, October 6 – December 1
• Times: 6–7:30 pm
• $220 for the course (9 classes)

Advanced-Intermediate classes (NOR 2C)

• Dates: Every Wednesday, October 1 – December 3  (It is no problem to jump in the second week!)
• Times: 6–7:30 pm
• $220 for the course (9 classes)

Venue for both classes: 

• In person at Wallingford Presbyterian Church
• Address: 1414 N 42nd Street

About the Scandinavian Language Institute

The Scandinavian Language Institute was founded in the 1978-1979 school year by Ed Egerdahl. Its original name was the Norwegian Language Learning Center. When the operation moved into their facility at the former Nordic Heritage Museum (near 32nd Avenue W and NW 68th Street in Ballard), the name was changed to the Scandinavian Language Institute to signify the inclusion of all Scandinavian languages. In addition to classes taught at the museum in Ballard, there have also been classes offered at various times in Edmonds, Everett, Bothell, Kirkland, Stanwood, and Whidbey Island. For over 45 years, the Scandinavian Language Institute has offered instruction in Danish, Icelandic (when possible), Norwegian, and Swedish, emphasizing elements of history and culture in the language curriculum. When the pandemic started in 2020, all classes were moved to online only, but as of 2024, two Norwegian classes have met in person in Wallingford.

Management

• Current Director: Melissa Lucas has been teaching Danish in the greater Seattle area since 2005. She holds Master’s degrees in Speech Pathology (UW–Seattle) and Linguistics (UNC–Chapel Hill), and a PhD in Scandinavian Studies with a focus on the Danish language (UW–Seattle). She is excited to see SLI expand as it now engages with people across the country!
• Founder/Former Director: Ed Egerdahl was born in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard, which is steeped in Norwegian culture. He served as director of the Scandinavian Language Institute from its inception in 1978 and was also its lead Norwegian instructor. In 1977, Ed received his BA in Norwegian Language and Literature and his teaching certification from the University of Washington. Later, he served as chairman of Seattle’s 17th of May Committee. In all, Ed taught well over 12,000 Norwegian language classes and guided over 150 people who joined him on his tours to Norway. He retired in 2023 after 45 years with SLI.