Since 2006, Bridges: Children, Languages, World has offered exploratory language and culture classes to students in the greater Bloomington, Indiana area. This program is a collaboration between the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, IU Bloomington's School of Education, and partner schools throughout the MCCSC district.
What is Bridges?
All of the languages we offer are designated as Less Commonly Taught Languages, or LCTLs, in the United States because they are rarely taught in K-12 public schools. Despite this name, these are some of the most widely spoken languages in the world and in our community.
8%of Monroe County residents speak a LCTL at home.
How We Teach?
Classes are taught by IU Undergraduate and Graduate students in world languages such as Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, and Kiswahili (Swahili). These volunteer instructors are trained in an approach called Communicative Language Teaching, which focuses on communicating in real-world situations. For Bridges students, this means working together to solve puzzles, play games, and learn songs to practice their language skills.
REGISTER FOR CLASSES
2026 Fall Classes
Fall Bridges classes are offered weekly for 10 weeks beginning in September.
| Day | School | Language |
Monday | Childs Elementary | Greek |
| Tuesday | Childs Elementary | Portuguese |
| Wednesday | ||
| Thursday | Highland Park and Harmony | Turkish and Swahili |
| Friday | Harmony and Templeton | Russian and Persian (Farsi) |
Get Involved with Bridges
Have questions about Bridges?
Visit our detail pages above or contact our program manager.