Every developer has that magical moment when writing their first line of code. When Appleseeds, Israel's leading foundation in technological accessibility, asked us to translate 30 lesson plans to English, we knew the mission went far beyond a simple technical translation - it was about bringing this magic to children worldwide.
Appleseeds’ lesson plans aren't just programming lessons. They're a complete learning experience: a bingo game that introduces how to create logic loops, a trivia quiz that explains variables, and various other activities to make complex code accessible and enjoyable. Our challenge was to ensure this magic was preserved in the English versions.
Our task required much more than just a technical understanding of programming terms. We needed an in-depth understanding of the educational methodology, the principles of game-based learning, and how children perceive and learn technological concepts. Each term, game, and explanation underwent careful adaptation to ensure technical accuracy as well as accessibility and fun.
Close collaboration with Appleseeds was key to the project’s success. The joint work helped us understand their educational vision and ensure it was fully conveyed to the international audience. The end result: a full set of lesson plans that encourage children worldwide to fall in love with programming, just like their Israeli counterparts.
Bottom line, we managed to surpass translation - we created a bridge to allow the unique Appleseeds learning experience to cross geographical and cultural boundaries. Because, at the end of the day, code is a universal language, and the joy of crafting something that works for the first time is shared by all children. To quote the archetypal starting program: Hello World!
