FHS Offers Czech Language Courses for Ukrainian Students
8. July 2022In the early days of the
invasion, our faculty took a
strong stand against
Russian aggression and
committed to actively
assisting Ukrainian citizens.
One of the most important
tasks in integrating
refugees into Czech society
is overcoming
communication barriers,
particularly by developing
verbal communication skills
in Czech.
Language proficiency helps refugees integrate into the
job market and continue their lives with dignity and
ease.
Thanks to the initiative of the Institute of Modern
Languages and Literatures, UTB in Zlín launched two
free eight-week Czech language courses for Ukrainian
refugees at the end of April. The courses, held for four
hours a week in two groups, are currently taught by
four lecturers from the FHS Centre for Language
Education. “The courses were in high demand from the
start. We reached full capacity within the first few
weeks, so at the moment, 46 people are attending
classes – the maximum we can manage.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept any more
applicants at this time,” said Dr. Bačuvčíková, the
course coordinator. Some students joined the courses
in April, while others dropped out, stabilising the class
size. The current course will be extended by about a
month, increasing the number of lessons and the
amount of material covered.
The course’s language level is based on the needs of the
participants, who often communicate only in their
native language, partially in Russian, and occasionally
in English.
In the initial lessons, participants mainly struggle with
the Latin alphabet, which most of them have had little
exposure to. They are learning basic vocabulary, social
phrases, and correct pronunciation. The atmosphere of
the course in the first hours was one of initial mutual
familiarisation and knowledge mapping. The lecturers
aim to create an environment where participants feel
safe and can make rapid progress. Since no prior
knowledge of Czech is required, the target level is
A0+/A1.
Mgr. Veronika Galačová, the lecturer for the second
group, reflects on the first lessons: “The classes were
conducted mainly in Czech, but we occasionally used
Russian or English for explanations, with more
advanced students translating into Ukrainian for
others. Despite the reasons for the course, the
atmosphere in class is pleasant and relaxed. The
students appreciate the opportunity to learn Czech at
the university, where they have access to all necessary
facilities.”
Lecturer Petra Hanáčková, M.A., M.St., shares her
impressions: There are significant differences among
the students, and it is evident that some had studied
Czech before the course began. At first, they found the
lessons easy, but as we progressed to verb conjugation
and the semantics of certain expressions, they began to
encounter the increasing complexity of Czech. The
lessons include conversation, grammar exercises, and
pronunciation drills. The students are eager to learn
more about the Czech education system and local
culture. The group is highly diverse – we have
students, seniors, a mother on maternity leave, and
professionals from fields such as engineering,
management, education, and banking.”
Each course participant usually has a powerful personal
story, though many are sensitive and private. However,
Ukrainian couple Mariia and Grygorij briefly shared the
circumstances under which they came to the Czech
Republic. The couple, in their seventies, arrived in Zlín
from Mykolaiv on 17 March. They feel they need Czech
to avoid being completely lost in their new environment:
“We need Czech for everyday communication, to
manage daily situations as best we can. Although we
are older, we really enjoy the course. We want to learn
the basics of Czech and discover more about Czech
culture,” the couple added. At the beginning of April,
UTB announced a new round of internal competitions
for Support for International Cooperation 2022 –
Ukraine. FHS prepared and secured three projects,
enabling the continuation of language courses. In
November, the Centre for Language Education will
launch two courses: A0-A1 English course for Ukrainian
refugees and A1-A2 English course for Ukrainian
refugees.
The third course, Basics of Czech for Ukrainian
Refugees (adults and children over 12), will be organised
by the Institute of Modern Languages and Literatures.
Text: Promotion Department, Petra Hanáčková,
Veronika Galačová