1^st September this year will be special: for the first time, almost 4,000 Ukrainian children and young people will be among the students. And in the group of teachers, side by side with Latvian colleagues – Ukrainian educators who will help their little compatriots overcome confusion, insecurity, will translate what they don't understand and, of course, teach the subjects.

Latvian language courses for Ukrainians

Clearly, the process is complex. After the experiences of the war, the children found themselves in a foreign, mentally different environment, where the programmes of educational institutions are different, and the Latvian language is unintelligible.

Of the 3.8 million Ukrainians who have registered for temporary protection in the European Union, more than 36 thousand, mostly mothers with children, are currently under the care of Latvia. Along with the first flow of refugees in February, the first Ukrainian students appeared in our educational institutions. But already at the end of May, 4177 Ukrainian refugee children studied in Latvian educational institutions. In May, with amendments to the Law on Support of Ukrainian Civilians, it was established that minor Ukrainian civilians can be educated in Latvia either in the Latvian language or in the minority education programme in the Ukrainian language. Education in the national language or in the Ukrainian language will have to be provided to all minor Ukrainian civilians starting from preschool age.

The issue of language is most important, so that newcomers can fit into the social environment of Latvia, find work, and study.

Currently, basic knowledge of the Latvian language is widely taught to adult Ukrainian refugees throughout the country. First of all, the ambitious programme of the Society Integration Fund “Latvian language courses for Ukrainian civilians” shall be mentioned here, for which 3 million euros have been allocated from the state budget, and within the framework of which various non-formal education organisations have organised basic Latvian language (A1 level) courses in all regions of the country. Latvian language courses are also provided by the State Employment Agency, municipalities and other institutions.

With the arrival of the first Ukrainian refugees, the Latvian Language Agency (LLA) started implementing the initiative for Latvian language courses. Dr paed., LLA methodologist Ērika Pičukāne says:

“With the financial support of the Ministry of Culture, we immediately opened three study groups for Ukrainians. After that, the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) invited the organisation of two more groups specifically for Ukrainian educators by 1 September, because they need special training. Many teachers from Ukraine started working in our schools as teaching assistants or assistants in work with Ukrainian children. For example, a woman who is a teacher's assistant in a preschool is currently studying in the group of educators.

On the other hand, in order to help Latvian teachers who work with Ukrainians – both children and adults, we held special practical classes in creative workshops of the agency.

We should also mention the short 20-hour course created with the help of the MES – Latvian language introductory lessons “Feel safe in Latvia!”. It is my author's programme, which can be found on the LLA website and which we created on our own initiative in our free time. The design work was done by the LLA staff, and my Ukrainian students and translators from the Society “Shelter “Safe House”” helped with the translation work. This programme gives basic skills for simple communication in the shop, transport, institutions. We quickly implemented it in March already, and eight groups learnt it.”

Each LLA study group has an average of 14-15 people, so it can be estimated that, in total, approximately 100 Ukrainians, including around 30 teachers, will have acquired basic knowledge of the Latvian language in the mentioned courses. But that doesn't make everything completely safe. “They all say – we will leave, we will leave! Especially in March – they leave for two weeks and then come back again – it turns out that it is not safe or there is no more shelter at all,” says Ē. Pičukāne. “All the course participants I have met are working. Someone works in construction, someone with computers or in catering, or as a teacher's assistant, or does volunteer work; no one wants to be unemployed. But in the evening, after work, they learn the Latvian language at the computer. They are diligent and learn very quickly.”

The courses take place remotely, because their participants are scattered all over Latvia, and they, of course, do not have the opportunity to get to a particular educational institution at a certain time after work. But Ē. Pičukāne considers that the results are good. “Some participants also study in absentia. I have a student who connected to the lectures from a Polish airport. For example, one of my students cannot join us at the beginning of classes because of work. His wife turns on the computer at half past five, studies for half an hour, writes everything down, and then her husband comes home from work at six and joins the class. We have a nanny studying with us, who tells her children everything she heard during the lectures, and they help her in conversations.”

The goal is to learn the Latvian language at a higher level

Natālija Babenko moved from Odessa to Latvia on 7 March. Together with her son and youngest daughters, who are nine and seven years old. “My husband worked here before the war, so we came to see him. Since I am a teacher of younger classes, I realised that such young children might need the help of a Ukrainian specialist in a Latvian school. And so it was; I was accepted as a teacher's assistant in a bilingual school in Riga, where I worked until the end of the school year. I helped both teachers and parents. There were about forty Ukrainian children – of different ages, in different classes, although the number varies. We tried to find out how many Ukrainian children would start school on 1 September, but it was impossible: everyone wants to go home, but not everyone can live in Ukraine now. We're not leaving yet because it's very unsafe there. Since May, I have been studying Latvian all summer long with other teachers from Ukraine.”

Even though her daughters could continue their studies at school in Ukraine remotely, she chose on-site studies at Riga 74^th Secondary School, so that the girls would distance themselves from the feelings of the war, to have other thoughts and conversations.

“Since part of the lessons were in Russian, it was a little easier for the children, but we translate the subjects that are taught in Latvian into Ukrainian in the evenings at home.”

In Ukraine, Natālija participated in the educational pilot project, which includes four junior classes “New Ukrainian School” and was started four years ago.

“It is a programme partly adopted from Finland, partly from the USA, introducing the element of play and games into the curriculum, more mutual communication, giving children more opportunities to express their ideas, and promoting comprehensive development. The basic idea is not to memorise certain information, but to develop independent thinking. In the future, this system will already move to the fifth grade and gradually develop further. The system has been radically changed, starting with the layout of the classrooms and ending with the teaching content, teaching aids and methods. In the first grades, there is a relaxation area with toys, a quiet area (as much as possible), where a child can stay if he/she is unable to participate in the lesson for some reason.”

Natālija admits that in such a relaxed atmosphere, children, and this especially applies to first grade, learn more freely, they do not feel afraid or ashamed of not knowing something, making mistakes, and the new method does not hinder learning of the subject matter. Teachers are given the freedom to choose different programmes, textbooks and aids. They can apply the acquired professional knowledge in their teaching work, but they can also take on risks and responsibilities by working creatively and departing from the formal curriculum developed in the education system. Thus, in different classes and in different schools, both the curriculum and teaching materials may differ for children of the same age. In order to work in this New School, educators shall complete mandatory training courses, as well as participate in open classes and internships in educational institutions where this system has already been implemented.

At the same time, the professional qualification improvement training of all other educators also takes place. It is available in the form of seminars and is basically free of charge or with a small co-payment by the participant. Educators can attend various seminars, but can also choose one topic to deepen their knowledge throughout the year. Due to the pandemic, competence education for adults is being implemented remotely. Teachers undergo attestation once every five years, in which the existing qualification shall be confirmed (hours of seminar attendance are important here), and then a certificate of conformity is received or the necessary steps are taken to supplement professional knowledge.

Of course, the war has dismantled this system, and Natālija's reality in the field of education is currently in Latvia. During our conversation, she was waiting with high hopes for an invitation from her previous workplace to continue her duties. As well as the opportunity to acquire Latvian language skills at a higher level.

“First there is a 120-hour course, but after that we are preparing for the next level with the teacher Sandra Kivleniece. The lessons are interesting, understandable and useful, although at first the Latvian language seemed extremely foreign, like Chinese. However, my daughters are learning the language quickly and easily; they already correct my colloquial language mistakes.”

On the other hand, Oksana Zhamlikhanova, also a mother of two daughters, is a music teacher for senior students. Her youngest daughter studies in third grade in Latvia, and the eldest – in 11^th grade. Oksana has two higher education qualifications and two specialities. The first – pianist concertmaster and music teacher, the second – accounting and audit specialist. For the last 13 years, she has worked in a responsible position in the second profession, but when she came to Latvia from Kyiv, she returned to the first one, because it is more in demand.

“After I arrived in Latvia, I was invited to work as a teaching assistant in one of Riga's bilingual schools – specifically in connection with the inclusion of Ukrainian children in the learning environment. After that, I received an offer for such a position in a school, where the teaching process is only in Latvian. I will say that it is not impossible: I have attended Latvian language courses and since there are not many lessons, I will be able to prepare and do it by using study aids in Latvian. I think that I will be able to use my knowledge in leading some music groups and ensembles. I will also work at a music school as a piano teacher.”

Oksana has only positive words to say about LLA Latvian language courses.

“Sandra knows how to teach, so that the Latvian language does not seem complicated, and removes the fear of not saying something correctly, or of making mistakes. However, in order to learn the language faster, in addition, guided by the auxiliary materials, it is important to study two or three hours a day independently. By the way, these LLA study materials are of high quality, easily accessible, and free of charge. Indeed, everything possible has been done so that people can learn the Latvian language.”

But nothing is simple right now. The eldest daughter's plans for the future have been ruined: there was a chance that she would graduate from high school this year with a red diploma and continue her studies at university, but now she is in a Latvian school, in foreign conditions, only in 11^th grade (children in Ukraine start school from the age of six), and what follows is unpredictable. The youngest daughter is still trying to settle into her new place of residence, is looking for friends, and in general half a year has passed, recovering from the shadow of the war.

Oksana plans to stay in Latvia for two years, so that her life will gain some foundation and stability, and then she will see how everything turns out. The nearest hope is that this autumn she will start studying in the A2 level courses and, as she continues her Latvian language studies, she will get the necessary qualifications to be able to perform her duties as a teacher independently. “In any country, it is necessary to know the national language,” she believes.

And one more observation: in her opinion, Latvians respect their language and identity too little, and it seems strange that there are some schools in the country where lessons are taught in Russian. “After arriving in Riga, I didn't understand where I had ended up – so little Latvian language everywhere... Only when we attended the “Brainstorm” concert, did I really feel that there really is a Latvian community in the country, and that there are national, mutually unifying strings.”