You can find more information about Erasmus+ studies here and here.
Professors from Poland and Germany on Benefits and Challenges of Multilingual Learning
“We have to educate people: sometimes they are afraid of something they don’t understand, they think that having to manage many languages in one brain can be overwhelming. However, modern neurobiological and psycholinguistic research has shown that this is not the case”, notes Prof. Dr. Stefanie Haberzettl, who participated in the international conference “Empowering Education: Fostering Inclusive Multicultural Classrooms in General Education” at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in autumn.
The benefits of multilingualism have been confirmed by various scientific studies: e.g. people who know two or more languages are better at performing tasks that require attention management, inhibition of irrelevant information, or problem solving. Moreover, it has been shown that multilingual people may delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s by 4-5 years.
“There are still teachers who fundamentally reject the use of other languages in class and forbid their students to do so. Sometimes they fear that students might talk about things unrelated to the lesson – or even about the teacher. However, observational studies show that students do use their first language to discuss the subject matter. And why shouldn’t they use every tool to better understand the subject matter?”, argues Prof. Haberzetttl.
According to the researcher, in many of Germany’s federal states, pupils are offered classes of so-called heritage languages, i.e. minority languages that are spoken in a domestic environment. “First, this sends an important signal of appreciation for the languages that the students bring with them. Secondly, it can help them further develop their multilingualism”, the interviewee explains.
Learning is aided by “language baths”
Multilingualism is encouraged not only in Germany’s schools but also in the children’s day care centers: e.g. by reading picture books not just in German but also in Arabic or Turkish, which are among the largest minority languages in Germany.
Sharing her thoughts on effective tools dedicated to the involvement of foreign students in the class, Prof. Haberzettl emphasises that it should be systematically planned how many tools and learning materials could be presented in languages other than German. Most importantly, it must be ensured that each pupil understands the topic of the class. According to the professor, the more advanced pupils can learn German by using the so-called “language bath”: the method when the pupil is completely immersed in the taught language, e.g. the teacher talks to them only in German.
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Haberzettl
“In this context, digital tools should not be taboo either, for translating texts, enabling dialogue, etc. At the same time, of course, systematic work must be done to help students expand their repertoire of German expressions”, notes the professor of the University of Saarland, adding that the situation in her country is different from Lithuania. For instance, in Germany, the percentage of Ukrainians in the population is much lower.
Renewed relevance because of war in Ukraine
Prof. Dr. Joanna Rokita-Jaśkow from the University of the National Education Commission (UKEN), Poland, who also participated in the conference at VMU, says that the relevance of multilingualism and multiculturalism increased in Poland in 2022, when a large number of Ukrainians entered the country because of the war. Teachers were not prepared for this.
“In Poland, teachers mainly speak only Polish. Moreover, many teachers are older, aged over 50, so they received their education in the socialist times and they don’t know any foreign languages, except maybe some Russian. This is a challenge for them because they don’t have any abilities to speak with foreigners. Not to mention other issues, when children have psychological, emotional problems because they were suddenly forced to change their place of living”, points out the professor.
Multilingualism is overall less widespread in Poland than in Lithuania. According to Eurostat, 95.6% of the population in Lithuania speaks more than one language, whereas in Poland 67% of people do.
In two years since the start of the full-scale war, Poland has learned a lot, Prof. Dr. Rokita-Jaśkow assures. Since September of this year, Ukrainian children who live in Poland must attend Polish schools. This will be beneficial to them in the long run, when they continue learning at Poland’s universities and find employment.
“Language is a key tool for integration. They should learn how to gradually improve the language, because they can get into a better secondary school, get a university education, set up a business where they will have clients from different backgrounds”, the professor says.
Prof. Dr. Joanna Rokita-Jaśkow
Challenges in Poland and Lithuania are similar
The interviewee emphasises that both Poland and Lithuania are currently facing similar challenges and are beginning to learn the nuances of multicultural and multilingual education. Teachers have to adapt: they become not just instructors of their specific subjects, such as physics, maths, or others, but also teachers of the Polish language itself. They adjust to the pupils’ language proficiency levels, simplify lesson content, and gradually help the pupils understand both the characteristics of the Polish language and the subject matter.
“The younger the child, the easier it is to learn the language. For instance, if he is 7 years old, he can attain very good competence, close to native, in about three years. But when 13-14 year-old children arrive, they find it much more difficult to acquire such competence. They need more time, about 5-8 years, for that”, researcher from the University of the National Education Commission points out.
Prof. Dr. Rokita-Jaśkow says that there are many helpful tools and techniques for learning in a multilingual environment. For instance, students may use mobile phones and apps such as Quizlet to help them learn the language, and also to make their own vocabularies to help them remember the more sophisticated terminology.
However, according to the professor, even though foreign pupils may be permitted to use their native language during lessons if this helps them learn the subject, but it should not be overdone: the priority should be given to the language of instruction.
Society is changing, so are the schools
In early October, Prof. Stefanie Haberzettl and Prof. Dr. Joanna Rokita-Jaśkow attended the international conference “Empowering Education: Fostering Inclusive Multicultural Classrooms in General Education”, which was held at Education Academy of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). Topics discussed included methods for improving inclusive education of non-native speaking children, recommendations on multilingual education in schools, and the challenges and opportunities of education in multilingual education.
Prof. Dr. Lina Kaminskienė
“Our society is changing, it is becoming multicultural, so are our schools. We need to find methods, people, and resources to be able to provide support not just during the class but also after it, because good international experiences of the other countries also demonstrate that 45 minutes are not enough. We also need to check to what extent the child was able to understand new things in a different linguistic environment and learn them”, Prof. Dr. Lina Kaminskienė, the Chancellor of the VMU Education Academy, notes.
Prof. Dr. Daiva Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė from the Department of Preschool and Primary Education at the VMU Education Academy points out that the academy provides all prospective teachers with opportunities to not only study the content of a specific subject but also to develop proficiency in one or multiple foreign languages of their choice. Moreover, some study programmes provide multiple specializations, e.g. such an opportunity is offered by the program Pedagogy of Primary Education and Early Foreign Language Teaching.
Prof. Dr. Daiva Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė
“This program devotes much more attention to the issues of language learning. Students not only acquire foreign language proficiencies themselves but also learn how to develop content for integrated education, when multiple subjects are combined, e.g. mathematics and English, natural sciences and English, etc. We develop and test such experiences not just at the university but also while participating in international projects and developing examples of education activities together with the scientists and teaching practitioners of other countries”, Prof. Dr. Daiva Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė says.
This year, the graduates of the program Pedagogy of Primary Education and Early Foreign Language Teaching together with teachers from Italy, Spain, France, Hungary and Romania are developing integrated content for learning a foreign language in addition to mathematics as well as natural sciences. They are presenting their activities and sharing experiences not just in Lithuania but also abroad.
INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 2025 at Vytautas Magnus University
The duration of the School is 23-27 June, 2025.
We are pleased to invite you for the seventh time to the International Qualitative Research Summer School 2025 (hereinafter – IQS School 2025) at Vytautas Magnus University. The author and initiator of this school is the independent School of Social Researcher (head is Prof. Dr. Vilma Žydžiūnaitė), which organizes the event together with the Institute of Educational Research / Academy of Education.
We are proud of the international reputation and solid achievements of this School, because we can be proud that every year doctoral students, researchers, scientists from all continents of the world study there, because they trust in quality.
What do we mean by this? Meaningfulness and attractiveness of the content, practicality and applicability, balance of contextuality and situationality, diversity of discussions and questions, interdisciplinary nature, opportunities for the development of social and subject networks, and double opening – to one’s own ignorance and new knowledge.
Such things would not be possible without the internationally renowned IQS School team and lecturers, who dedicate the time on an academic volunteering basis to the education of the international research community, aiming for academic dialogue and the quality of qualitative research.
We prepare for each IQS School season very carefully: studying what the expectations and needs of the audience were, predicting how it are likely to change over the past year, depending on complex contexts, studing the ‘market’ of scientific research in recent years, conducting analyses of publications based on qualitative research in all sciences without exception – natural, technological, medical and health, agricultural, social sciences, humanities and arts. This means that every year the team does a huge job to make a decision – what we want to offer you this year?
While deciding on this year’s School concept, the team had several meetings, during which we had heated discussions, raising the following questions: ‘What direction do we support – ‘methods of the year’ or methodologies with long-standing traditions, which have an increasingly strong development direction, more and more high-quality research, include interdisciplinary solutions and make a breakthrough in destroying stereotypes? Do we take only one methodology and work with it throughout the IQS School period, or do we take several methodologies and implement them so that participants feel they have acquired new skills, strengthened their visions and realized that there is a need for innovation?’
We have decided this year to focus on three key, most scientifically reliable methodologies – Grounded Theory, Ethnography and Phenomenology. Why?
They will be taught by academic experts with an international reputation:
Prof. Antony Bryant from the United Kingdom, working at Leeds Beckett University; a collaborator, colleague of Professor Kathy Charmaz (the creator of constructivist GT), who has a multidisciplinary education, having obtained it at various universities: at the London school of Economics and Political science (UK) he defended his PhD, at Durham University (UK) he graduated in Computing studies and obtained an MSc. Professor conducts Grounded Theory education all over the world.
Dr. Laura Purdy from Liverpool John Moores University. She holds a PhD from the University of Otago (New Zealand), a MSc (Leisure Studies) from the University of Illinois (USA), and a Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies (Hons.) from Brock University (Canada). She conducts research, based on ethnographic methodology, on a global scale, and teaching the subtleties of this methodology to international audiences of doctoral students and researchers.
Prof. PhD Vilma Žydžiūnaitė from Vytautas Magnus University, has a multidisciplinary education – defended doctoral dissertations in education and nursing, obtained two master’s degrees – in education and nursing, completed bachelor’s and diploma studies in health sciences, nursing, and higher professional studies – in medicine. Her studies include various countries – Lithuania, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Israel. The scope of teaching qualitative research methodology is international – Italy, Poland, Latvia, Belgium; qualitative research performance includes, in addition to Lithuania, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Slovenia, Norway. The range of her professional development, learning, and qualitative research results is wide – Asia, Europe, Australia, America, Canada.
The summer school will be held in a format convenient for you – ONLINE. It means that you will reach us from at least one physical and geographical location where there is an Internet connection.
Our focus is: Grounded Theory, Ethnography and Phenomenology.
Each methodology will be given 1.5 days.
Each methodology will be taught using the exact same structure:
The theoretical foundations of the methodology/method
Planning the study
Collecting data
Analysing data
The 18th Conference of Baltic Society of Sport Sciences
On behalf of the Baltic Sport Science Society and Vytautas Magnus University, I am honoured to welcome you all to the 18th Annual Conference of the Baltic Sport Science Society (BSSS), organised and hosted by the Department of Sports and Physical Education of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, on 28–30 April. The annual event brings together teachers, research fellows, doctoral and master students from higher education institutions in the Baltic States and other countries around the world.
Traditionally, the Conference offers academics and researchers the opportunity to present and share the latest research findings, to initiate or renew cooperation projects, and to meet and exchange scientific ideas. The main objectives of the BSSS are the development of early career researchers and the support of young scientists. For this reason, the BSSS established the Young Investigators Award. Young researchers have a great opportunity to take part in this scientific competition, intended to foster scientific growth, where they can present their outstanding work.
The Conference will be held at the Conference Centre of Radisson Hotel Kaunas, which offers excellent facilities for a successful scientific meeting. The Conference venue is located in the city centre, with easy access to Vytautas Magnus University and the main avenue of Kaunas. All participants will be invited to visit Vytautas Magnus University and participate in the scientific discussions that will be organised and included in the programme.
I hope you will have the perfect opportunity to engage in fruitful discussions, make new contacts, and initiate new research projects in a friendly and welcoming environment.
We are very happy to welcome you all to Kaunas, Lithuania!
CONFERENCE TOPICS
• Sports coaching and performance
• Sports psychology and education, physical education
• Sports management and economics
• Sports kinesiology and medicine
• Sports physiology and biomechanics
• Physical activity, recreation, and health
Lithuania’s First STEAM Didactics Centre Opened at VMU
“The future of Lithuania lies in the individuals you educate. They must be technically skilled and aesthetically sensitive. Through that combination of technical knowledge and artistic sensitivity, we will create a brighter future by educating students who can combine mathematics, science, and the arts. This is why STEAM centres are so vital,” said Professor Edmond Saliklis from California Polytechnic State University, during his presentation at the opening of the STEAM Didactics Centre at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU).
The new centre is unique – the first and only one of its kind in Lithuania – designed to be the primary space for education professionals to enhance their competencies and deepen their knowledge in STEAM education. STEAM is an integrated, interdisciplinary model for developing students’ skills, combining science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the arts.
“Without playfulness, we are robots, but without discipline, we are in chaos. The connection, the threshold between the two, is very important. It’s a way to renew teaching and inspire our students. STEAM has its roots in the Bauhaus school in Germany, where artists, architects, and sculptors combined playfulness with discipline, and their motto was ‘Learn by doing’. This motto is also adopted by my university,” Prof. Saliklis noted.
He shared that when he teaches interdisciplinary courses at California Polytechnic State University, such as architectural and civil engineering, he encourages his students to create so-called artefacts – inventive art objects that are based on mathematical and other scientific principles.
The focus is on people, not the buildings
The opening of the VMU STEAM Didactics Centre took place on Friday, 11 October, at the VMU Agriculture Academy. The event attracted two hundred education community representatives, STEAM Centre leaders and methodologists, representatives of education centres, and teachers. More than two hundred pupils also attended the event, where they had the opportunity to try out 18 different STEAM activities, visit modern laboratories, and listen to success stories.
According to Assoc. Prof. Judita Žukauskienė, Head of the VMU STEAM Didactics Centre, STEAM education integrates subjects from different fields using creativity and team activities, which provide students with the opportunity to not only learn more effectively, but also to get to know themselves better, to experiment, and tackle challenges.
Assoc. Prof. Judita Žukauskienė
“Our Centre has several key missions: to enhance the qualifications and development of current teachers in STEAM areas, to train STEAM educators, which are in short supply, and to offer activities for pupils. Buildings alone are worthless. To fulfill our missions, we have people who will help achieve these goals at the Centre,” said the Head of the Centre.
The Centre plans to hold methodological training, seminars, and workshops to further incorporate innovations into the teaching process. Modern laboratories will foster collaboration among scientists, students, educators, and pupils.
From artificial intelligence and drones to agronomy and economics
“We are beginning to understand the harmony of nature and our place in the world – we do not live in isolated areas, so from the very first steps of learning, sciences should be interconnected. We don’t need to think that this will replace mathematics, English, or physics; no, it’s a way to learn about the environment around us in an integral way, because that is how we live,” VMU Rector Prof. Juozas Augutis emphasised the importance of integrating different sciences during the opening of the Centre.
Prof. Juozas Augutis
“The entire Vytautas Magnus University is engaged in STEAM – it’s not just a separate classroom with some equipment. Pupils and teachers can spread out across various labs and centres, which fill all the spaces, from artificial intelligence to agronomy, from economics to drone technology, from mathematics to engineering,” said the Rector, adding that thanks to a recently signed agreement, doctoral students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will soon come to the university to work with STEAM and assist pupils.
The advisor to the Minister of Education, Science, and Sports on science and general education, Rasa Kulvietienė, also spoke at the opening, wishing everyone success in exploring the mysteries of science and in cooperation. “I wish everyone here to find synergy and cooperation, to foster a culture in which you try to understand each other and use scientific knowledge, but do not forget the most important thing – that it is not only the laboratories that create, but also the people who will gather here to work,” remarked Rasa Kulvietienė.
The future is in the school corridors
During the event, the Mayor of Kaunas District, Valerijus Makūnas, highlighted that collaboration with Vytautas Magnus University has been and remains crucial for the region – a collaboration that led to the establishment of VMU Ugnės Karvelis Gymnasium. “We have signed various agreements to invest in young people choosing teaching as their profession, and it is happening. This is a significant contribution of this university, and I sincerely thank you for it. It’s no secret that our future walks the corridors of schools,” said the mayor.
At the opening of the VMU STEAM Didactics Centre, educators had the opportunity to attend plenary sessions and discussions and participate in two conferences where experts reviewed practical STEAM education solutions and innovative foreign practices for teaching about climate change. Pupils attended a forum on “STEAM Future Perspectives” and practical STEAM workshops.
The event began with a special STEAM performance by VMU students and the Centre’s staff.
More information about the VMU STEAM Didactics Centre.
VDU Academy of Education Lithuanian language courses
Vytautas Magnus University Academy of Education is organising Lithuanian language proficiency courses designed to cater different groups of learners:
Price of the courses:
250 € For Adult Ukrainian Learners and School Students (aged 12-17).
650 € For All A1 also A2 Foreigner learners (If you are a student or an employee of a higher education institution or applying with a group, a discount is applied).
Programme duration: 4 weeks (120 hours, 8 July – 2 August)
Location: T. Ševčenkos 31 (VMU Education academy), Vilnius.
- All courses are led by enthusiastic tutors through the English language.
- The classes will take place on weekdays at 4 pm. (Vilnius time) for 1,5 hours.
- The course material is based on the textbooks Nė dienos be lietuvių kalbos and Sėkmės.
Welcome to the course!
Apply Now: Lithuanian language course Registration form
International Doctoral Summer School
We at Vytautas Magnus University are excited to invite you to join us for the 6th International Doctoral Summer School, “From Literature Review to Scientific Report,” taking place online from August 21-23, 2024
The school is organized by an international university network of six countries: Lithuania (Vytautas Magnus University, Klaipeda University), Latvia (Daugavpils University, Liepaja Academy of Riga Technical University, Ventspils University, Turiba University), Serbia (Novi Sad University, the Czech Republic (Hradec Kralove University), Finland (University of Eastern Finland), Poland (Warsaw University of Life Sciences).
This year, the Education Academy and Educational Research Institute of Vytautas Magnus University took over the leadership responsibility for the organization of this summer school.
Three intense days of lectures and seminars, full of intellectual community with the focus on research methodology, await you.
Representatives of all universities have created an interesting program this year, in which researchers from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Germany, Lithuania, Finland, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Spain, and Turkey will share their experiences and insights.
The program is designed to focus on interdisciplinarity, thus Doctoral students from a variety of disciplines, including natural, medical and health sciences, technology, humanities and social sciences, and the arts, are invited to attend this international event.
Participation is free.
Programe
Registration (Registration is closed)
Registration is open until 1 th, August, 2024.
Maximum number of participants 120.
We are waiting for you.
See you at the international summer school in August.
The Spanish Language Will Open Doors Not Only to the Labour Market but Also to Many Hearts
“The tradition of teaching Spanish is quite old. Just look at our neighbours, the Poles – they have certainly advanced in teaching this language and have been offering it in schools for a long time. Currently in Lithuania, we are observing a growing interest in this language not only in city schools but also in regional schools. I often receive messages from parents asking if I would be willing to teach their children,” says Vigilija Žiūraitė, a Spanish language lecturer at the Institute of Foreign Languages of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU).
From September 2026, pupils will be able to choose Spanish as a second foreign language alongside Russian, German, and French, which are currently offered. Although the number of those wishing to learn this language is increasing, the main dilemma now, according to Žiūraitė, is whether we will be able to prepare enough Spanish language specialists in the next couple of years.
This is one of the discussion topics that will be addressed on 7 December at the 8th Spanish Language Forum (Spanish: Foro de Español en Kaunas) in Kaunas. The main goal of the Spanish Language Forum is to bring together Spanish language teachers, lecturers, translators, and other specialists, and to provide them with a space to share news, research results, and discuss the latest language teaching and learning methods.
The number of people wanting to learn Spanish is increasing
According to Žiūraitė, Spanish is one of the major languages, official in 21 countries, which offers great learning prospects.
“People are increasingly looking to Spain and Latin American countries not only in search of new travel destinations but also driven by practical incentives, such as business development opportunities or the desire to invest in real estate. Naturally, there arises a need for people who are not only knowledgeable in specific areas but also able to communicate freely in Spanish. There is also a growing demand for Spanish-speaking professionals in multinational companies operating in Lithuania with offices in Spain and Latin America,” says Žiūraitė.
Participants of the Spanish Language Forum (Vigilija Žiūraitė – on the right; photo by I. Baltakytė)
The lecturer, who has been teaching Spanish to children in schools for more than a decade, recalls that the beginning of the educational process was a Spanish club where children primarily gathered to have a good time. Later, when Spanish became available as a second foreign language, it was faced not only with a non-serious attitude – children’s knowledge was not assessed with grades – but also with a shortage of specialists in this language.
“We are currently witnessing a phenomenon where there is a growing demand from people wanting to learn the language, but a limited supply of professionals able to teach it. Sometimes it seems overwhelming to try to keep up and teach everyone. I am delighted that at the VMU Institute of Foreign Languages, we offer Spanish courses that attract pupils from various schools in Kaunas. Pupils learn in groups with university students. So if they don’t have the opportunity to learn Spanish at their own school, they look for opportunities elsewhere,” says Vigilija Žiūraitė, who manages not only to conduct contact and remote lessons for pupils but also teaches the subtleties of Spanish to university students.
Participants of the Spanish Language Forum (photo by I. Baltakytė)
A favourable time for bilingual specialists
Speaking about the preparation of future Spanish language teachers to teach pupils in just two years, the VMU lecturer highlights that current second-year students of the “Subject Education: English Pedagogy and Another Foreign Language” study programme will definitely be able to jump on the bandwagon and immediately have jobs upon graduating.
“We see a growing need for bilingual specialists, especially in the regions, where the declining number of pupils is also reducing the workload of teachers. For a specialist fluent in two languages, it is not only easier to secure the necessary workload. It also benefits pupils who have the opportunity to learn two foreign languages with the same teacher. Such a multilingual environment also fosters a broader understanding of language and facilitates learning,” says Žiūraitė.
Spanish Language Forum 2023 (photo by I. Baltakytė)
The lecturer, whose work extends beyond educating pupils and students, devotes significant attention to training future Spanish language specialists. She notes that there are more candidates interested in the teacher retraining programme funded by the Ministry of Education than there are available spots.
“Every weekend, several groups of teachers, one beginner and one advanced, study Spanish. These are specialists in other subjects – English and Russian – preparing to become Spanish teachers. As soon as we announced this project, more than 70 applicants responded, but unfortunately, we could only accept 30. Educators, especially those with experience in language teaching, can certainly learn this language and become excellent specialists in the future. The advanced group will complete their studies in May and start teaching Spanish in schools in the autumn,” shares Žiūraitė.
The lecturer who has been organising the Spanish Language and Culture Olympiad for pupils, “The Spanish-Speaking World and Me,” for several years, notes that pupils from not only major cities but also smaller cities and towns are keen to learn Spanish.
“When we first started organising the Olympiad, initially, only a few teams from Kaunas would participate. But this spring, we had more than 10 teams and over 100 pupils from various Lithuanian cities. The Olympiad is now more focused on the culture, history, and geography of Spanish-speaking countries, but I hope that soon pupils will also be able to demonstrate their language skills, and that there will be more and more of such events,” says Žiūraitė.
The 2024 “Spanish-Speaking World and Me” Olympiad for pupils (Vigilija Žiūraitė – on the left; photo by Jonas Petronis)
Teachers most lack institutional support
According to the lecturer, with the need for language teaching comes the responsibility of how to properly prepare children. In addition to skilled professionals, a robust curriculum, learning tools, and favourable conditions to prepare for the national exam are needed.
These are the issues that specialists have been discussing for years at the “Foro de Español en Kaunas” Spanish Language Forum in Kaunas in December. It is the only event of its kind in Lithuania, aimed at developing the competencies of Spanish language teachers and lecturers, attracting more and more participants each year.
“It’s not just a way to get to know each other better but also to share experiences and expand the community. At present, what teachers lack most is institutional support. We often still encounter school management’s views and stereotypes that this language is very easy, sufficient to be taught at the club level. Unfortunately, there are instances when students at the university choose this language driven by a similar viewpoint. Yes, learning languages should be fun, but it must be taken seriously. Therefore, such support, first and foremost, would acknowledge that Spanish is one of the main foreign languages, on an equal footing with French or German,” she believes.
Spanish Language Forum 2023 (photo by I. Baltakytė)
Learning Spanish is like celebrating life
According to Žiūraitė, the innovative approach and modern didactic methods in Spanish teaching are what make this language popular among pupils. The practical use of this language – the ability to converse and communicate – is particularly important to them.
“In Spain, where people don’t speak English very well, even a few phrases in Spanish can really help in communicating with the locals. I remember when I started learning the language, nobody would point out my mistakes, they would just be happy that I spoke it. Looking back, I realise there were many mistakes, but the Spanish people always say ‘it’s okay’. I think it’s not just the sound that makes this language admirable, but also a certain attitude of ‘it’s okay, it’s fine, just keep talking’,” says the Spanish lecturer, highlighting the practicality of the language.
Žiūraitė equates the possibility that within a few years, Spanish will be taught not only in individual schools but also more broadly across Lithuania, to a dream come true.
“Working in a school, I see how much pupils enjoy learning this language. I believe they will indeed achieve great results in the future. Statistics show that in countries like France, Sweden, and Germany, the percentage of pupils learning Spanish ranges between 20-70%, whereas in Lithuania it’s currently less than 1%. These are countries where learning Spanish has a long tradition. Even in neighbouring Poland, there are special programmes that allow pupils to learn the basics of Spanish and later continue to improve their skills in other subjects, such as chemistry or biology, and take their final exams in Spanish. Thus, by the time they finish school, they have nearly native-speaker competence,” she says, citing Poland’s advancement in Spanish teaching as an example.
Spanish Language Forum 2023 (photo by I. Baltakytė)
The VMU lecturer is convinced that Spanish not only broadens horizons but also aids in understanding certain global processes.
“For a long time, it was unfairly pushed aside, even though it is one of the world’s main languages and the second most widely spoken mother tongue in the world. So, there are many ways to make use of it.
Moreover, Spain is geographically quite close to us. The growing demand for Spanish-speaking professionals in multinational companies opens up career opportunities,” Žiūraitė describes the practical aspects of using Spanish.
She also stresses that she constantly reminds her pupils and students that learning this language is like celebrating life. “Although it’s partly a stereotype about fiesta and siesta, it’s also a part of the culture because it’s impossible to teach the language without the culture. It’s very important to me that pupils and students enjoy the learning process. Spanish will open doors not only to the labour market but also to many hearts,” says the VMU Spanish lecturer.
Your next adventure starts here! Lithuanian language and culture course welcomes everyone
Have you ever thought to yourself, wouldn’t it be nice to speak a language that only a handful of people on earth know? What is it like belonging to a community whose roots date back to the 10th century? If so, you are extremely lucky, because already this winter, Lithuanian language and culture course can open the door for you to be a part of it.
Here, everyone will find something: whether you are a student craving new experiences or a person willing to learn a new language while diving deeply into the cultural context of a country’s heritage. Not to mention making countless friends around the world. At Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), we welcome everyone who does not shy away from the challenge and is passionate about learning.
The pandemic has shown that online courses can be fun and just as productive as contact courses, therefore, we strongly encourage everyone to join us on this journey.
So why us and what we offer?
- Diversity – summer course has welcomed people from more than 30 countries across the globe. We are talking about places like: Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Uruguay, Canada, USA, different sites around Europe, etc. We organise special cultural nights to engage and learn about the different cultures around the world. That being said, making friends has never been so easy.
- Top of the line professors – years of experience using the most effective techniques of transmitting knowledge into our student minds. Apart from being brilliant lecturers, our teachers truly care about our students and always look for a way to explain subjects in the most comprehensive manner.
- One of a kind programme – diverse, engaging sociocultural lectures set to remove barriers between countries, looking at the geopolitical context from Lithuanian perspective. Excursions, craft sessions, art galleries, artistic performances, movies, history classes – you name it. By the end of the course, you will possess a solid baggage of sociocultural knowledge about Lithuania.
- Family ambiance – most of our students attend the course more than once – they always come back. Our staff cares to create a warm atmosphere where students are encouraged to communicate and help each other. Inclusive learning methods enable participation of all parties and anticipate their needs and preferences. In the end we all become one big and weird.
On the other hand, there are several myths about Lithuanian language and these courses that we must bust:
- Only students can participate → That is false information as every year we welcome multiple attendees whose occupation varies significantly, although the majority of our pupils are students.
- Lithuanian language is almost impossible to learn → This statement is untrue by its nature because we have dozens of examples when students who had no prior knowledge made remarkable progress over the course of 1 or 2 semesters. While Lithuanian language is definitely not the easiest one, it is still the one which you can definitely master.
- Learning Lithuanian is useless → No one ever said that. Lithuanian is the most archaic among all the Indo-European languages spoken today, and as a result it is very useful, indeed, indispensable in the study of Indo-European linguistics. For instance, the word sūnus (eng. son) is like that in sanskrit sūnūs, and the word ákṣi in sanskrit is similar to lithuanian akis (eng. eye). You can not deny the fact that Lithuanian is not only very archaic but still very much alive having rich tradition not only in folklore and literature but also very successfully in all walks of modern life, including the most advanced scientific research.
We all have our ups and downs, shed sweat and tears but in the end it is all worth it as one chapter changes another. You might even meet the love of your life – yes it is true, it has happened already. We live by the courses and each of them is unique in their own way. Some might even say every year courses are getting better. And that is up to you to decide. One thing is true – you will always cherish the moments you experience here and they will never be replicated.
Lithuanian Language and Culture Winter Course will take place from 02-01-2022 to 31-01-2022. You can apply now.
In memoriam Pentti Hakkarainen: we need Professor Hakkarainen’s inexhaustibly profound theoretical insights
On the 1st of June, the first day of meteorological summer, Professor Pentti Hakkarainen (1944 – 2021) left us. He was a world-class scholar who brought to Lithuania his dedication and deep knowledge of research on children’s play. He gathered a team of like-minded people and established a play research laboratory at the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences in Vilnius, where he continued his study of narrative play, which he had begun in Finland at the University of Oulu, Kajaani Branch. Thanks to the Professor and his wife Milda Brėdikytė, Lithuania has been visited by many of the most prominent researchers of children’s play, who delivered lectures, seminars, and attended conferences.
The Professor’s commitment to scholarship and exploration of ideas that interested him was unending. He could spend hours discussing a wide range of scholarly topics, his insights were valuable and the questions he raised were thought-provoking. His doctoral students and colleagues gleaned much from him — if you followed his unhurried Finnish train of thought, the depths of knowledge would be revealed to you.
He spoke many languages and was exceptionally respectful to those around him. He loved nature, travel, and was a passionate gardener, cook and gourmand.
It is said that we become one with the field of science in which we do research. Occasionally as we looked at the professor, it felt like we were being examined by a young, confident child who enjoyed life. At the same time, the professor’s inexhaustible theoretical insights surpassed our understanding and our time. We are now reading what he sent for our joint book, and we are constantly amazed at how much we still have to learn from him: “In the everyday practice of education, any positive or desirable change is called development. Development is discussed in terms of processes or fields. Changes in skill or mastery are usually described in terms of quantities. In such cases we should speak of growth, but not of development in the true sense of the term. Development is a qualitative change at a more holistic level, such as changes in personality, consciousness or performance, which involve new combinations of psychological processes.“
We hope that the Professor’s profound theoretical insights will help us shed some light on the mysterious world of the young child.
Agnė Brandišauskienė, Aušra Daugirdienė
Erasmus+ Results for the 2021/2022 Academic Year
VMU International Cooperation Department has announced the results of the additional competition for Erasmus+ studies in Programme countries and Erasmus+ and Bilateral exchange studies in partner countries for the 2021/2022 Academic Year.
