Abstract:

In spring 2022, Lithuania faced a massive refugees flow from Ukraine; almost 60000 people came to Lithuania, around half of them minors. It should be admitted that Ukrainians came with different needs and plans; some decided to stay in Lithuania permanently, and some to return at the earliest possible safe date.

Lithuanian government and diverse NGOs supported Ukrainians in different ways. Firstly, they focussed on families' financial and material situation, emotional support and children's education. However, it soon became obvious that Ukrainian adults also have urgent educational needs, especially in learning the Lithuanian language. Universities became key actors in addressing these needs and started to organize Lithuanian language and culture courses for adult Ukrainians. Needless to say, universities had little time to prepare and adjust the programs to non-English speaking groups; there were not enough textbooks and workbooks for non-English speaking Lithuanian language learners.

The research aims to discuss a Lithuanian language and culture course's organization, process, meaning and outcomes in the light of migration theories, especially focusing on inclusion aspects. In order to meet the goal, a qualitative study was carried out at one Lithuanian university. A dozen course participants were invited for a semi-structured interview focusing on several topics: first of all, to remember their first days in Lithuania and what has changed till now, then how they decided to attend the Lithuanian language and culture course, and how was their experience in it. The collected qualitative data was analyzed using traditional content analysis with open coding.

Preliminary data analysis showed that for most participants, the arrival in Lithuania meant an incredible feeling of relief, accompanied by the logical uncertainty after abandoning their country in a war process.

Despite not knowing the Lithuanian language, they did not encounter significant communication difficulties, as in Lithuania, they could make themselves understood in Russian or English. However, most interviewees agree that progressively, the desire to learn Lithuanian grew stronger, motivated by their interest in feeling like members of a community that welcomes them and to which they feel grateful. Likewise, they refer to the course as an opportunity to meet again with compatriots and, in turn, feel united in a welcoming and protective environment. Didactical dynamics in the course, such as roleplaying or singing in Lithuanian, meant a chance to enjoy and disconnect from the war horror. Many participants also argue the practical nature of this learning, especially useful when the future is uncertain, and they ignore how long it will take to return to their country.

Among the conclusions, the importance of the desire for social and affective inclusion as an intrinsic motivation when learning a language is pointed out. Learning the local language is revealed as a key factor for inclusion even when basic communication needs were already covered by resorting to third languages.

Future research could observe how students' motivation and learning perception change over time, in case their stay in Lithuania is prolonged and they reach a seamless integration into the community.

Keywords:

Ukrainian refugees, Lithuanian language, adult education, university, social inclusion.