Abstract:

This study is based on a research project aimed at supporting the language development of children with a mother tongue other than Slovak (L2), responding to the growing linguistic and cultural diversity in early childhood and primary education in Slovakia. Given that proficiency in the language of schooling is a key predictor of academic success and social inclusion, and that Slovakia lacks systematically validated programs to develop Slovak as a second language, the project aims to design and evaluate an intensive language program and to examine educators’ conceptions of what constitutes a high-quality Slovak language programme. In the second phase of the project, more than 100 respondents completed an online questionnaire: preschool teachers, primary teachers, teaching assistants, after-school educators, special educators, and instructors working with children of Slovak origin in the USA, the UK, Australia, and Poland. All participants worked with children learning Slovak as a second language.

The questionnaire included eight descriptions representing conceptions of high-quality language programming, identified in the earlier phase of the research using the Q method:
(1) methodically structured and activating learning;
(2) language learning as a tool for social inclusion;
(3) narrative-based second language learning;
(4) emotionally safe and supportive learning;
(5) deepening cultural understanding;
(6) preparation for formal schooling;
(7) differentiated learning in age-homogeneous groups;
(8) play-based intensive universal course.

Respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which they agreed with each description using a four-point rating scale. The findings indicate a generally high level of endorsement across all eight conceptualisations. The strongest agreement was observed for the view of a language programme as emotionally safe and supportive learning (Concept 4), followed by preparation for formal schooling (Concept 6) and language learning as a tool for social inclusion (Concept 2). The lowest level of agreement was recorded for methodically structured and activating learning (Concept 1), although it was still evaluated positively overall. These results suggest that respondents particularly value emotionally secure, socially oriented, and developmentally supportive approaches to second-language learning. These findings provide insight into the pedagogical values educators associate with high-quality Slovak second-language programming and offer an evidence base for further refinement of the developing language programme.

Keywords:

Language programme, second language, linguistic diversity, inclusion, educators’ beliefs.