Does Slovak have to be scary? Not at EISB!
Many children (and sometimes even adults) believe that learning a language has to be stressful and difficult. But does Slovak really have to be a scary subject? At EISB, it definitely doesn’t.
During Primary Slovak lessons, I focus on creating a warm, welcoming and supportive environment where every child feels safe to try, make mistakes and grow. My goal is for students to enjoy Slovak and to feel confident using it – without pressure or fear of being “wrong”.
A large part of our learning happens through play. We use games, challenges, movement and imagination, which means that students are often having so much fun that they don’t even realise how much they are actually learning. This playful and creative approach is perfectly suited to primary-age children and helps them build a natural relationship with the language.
One of the most important messages I share with my students is that mistakes are not something to be afraid of – they are part of the journey. In fact, mistakes are our teachers. They show us what we need to work on and how we can improve. For example, I underline correct words in green and encourage students to find and correct their own mistakes in the remaining words. This helps them develop independence and a growth mindset. I have written more about this method in another blog post.
But how do I encourage children to read and fall in love with stories?
First of all, I lead by example. I show my own enthusiasm for books, stories and reading. During Slovak lessons and in our Cozy Reading Club, we create a calm, safe and inviting atmosphere. With books in our hands, soft lighting and a peaceful environment, we immerse ourselves in the stories together. These quiet moments of shared reading help students slow down, focus and truly connect with the text.
As one beautiful quote says:
“Reading is dreaming with open eyes.”
And that is exactly what I want my students to experience – that reading is not just a school task, but a special journey, a dream, an escape and an adventure.
As a Slovak specialist, I also make sure that our lessons are meaningfully linked to the current Unit of Inquiry students are exploring with their class teachers. This cross-curricular connection makes learning more relevant, engaging and meaningful.
At EISB, Slovak is not a source of stress. It is a space for curiosity, creativity and confidence to grow.
