Life in Germany is a challenge for young people from Ukraine: How do you make plans in a country whose language you hardly speak? But the balancing act can also be an opportunity.
For more than a year, many young Ukrainians have been trying to build a new life in Germany. Since there are often not enough places in the welcome classes at regular schools, some municipalities have set up additional offers. In the Mitte district of Berlin, for example, schoolchildren from the Ukraine attend German courses that the local language support center, the school authority and the adult education center have set up together – according to district mayor Stefanie Remlinger a unique project.
Stefanie Remlinger is the mayor of the Mitte district in Berlin.
(Photo: picture alliance/dpa)
Remlinger sees the primary goal in enabling refugee youngsters of high school age who are waiting for a place in a welcome class to be able to learn the German language as quickly as possible. “In this way they have a chance to settle into their new everyday life and later also into the new school life with other peers,” says the Green politician.
Since the courses take place in youth leisure facilities in Mitte, the children have the opportunity to take part in the youth leisure facilities after class and to get to know other young people. However, this leads to a double burden – many of the Ukrainian students are quite tired at the end of the day.
Many parents are totally overwhelmed
The teacher Olwija Schebanova has been teaching the young people since May 2022. She herself comes from Kharkiv and fled to Germany with her husband and three children. “Since the war started, the Ukrainians have not been able to make any long-term plans,” says Shebanova. When she asks her students what they would like to do in the coming months, most of them look at a loss and reply that their parents are totally overwhelmed with plans.
Many of the young Ukrainians don’t know whether they should do an apprenticeship or study. They don’t even know whether they will stay in Germany or go home. That’s why many of them hardly understand why they should learn German.
“A year ago I couldn’t say a word”
Arina, Jana and Artur also came to Germany after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The young people between the ages of 14 and 16 attend a German course every day and in the afternoon they attend the Ukrainian school in their home country – either online or they are given homework, which they then send back to their teachers. Although they all had German as a second foreign language at home, they never planned to go to Germany and live here.
Artur, Arina and Jana practice speaking with a dialogue.
(Photo: ntv.de)
Now the so-called B1 exam is coming up, you have already passed A2. The abbreviations stand for different levels of language competence, B1 for example for advanced language use. Artur says that he now enjoys learning German because he thinks the teacher is “cool”, but he still finds the German vocabulary difficult. Jana feels insecure when speaking German, but she knows the grammar well. Arina has trouble with writing. Nevertheless, the young people are confident before the exam.
The children are motivated but don’t know what their plans are for the future. 14-year-old Arina is currently studying independently on the 8th grade curriculum at a correspondence school in Kiev. Before February 24, 2022, the girl already knew which Ukrainian university she would apply to. It is now unclear when she will return to Ukraine. But she wants to start a family in her home country. 15-year-old Artur and 16-year-old Jana simply want to master the German language, then study or do an apprenticeship and find a good job.
The young people are happy about their progress. “A year ago I couldn’t say a word. Now I can talk to passers-by about any topic without any problems. That’s fun for me,” says Artur.
German as a means to keep the brain fit
Shebanova says the teachers do everything they can to motivate the children. She explains that both German and English are very useful and helpful. “The more the children master the German language, the easier it will be for them to find fulfillment in Germany or the Ukraine in the future,” Schebanova believes. She sees the balancing act as an opportunity.
The bottom line is that her optimism prevails. The Ukrainian children are very hard-working and understand that you should keep your brain fit – and that the German language is a perfect tool for this. “I can say that almost 70 percent of the group are motivated to learn German. Some of the children in my group have decided to do an apprenticeship or study in Germany. My job as a teacher is to show the diversity of the German language and to arouse interest.”