ULEC Webinar - Ukrainian Language for Young Learners - Experience in Creating and Presenting Educational Materials

On December 2, ULEC hosted an engaging webinar dedicated to new resources for teaching Ukrainian to young learners. The session was led by Nadia Zhurba, founder of Bright Kids Ukrainian Online School, who presented the newly developed textbook Ukrainian Language for Young Learners, created together with Halyna Shponiar after four years of collaborative work.

The speaker explained that the school and series came about as a response to the language loss in many families and the shift from Ukrainian to English of many children. Accordingly, the school’s mission is also to support and preserve Ukrainian identity among children living abroad. The textbook includes 15 thoughtfully structured units, adaptable to various learning formats, including online instruction. It has already been successfully tested with students, demonstrating its effectiveness for developing the most basic foundational language skills.

A significant portion of the webinar focused on video recordings demonstrating interactive, child-centered teaching activities. The speaker highlighted the use of characters such as Maks, Lina, Zhyvchyk, and Sovunia, noting that they help make lessons engaging and memorable. Songs, chants, flashcards, movement-based activities, and simple games encourage children to learn through play and repetition. Nadia also demonstrated the use of QR codes that link to audio files, online games, and digital flashcards - tools that enable children to review and reinforce material at home.

Participants discussed strategies for adapting learning materials to different age groups and learning styles, emphasizing the importance of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic methods. The speaker also shared insights on teaching vocabulary in context, integrating color-learning activities, and using online tools to increase student motivation.

The webinar concluded with a conversation about the broader development of Ukrainian education abroad. The speaker expressed hope for continued collaboration with the Ukrainian School Council and stressed the value of ongoing feedback from teachers and parents. Participants also noted the importance of maintaining communication through social media to exchange resources, ideas, and best practices.

A recording of the webinar is available on the ULEC YouTube channel at the link below.
https://youtu.be/s5SiY_Od9ZY