Iryna Zagoruyko, a native Ukrainian, is an LTS alumna (graduated 2017). For the last eight years Iryna has taught and/or designed a total of seven language courses (Russian, English, Ukrainian languages) for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Dept.; Center for Applied Second Language Studies; American English Institute; and Lane Community College. She is currently teaching a Ukrainian Virtual Immersion Course for Concordia Language Training Center, MN. Iryna has a particular interest in teaching Ukrainian language.

Tell us about the course on Ukrainian that you are teaching now. Is it a new course or just new to you?

I am teaching an intensive 4-week Virtual Immersion Course on Ukrainian language for the Concordia Language Training Center in Minnesota. I am connecting with students online (through Zoom) Monday through Friday for daily 6-8-hour language sessions. There is a total of 30-40 training hours per week consisting of 2/3 synchronous and 1/3 asynchronous activities. These hours include classes with up to three students, independent study, and activities with the entire cohort. This course on Ukrainian is new for both the Concordia Center and for me.

Does it have special significance during this time in history with the invasion of Ukraine?

Of course! Since Russia brutally invaded Ukraine on Feb. 2022, the world has changed drastically. All branches of the US and state governments have always faced a growing need for employees to function in a globalized environment, dealing with colleagues, partners and clients domestically and all around the globe. War in Ukraine shaped this globalized environment significantly. People all over the world want to speak with us, Ukrainians, in Ukrainian to celebrate our culture, liberty, and the incredible courage with which our people are now standing up in their own defense in the face of indescribable and unprovoked brutality.

Who are the kinds of learners who are taking the class? Why are they taking it?

This course is a Government Training Program and is only available to individuals associated with the United States Department of Defense. It is designed to target students who have tested at the 1+ to 3 range on the ILR scale. Most of students are Russian speakers with 2+ on the ILR scale with limited Ukrainian background.

 

You have taught Russian in the past. What is it like to also teach your home language now?

I have native proficiency in both languages; however, Ukrainian is my native language. It is much easier for me to teach Ukrainian from a “technical side” in comparison with teaching Russian. Since I grew up in Ukraine, I can share with my student’s authentic knowledge on Ukrainian history/culture/customs etc. I feel very privileged to teach Ukrainian language.

Do you have any last thoughts on these topics?

I have been long waiting for the opportunity to teach Ukrainian. Around 4 years ago I proposed to teach a Beginners’ Ukrainian course at one of the local Community Colleges in Oregon. I got a reply that my Ukrainian course wouldn’t get enough enrollment since Ukrainian is a minority language. But Ukrainian has never been a minority language. It is currently the eighth most spoken language in Europe with more than 46 million speakers. It takes the 26^th place among the most widespread languages in the world due to the number of its speakers. And it is the second most widespread Slavic language after Russian. It has been an official language in Ukraine since 1991, the year Ukraine gained its independence. Despite having some similarities with Russian, it is a separate language. The number of people learning Ukrainian has significantly grown since Russia invaded Ukraine. The language learning app Duolingo reported a 577% increase in the number of global users studying Ukrainian (and 554% among people from USA). Ukrainian language has become a symbol, and it is experiencing a surge of interest among those who once felt speaking Russian “was enough”. I am honored to finally get a chance to teach Ukrainian course. I am very thankful to the LTS program of the University of Oregon for providing me with all the necessary skills to become a good teacher. I would like to express a special “thank you” to the Director of the program, Keli Yerian, who has always been extremely supportive of all the students in the LTS program.