Bratislava, December 2025– Since September of this year, students of Vietnamese origin have been attending a pilot adaptation class at the primary and nursery school on Odborárska Street in Bratislava. The Ministry of Education, the Bratislava – Nové Mesto district, the school, and the civic association Vietnamese Roots present the preliminary results. Initial psychosocial observations confirmed that students are coping with adaptation better within the adaptation class.
The project was created in response to the growing number of students who come to schools with minimal or no knowledge of the Slovak language. The goal is to ensure equal starting conditions and successful integration into the education system.
First-grade students entered the adaptation class with minimal language preparedness. Thanks to their time in the adaptation class, after just a few months of intensive work and the active approach of the teacher, not only has their command of the teaching language significantly improved, but also their ability to function confidently in a new group. After the initial period, the behavior of the students gradually stabilizes, and a more stimulating environment develops in the classroom every day.
For the purpose of objectively evaluating the benefits, a control group was created, where students go through a so-called submersion model – that is, they are immediately placed in the regular class without language preparation. Thanks to diagnostics and comparison of these two schools, noticeable differences have already emerged despite the short time.
Ongoing comparisons show that students in the adaptation class are more confident, communicate naturally, and quickly acquire the language. At the same time, the results indicate that using the mother tongue as support – the so-called transitive model – yields better results, as confirmed by international research.
In the adaptation class, the Slovak language is also taught through a language program.Friend Slovakfrom the Faculty of Education at Matej Bel University. The program is designed to be intensive and personalized. Thanks to significant methodological support provided by the Ministry of Education through an expert in educating children from diverse sociocultural backgrounds and the daily adaptation of teaching, students have already shown a noticeable improvement in communication and understanding of Slovak after just a few weeks, which has allowed them not only to fully engage in the educational process but also to progress in social and emotional adaptation in a new environment.
A key component of the pilot is the presence of a community assistant who connects the school, students, and parents, supporting discipline and language understanding. Other members of the support team, including an expert with knowledge of the Vietnamese environment and experience in psychological practice, also provide support.
Students participate in the afternoon program of the school children's club in their home classes. Since November, they have gradually been integrating into lessons - in selected subjects such as mathematics and art education. This approach allows children to practice interaction with their home class while using the Slovak language and supports inclusion. Gradually, it is possible to increase the number of hours that students spend in a regular class.
By June 2026, another series of language and emotional measurements will take place. The results will provide an answer to the question of whether students need support throughout the entire school year or if they can be fully integrated into their regular classes earlier. At the same time, it will be possible to set model solutions that simplify the school's planning of available capacities, taking into account the individual needs of each student.
The establishment of the pilot adaptation class was made possible by financial support from the Ministry of Education. The founder of the primary school, which is the Bratislava district of Nové Mesto, received over 18,000 euros for the salary expenses of the teacher and assistant, as well as for an extended Slovak language course and for the material and technical support necessary for the operation of the adaptation class. Given the successes demonstrated by this pilot project, it will be possible to submit applications for grants to support the establishment of adaptation classes in 2026 as well. If interested, school founders can submit a project proposal along with a grant application. adaptacnetriedy@minedu.sk.
The pilot adaptation class at the primary and nursery school on Odborárska Street is already showing after the first few months that targeted language preparation, systematic support, and a safe school environment can significantly improve the educational outcomes and emotional well-being of students with a different native language. The project is becoming a significant contribution to the nationwide discussion on effective support for children and students with insufficient command of the language of instruction.