“The tradition of teaching Spanish is quite old. Just look at our neighbours, the Poles – they have certainly advanced in teaching this language and have been offering it in schools for a long time. Currently in Lithuania, we are observing a growing interest in this language not only in city schools but also in regional schools. I often receive messages from parents asking if I would be willing to teach their children,” says Vigilija Žiūraitė, a Spanish language lecturer at the Institute of Foreign Languages of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU).
From September 2026, pupils will be able to choose Spanish as a second foreign language alongside Russian, German, and French, which are currently offered. Although the number of those wishing to learn this language is increasing, the main dilemma now, according to Žiūraitė, is whether we will be able to prepare enough Spanish language specialists in the next couple of years.
This is one of the discussion topics that will be addressed on 7 December at the 8th Spanish Language Forum (Spanish: Foro de Español en Kaunas) in Kaunas. The main goal of the Spanish Language Forum is to bring together Spanish language teachers, lecturers, translators, and other specialists, and to provide them with a space to share news, research results, and discuss the latest language teaching and learning methods.
The number of people wanting to learn Spanish is increasing
According to Žiūraitė, Spanish is one of the major languages, official in 21 countries, which offers great learning prospects.
“People are increasingly looking to Spain and Latin American countries not only in search of new travel destinations but also driven by practical incentives, such as business development opportunities or the desire to invest in real estate. Naturally, there arises a need for people who are not only knowledgeable in specific areas but also able to communicate freely in Spanish. There is also a growing demand for Spanish-speaking professionals in multinational companies operating in Lithuania with offices in Spain and Latin America,” says Žiūraitė.
The lecturer, who has been teaching Spanish to children in schools for more than a decade, recalls that the beginning of the educational process was a Spanish club where children primarily gathered to have a good time. Later, when Spanish became available as a second foreign language, it was faced not only with a non-serious attitude – children’s knowledge was not assessed with grades – but also with a shortage of specialists in this language.
“We are currently witnessing a phenomenon where there is a growing demand from people wanting to learn the language, but a limited supply of professionals able to teach it. Sometimes it seems overwhelming to try to keep up and teach everyone. I am delighted that at the VMU Institute of Foreign Languages, we offer Spanish courses that attract pupils from various schools in Kaunas. Pupils learn in groups with university students. So if they don’t have the opportunity to learn Spanish at their own school, they look for opportunities elsewhere,” says Vigilija Žiūraitė, who manages not only to conduct contact and remote lessons for pupils but also teaches the subtleties of Spanish to university students.
A favourable time for bilingual specialists
Speaking about the preparation of future Spanish language teachers to teach pupils in just two years, the VMU lecturer highlights that current second-year students of the “Subject Education: English Pedagogy and Another Foreign Language” study programme will definitely be able to jump on the bandwagon and immediately have jobs upon graduating.
“We see a growing need for bilingual specialists, especially in the regions, where the declining number of pupils is also reducing the workload of teachers. For a specialist fluent in two languages, it is not only easier to secure the necessary workload. It also benefits pupils who have the opportunity to learn two foreign languages with the same teacher. Such a multilingual environment also fosters a broader understanding of language and facilitates learning,” says Žiūraitė.
The lecturer, whose work extends beyond educating pupils and students, devotes significant attention to training future Spanish language specialists. She notes that there are more candidates interested in the teacher retraining programme funded by the Ministry of Education than there are available spots.
“Every weekend, several groups of teachers, one beginner and one advanced, study Spanish. These are specialists in other subjects – English and Russian – preparing to become Spanish teachers. As soon as we announced this project, more than 70 applicants responded, but unfortunately, we could only accept 30. Educators, especially those with experience in language teaching, can certainly learn this language and become excellent specialists in the future. The advanced group will complete their studies in May and start teaching Spanish in schools in the autumn,” shares Žiūraitė.
The lecturer who has been organising the Spanish Language and Culture Olympiad for pupils, “The Spanish-Speaking World and Me,” for several years, notes that pupils from not only major cities but also smaller cities and towns are keen to learn Spanish.
“When we first started organising the Olympiad, initially, only a few teams from Kaunas would participate. But this spring, we had more than 10 teams and over 100 pupils from various Lithuanian cities. The Olympiad is now more focused on the culture, history, and geography of Spanish-speaking countries, but I hope that soon pupils will also be able to demonstrate their language skills, and that there will be more and more of such events,” says Žiūraitė.
Teachers most lack institutional support
According to the lecturer, with the need for language teaching comes the responsibility of how to properly prepare children. In addition to skilled professionals, a robust curriculum, learning tools, and favourable conditions to prepare for the national exam are needed.
These are the issues that specialists have been discussing for years at the “Foro de Español en Kaunas” Spanish Language Forum in Kaunas in December. It is the only event of its kind in Lithuania, aimed at developing the competencies of Spanish language teachers and lecturers, attracting more and more participants each year.
“It’s not just a way to get to know each other better but also to share experiences and expand the community. At present, what teachers lack most is institutional support. We often still encounter school management’s views and stereotypes that this language is very easy, sufficient to be taught at the club level. Unfortunately, there are instances when students at the university choose this language driven by a similar viewpoint. Yes, learning languages should be fun, but it must be taken seriously. Therefore, such support, first and foremost, would acknowledge that Spanish is one of the main foreign languages, on an equal footing with French or German,” she believes.
Learning Spanish is like celebrating life
According to Žiūraitė, the innovative approach and modern didactic methods in Spanish teaching are what make this language popular among pupils. The practical use of this language – the ability to converse and communicate – is particularly important to them.
“In Spain, where people don’t speak English very well, even a few phrases in Spanish can really help in communicating with the locals. I remember when I started learning the language, nobody would point out my mistakes, they would just be happy that I spoke it. Looking back, I realise there were many mistakes, but the Spanish people always say ‘it’s okay’. I think it’s not just the sound that makes this language admirable, but also a certain attitude of ‘it’s okay, it’s fine, just keep talking’,” says the Spanish lecturer, highlighting the practicality of the language.
Žiūraitė equates the possibility that within a few years, Spanish will be taught not only in individual schools but also more broadly across Lithuania, to a dream come true.
“Working in a school, I see how much pupils enjoy learning this language. I believe they will indeed achieve great results in the future. Statistics show that in countries like France, Sweden, and Germany, the percentage of pupils learning Spanish ranges between 20-70%, whereas in Lithuania it’s currently less than 1%. These are countries where learning Spanish has a long tradition. Even in neighbouring Poland, there are special programmes that allow pupils to learn the basics of Spanish and later continue to improve their skills in other subjects, such as chemistry or biology, and take their final exams in Spanish. Thus, by the time they finish school, they have nearly native-speaker competence,” she says, citing Poland’s advancement in Spanish teaching as an example.
The VMU lecturer is convinced that Spanish not only broadens horizons but also aids in understanding certain global processes.
“For a long time, it was unfairly pushed aside, even though it is one of the world’s main languages and the second most widely spoken mother tongue in the world. So, there are many ways to make use of it.
Moreover, Spain is geographically quite close to us. The growing demand for Spanish-speaking professionals in multinational companies opens up career opportunities,” Žiūraitė describes the practical aspects of using Spanish.
She also stresses that she constantly reminds her pupils and students that learning this language is like celebrating life. “Although it’s partly a stereotype about fiesta and siesta, it’s also a part of the culture because it’s impossible to teach the language without the culture. It’s very important to me that pupils and students enjoy the learning process. Spanish will open doors not only to the labour market but also to many hearts,” says the VMU Spanish lecturer.
Pranešimą paskelbė: Dominyka Lapelytė, Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas
