The Current State of Teaching Czech at Canadian and American Universities

The Cu en S a e o Teaching Czech
a Canadian and Ame ican Uni e si ies
SOUČASNÝ STAV VÝUKY ČESKÉHO JAZYKA NA KANADSKÝCH
AAMERICKÝCH UNIVERZITÁCH
Ka en on Kunes
ABSTRAKT:
Ten o článek se zabý á ýukou českého jazyka na kanadských aame ických uni e zi ách se zaměře-
ním na ozdíly me odologii, poče s uden ů apodpo u ins i ucí. Za ímco e opské p og amy čas o
ycházejí zcen álně předepsaných osno , se e oame ická ýuka upla ňuje „o e řený přís up“, y-
ářený jedno li ými yučujícími apo řebami s uden ů. Údaje onízkém poč u s uden ů ukazují na
nes abilní pos a ení bohemis iky. Článek aké ozlišuje mezi yučujícími, k eří k ýuce češ iny při-
s upují jako k ědeckému poslání, a ěmi, k eří ji přijímají znu nos i zaměs nání, což má důsledky
p o pok ačo ání p og amů. Na zdo y omezeným zd ojům anedos a ku p o esionálního uznání češ-
ina nadále při ahuje oddanou skupinu s uden ů se zájmem ojazyk, li e a u u, ilm akul u ní s u-
dia, čímž ud žuje s ou pří omnos e ysokoškolském zdělá ání Se e ní Ame ice.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA:
ýuko é přís upy, nedos a ek s uden ů, mo i ační ak o y, z olené poslání s. z olené zaměs nání,
požada ek na znalos cizího jazyka, přednášky očeské kul uře, poče řádných s uden ů, Ha a d
aColumbia, Yale, Uni e si y o To on o, p og am přeži í, podpo a uni e zi ních ins i ucí
ABSTRACT:
This a icle examines Czech language ins uc ion a Canadian and Ame ican uni e si ies, ocusing
on di e ences in me hodology, en ollmen ends, and ins i u ional suppo . While Eu opean p o-
g ams o en ollow cen ally p esc ibed cu icula, No h Ame ican cou ses adop an open app oach,
shaped by indi idual ins uc o s and s uden needs. En ollmen da a e eal he p eca ious posi ion
o Czech s udies, wi h classes equen ly limi ed o only ahand ul o s uden s. The a icle also dis-
inguishes be ween ins uc o s who app oach Czech eaching as aschola ly oca ion and hose who
accep i ou o employmen necessi y, wi h implica ions o p og am sus ainabili y. Despi e limi ed
esou ces and p o essional ecogni ion, Czech con inues o a ac adedica ed coho o s uden s in-
e es ed in language, li e a u e, ilm, and cul u al s udies, he eby sus aining i s p esence in No h
Ame ican highe educa ion.
KEYWORDS:
Teaching app oaches, En ollmen decline, Mo i a ion ac o s, Chosen oca ion s. Chosen employ-
men , Fo eign language equi emen , Cul u al cou ses, S uden en ollmen s, Ha a d, Columbia,
Yale, Uni e si y o To on o, P og am su i al, Ins i u ional suppo
INTRODUCTION
This a icle adop s adesc ip i e and compa a i e case s udy–app oach, ocusing on
ecen academic yea s. En ollmen igu es we e collec ed om publicly a ailable
OPEN
ACCESS
KA EN VON KUNES 59
uni e si y s a is ics,1 supplemen ed by pe sonal inqui ies wi h acul y and om de-
pa men al announcemen s. In some yea s, ins i u ions publish en ollmen igu es
o speci ic cou ses; o ins ance, in he pas he Mode n Language Associa ion pub-
lished en ollmen numbe s o indi idual languages.
App oaches o eaching he Czech language di e om one uni e si y o an-
o he . Unlike Eu opean cu icula— o en dic a ed by minis ies o educa ion—
highe educa ion ins i u ions in Canada and he Uni ed S a es use an “open ap-
p oach,” shaped by uni e si y guidelines, indi idual eache s, and s uden s.
Al hough eaching app oaches in he wo coun ies a e b oadly simila , di e ences
eme ge a he le el o indi idual ins uc o s. This s udy is in ended as asp ing-
boa d o u he esea ch.
THE STATE OF CZECH STUDIES IN CANADA
In Canada, Czech is augh only a he Uni e si y o To on o, he mos p ominen
public ins i u ion wi hin he Canadian highe educa ion sys em. Acco ding o US
News and Wo ld Repo ,2 he Uni e si y o To on o (commonly known as Uo T and
anked i s in Canada), secu ed six een h place in he 2024–5 anking o bes global
uni e si ies, ying wi h wo Ame ican p i a e I y League uni e si ies, P ince on and
Co nell, in addi ion o he public Uni e si y o Cali o nia, San F ancisco. Uo T’s
p ominen posi ion is due o many ac o s, including i s p o esso s’ scien i ic con-
ibu ions, bu ce ainly no due o esea ch in small ields such as Czech S udies.
The Czech and Slo ak p og am was only ecen ly ein oduced a e ahia us ollow-
ing he depa u e o i s las enu ed p o esso o Czech li e a u e, Ve onika Amb os.
Du ing 2018–2024, he in e im ins uc o , anon-na i e Czech speake wi h ade-
g ee in language and linguis ics om Cha les Uni e si y, in oduced a eaching
me hodology based on Lída Holá’s New Czech S ep by S ep (P ague: Ak opolis, 2004)
and supplemen a y eading sou ces such as S a é po ěs i české amo a ské in Holá’s
adap a ion. Cul u al cou ses augh in English ocused on he accomplishmen s o
Canadians o Czech and Slo ak o igin and on highligh s o Czech and Mo a ian
cul u e. These cou ses a ac ed s uden s in single digi s, some o Czech ances y.
The cu en ins uc o — he au ho o his s udy, who was o e ed he Uni e si y
o To on o posi ion in Czech and Slo ak s udies in Fall 2024— has inc eased s u-
den in e es by in oducing adynamic app oach o language eaching, li e a u e,
and ilm, d awing on he eaching expe ience a Ha a d and Yale o e he pas ou
1 En ollmen s a is ics a e accessible o uni e si y employees, acul y membe s, a ilia ed
esea che s, e al. One can also con ac di ec ly he egis a o ice o each uni e si y o
ob ain he s a is ics o esea ch pu poses. The au ho o his s udy has been a ilia ed wi h
se e al ins i u ions in he Uni ed S a es and Canada and hus ob ained access o he abo e
s a is ics.
2 h ps://www.usnews.com/educa ion/bes -global-uni e si ies/ ankings. This su ey plac-
es P ague’s Cha les Uni e si y a 242nd posi ion (close o he Uni e si y o Vienna); how-
e e , i does no necessa ily e lec quali y o ins uc ion.
OPEN
ACCESS
60 NOVÁ ČEŠTINA DOMA A VE SVĚTĚ 2/2025
decades. Fo each class, she w i es Czech language ma e ials ailo ed exclusi ely o
he s uden s’ lea ning needs and de elopmen . In he li e a u e and ilm cou ses
augh in English, she in oduces globally ecognized Czech and Slo ak no elis s,
hinke s, philosophe s, d ama is s, and ilm di ec o s, placing hem wi hin he
b oade con ex o Eu opean he i age. S uden s a e assigned subs an ial eading and
a e expec ed o pa icipa e ac i ely in class discussion, in addi ion o w i ing sho
pape s o each class and e m essays. Class sizes now each double digi s and a ac
ala ge g oup o egula Uo T unde g adua es o o eign o igin, especially om
Asian coun ies and Cen al Eu opean s a es. Despi e hese e o s and encou aging
esul s, he p og am emains in as a e o unce ain y. The Sla ic and Eas Eu opean
Languages and Cul u es Chai is a emp ing o sus ain and ein igo a e he ield o
Czech by a ac ing s uden s o mino in Czech ( he i s s uden has jus joined) as
asub ield o hei majo unde g adua e p og am. Fo se e al decades, howe e , no
g adua e p og am in Czech s udies has been a ailable o s uden s a he Uni e si y
o To on o o elsewhe e in Canada.
I he e is ano able di e ence be ween Czech p og ams in Canada and he Uni ed
S a es, i lies in he absence o a o eign language equi emen a Canadian uni e si-
ies. Ye , s uden s a he Uni e si y o To on o demons a e ema kable in e es and
commi men o Czech language— especially in li e a u e and ilm. Thei p og ess in
language acquisi ion has been apid: hey a e able o ead and summa ize complex
ex s a e only asho pe iod o s udy. To s eng hen hei speaking skills, hey ac-
i ely pa icipa e in Czech communi y cul u al e en s and engage in con e sa ion
wi h Czech s uden s a he uni e si y, some o whom a e en olled in science p o-
g ams bu enjoy an e e yday con e sa ion in hei na i e ongue wi h pee lea ne s
o Czech.
THE STATUS OF US UNIVERSITIES
The dis inc di e ence be ween op Canadian and No h Ame ican uni e si ies—
pa icula ly he ones known o hei excellence— lies less in educa ional acquisi-
ion and mo e in he pe cep ion o social s a us. Ame ica’s op colleges and uni e -
si ies a e wo lds o hei own: highly compe i i e, imbued wi h an au a o p es ige
and success, and ma ked by ne wo ks ha may lead o li elong iendships, p omi-
nen ca ee s, high-paying posi ions, ele a ed social s a us, and esidence in he mos
desi able neighbo hoods. Despi e ongoing democ a iza ion e o s, hese uni e si-
ies— especially he eigh Eas Coas I y League schools— con inue o os e in el-
lec ual, socie al, cul u al, and economic eli ism. Wi hin his con ex , one can easily
deduce ha Czech— as a ield o s udy— ca ies li le au a o p es ige o p omise
o u u e success in No h Ame ican socie y.3 The e a e known cases o pa en s dis-
3 As poin ed ou in p e ious w i ings by he au ho o his con ibu ion, he gene al pub-
lici y and he p ess o P esiden T ump do no men ion ha his h ee adul child en a e
hal -Czechs. Upon disco e ing his in o ma ion, s uden s en olled in Czech a e o en su -
p ised, admi ing hey had no idea.
OPEN
ACCESS
KA EN VON KUNES 61
cou aging hei child en om s udying “useless” subjec s, such as “mino (o small)”
languages, Czech included—and, in some cases, opposing language s udy al oge he .
Since unde g adua e educa ion in No h Ame ica is no highly specialized— in con-
as o Eu opean educa ion o o No h Ame ican g adua e educa ion, such as Law
and Medicine— s uden s can selec om awide ange o elec i e cou ses each se-
mes e . To g adua e wi h aB.A. o B.S.— he i s le el o auni e si y deg ee— hey
a e equi ed o comple e 32 o 36 cou ses o e he ou -yea unde g adua e p og am.
This s uc u e p o ides lexibili y o explo e unusual subjec s, such as Czech. How-
e e , despi e his eedom, genuine mo i a ion is o en lacking.
THE STATE OF CZECH STUDIES AT US UNIVERSITIES
Like he p og am in Canada, mos unde g adua e colleges in No h Ame ica supple-
men hei language ins uc ion wi h cul u al cu icula— namely li e a u e, ilm,
his o y, and poli ics. These cou ses a e o e ed in English, wi h he aim no only o
gi ing s uden s a - eaching knowledge wi hin he ield bu also o encou aging
hem o en oll in language s udy. Logically, his co ela ion makes sense— ye i e-
mains a icky p oposi ion. Roughly es ima ed, only one ou o 20 o 25 s uden s en-
olled in cul u al cou ses o Cen al and Eas e n Eu ope, migh egis e o Czech,
whe he ou o necessi y o genuine in e es . S uden s who pa icipa e in summe
p og ams in P ague and o he Czech and Mo a ian ci ies, show ahighe endency o
con inue wi h he language, o o es a om he beginning a hei home ins i u-
ion. Some imes hey a e simply d i en by he p ospec o an easy c edi o he ap-
peal o asmall class; a o he imes hey migh be mo i a ed by he desi e o isi he
coun y in he u u e, i no o conduc business in he Czech Republic a e g adu-
a ion. Rega dless o mo i a ion, he s udy o Czech in No h Ame ica emains non-
con o mis and is o en iewed by he public as acu iosi y o oddi y— hough less
so in Canada, acoun y whe e some 200 languages, including indigenous ones, a e
spoken— han in he Uni ed S a es.
MOTIVATION TO STUDY CZECH IN THE AGE OF AI
Today, elying on cul u al backg ound and e hnici y is la gely apas endea o . Wi h
successi e wa es o immig a ion o No h Ame ica, Czech language lou ished in he
la e 1960s and la e 1980s (clea ly o di e en easons: i s ollowing he in asion
o Czechoslo akia and, wen y yea s la e , ollowing he collapse o he Eas e n Eu-
ope communis bloc). While he olde gene a ion o Czech émig és s ill hold on o
he ame o he pas — Baťa’s shoe indus y, T.G.Masa yk’s ole in he Fi s Czecho-
slo ak Republic, Václa Ha el’s leade ship in he Vel e Re olu ion and p esidency
o he Czech Republic, o he global success o ennis champions like I an Lendl and
Ma ina Na á ilo á— he younge gene a ion has mo ed on and now is elsewhe e.
By oday’s s anda ds, he abo e his o ical e e ences a ely imp ess wen y-yea -
old Canadian and US uni e si y s uden s, le alone o p opel hem o emba k on he
OPEN
ACCESS
62 NOVÁ ČEŠTINA DOMA A VE SVĚTĚ 2/2025
s udy o Czech. Thei eali y is he e a o A i icial In elligence. F ee AI applica ions
can deli e a as ange o his o ical ac s in seconds— comple e wi h easoning, anal-
ysis o causes and consequences, and polished s yle and o hog aphy— in wha e e
language o hei desi e, be i Japanese, Tamil, Spanish, F ench, Chinese, o Czech.4
The Uni e si y o To on o eme i us p o esso Geo ey Hin on— acompu e sci-
en is and cogni i e psychologis educa ed a he Uni e si y o Camb idge and a he
Uni e si y o Edinbu gh, who was awa ded he Nobel P ize in Physiology in 2023—
was one o he con ibu o s o he exis ence o AI. Hin on has wa ned us ha AI’s
apid de elopmen may ul ima ely lead o he des uc ion o human ace. Howe e ,
we a e al eady amilia wi h ha wa ning h ough Ka el Čapek’s play R.U.R. And i is
speci ically h ough his in e sec ion ha eache s may ind apa h o a ac s uden s
o s udy Czech: by combining scien i ic an asy and li e a u e wi h he la es digi al
ools. Such an app oach appeals o cu iosi y, mo i a ing s uden s o ead he play
in he o iginal and lea n mo e abou a isiona y w i e who p edic ed he u u e o
a i icial in elligence.
O en s uden s in sciences a e he bes lea ne s o Czech because hey ha e an
insigh in o he complexi y o mo phology h ough he a ional pa adigms ha i s
s uc u e o e s— p o ided ha he language is p esen ed ha way. Wi h he en-
cou agemen o an ambi ious p o esso , aclass migh be composed o highly cu ious
and in ellec ually p oduc i e s uden s who, on hei pa , challenge no only hei
pee s in he humani ies, bu hei ins uc o as well. I is apleasu e o each in en i e
s uden s whose ideas open new and exci ing dimensions in eaching and lea ning—
going a beyond he s ep-by-s ep acquisi ion o e e yday Czech. Thus, mo i a ion in
oday’s educa ional wo ld o immense oppo uni ies is he key o lea ning.
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON MOTIVATION
Lea ning ocabula y o angible objec s and e e yday ou ine— albei impo an
o daily communica ion in he Czech Republic— is less sa is ac o y o highly mo-
i a ed and eage - o-lea n s uden s. Ag oup o heo is s ha e app oached mo i a-
ion esea ch om a ious aspec s, pe spec i es, and indi idual needs. Fo ins ance,
Edwa d L.Deci and Richa d M.Ryan ha e p oposed he “sel -de e mina ion heo y,”
which emphasizes s uden s’ p e e ence o au onomy in hei choices and he pu sui
o cu iosi y. Such s uden s a e sel -con iden and h i e on o e coming challenges
and enjoy s umbling o e di icul obs acles. Due o i s mo phological complexi y,
lea ning Czech o e s hem obs acles o o e come and gi es hem asense o achie e-
4 As AI con inues o de elop, one mus app oach he in o ma ion i p o ides wi h cau ion.
Occasionally, he app p oduces e o s, such as a ibu ing aCzech ex book o anonex-
is en o inco ec au ho . Despi e his, AI is inc easingly becoming acompanion and as-
sis an in daily li e a ound he wo ld: o mo he s seeking ad ice on childca e, o people
looking o suppo i e con e sa ional companion, and o s uden s seeking quick access
o in o ma ion. Many ega d his echnology as one o he mos signi ican in en ions o
he 21s cen u y.
OPEN
ACCESS

KA EN VON KUNES 63
men and success. John W.A kinson examines beha io d i en by he pu sui o suc-
cess, a amewo k ha esona es wi h lea ne s who a e d awn o languages known
o hei di icul y. O he heo is s s ess c ea i i y and enjoymen o non- adi ional
lea ning pa hs whe e achie emen and he hi s o knowledge p o ide i al mo i-
a ion. Ha a d’s Da id McClelland in his Theo y o Needs,5 highligh s powe as an in-
insic mo i a o o s uden s who seek o achie e i h ough unique expe ise. Fo
such s uden s, b oadening in ellec ual ho izons is pe sonally meaning ul as i allows
hem o s and ou in mas e ing adi icul language and dis inguish hemsel es om
o he s. These s uden s o en exhibi cul u al ascina ion wi h his o ical ac s and in-
ellec ual leade s. Thei cha ac e is ics come o ligh du ing employmen in e iews
and may lead o ajob o e in ag oup o highly selec i e in e iewed candida es.
In o he wo ds, knowing Czech dis inguishes hem om he c owd and gi es hem
asense o achie emen in anon- adi ional ield. Ap og am cu iculum ha empha-
sizes c ea i i y, au onomy, and inno a i e lea ning pa hways is mo e success ul in
e aining such s uden s han a adi ional cu iculum.
THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTOR AND TEACHING MATERIALS
ENHANCING MOTIVATION
S uden s mo i a ed by in insic cu iosi y ha leads o explo a ion o he unknown,
he unusual, and he undisco e ed may ind deep sa is ac ion in s udying a a e lan-
guage like Czech. This g a i a ion owa d uniqueness helps hem shape adi e en i-
a ed iden i y— in an en i onmen o media cul u e ha o en p omo es uni o mi y
and in ellec ual blindness— which may ul ima ely lead o he de elopmen o unique
pe spec i es and skills.
Bu how o a ac such s uden s o Czech language class in he i s place? This
answe lies in he selec ion o opics wi hin he cu iculum— which migh de ia e
om he use o adi ional ex books— as well as in he pe sonali y o he ins uc o
and eaching app oach. A ib an , en husias ic and encou aging eache who com-
munica es in clea , upbea dic ion, wi h asense o humo and he abili y o make
each s uden eel unique, p aising his o he p og ess, can make adi e ence. An in-
s uc o ’s o iginal, sel -con iden eaching s yle can be especially inspi ing o young
people who a e in he p ocess o sel -disco e y in acomplex, anxie y-d i en wo ld,
as well as o disco e y o he wo ld a la ge. Uni e sal opics ich in ideas ha in-
igue anyone ( inding lo e, eco e ing om aloss, mending a iendship) a e bes
in oduced om he ou se . Asimple ex abou a eenage ’s s uggle wi h his pa -
en s, some hing many young people can iden i y wi h, ouches s uden s’ co e mo e
deeply han ph ases o pu chase apas y in aP ague ca é.6 Con a y o common be-
5 Fo deepe analysis and applica ions, consul his Th ee Needs Theo y: Powe , Achie emen ,
And A ilia ion, h ps://educa ionlib a y.o g/mcclellands- h ee-needs- heo y-powe -
achie emen -and-a ilia ion/
6 In he Sp ing e m 2018, aYale lec u e Lau ie R.San os o e ed acou se called Psy-
chology and he Good Li e, which en olled some 1,200 s uden s, making ahis o y o he
OPEN
ACCESS
64 NOVÁ ČEŠTINA DOMA A VE SVĚTĚ 2/2025
lie among eache s, Czech e minology o abs ac concep s can be in oduced om
he i s class, as i is ich wi h cogna es o Indo-Eu opean o igin (such as o ganizo a
o idě — acogna e o La in’s ide e) and mode n loanwo ds (idealizo a , in o mo a ,
disku o a , ex o a , publiko a , ans o mo a , googlo a , emailo a , s udo a , anco a ).
Such an app oach o ins uc ion equi es eache s o unde s and s uden s’ psychol-
ogy and needs, c a ing hei own c ea i e ex s wi h an in iguing hook and con inu-
ously inding new, challenging ideas.
WHERE THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH STANDS NOW
In ecen decades, he communica i e app oach— which emphasizes eal-li e con-
ex s by educing g amma o he minimum— has gained popula i y in Czech lan-
guage me hodology. In aclass oom si ua ion, s uden s migh ole-play being in
a es au an , o de ing d inks and dishes in Czech. This eal-li e o ien a ion o he
communica i e me hod is sa is ac o y o s uden s who dwell on angible u ili a ian-
ism, whe he in Canada o any co ne o he Uni ed S a es. Wi h cul u al in eg a ion,
such p ac ical communica ion has become aluable— i no s anda d— o US col-
lege s uden s who a el each yea o P ague, B no, and o he ci ies o s udy he lan-
guage. Fo his p ac ical lea ning me hodology, Lída Holá, has p oduced he widely
used ex book se ies Czech S ep by S ep, adop ed as ap ima y o supplemen a y man-
ual a Ame ican colleges, including Ha a d, in he pas decade. As men ioned abo e,
Holá’s ex book was used a he Uni e si y o To on o wi h a ying deg ees o success
du ing he in e im pe iod o Czech ins uc ion be ween 2018 and 2024.
Bo h Lída Holá’s Czech S ep by S ep and Czech Exp ess ely on acolo ul and i-
sually dense design, which can eel o e whelming and dis ac ing, pa icula ly
o s uden s mo i a ed by in ellec ual inqui y and a ional hinking a he han
by angible objec -o ien ed ocabula y. While Holá’s ex books encou age s ong
cul u al in eg a ion ia pho os o objec s, buildings, places, b ie his o ical con-
ex s and P ague’s achie emen s, mos ex s ocus on daily ou ines ( aking public
anspo a ion, going o wo k, doc o isi s, sho s ip), p esen ed in a la man-
ne . Fu he mo e, b ie — i no minimal — explana ions o mo phology can p o e
inadequa e o highly mo i a ed s uden s, who o en eel educed o achild’s le el
o o e memo y lea ning.
By con as , James Naugh on’s Colloquial Czech,7 published by Rou ledge in se e al
edi ions, o e s amo e sys ema ic and concise ea men o mo phology, wi h e-
quen dialogues con as ing UK isi o s wi h local Czechs. While hea ily ocabula y-
d i en oo, his ex book shows g ea e sophis ica ion in abs ac hinking, s i ing
e e -la ges unde g adua e cou se augh a Yale. She made he name in The New Yo k
Times and ini ia ed he es ablishmen o awell-being cen e o s uden s a Yale.
7 The la e Ox o d Uni e si y Lec u e James Naugh on was ap oli ic con ibu o o Czech
and Slo ak language-lea ning. Un o una ely, he su e ed as oke in he all o 2013 and
passed away ou mon hs la e , in Oc obe 2014 a he age o 64. His ex books a e s ill
popula in he Uni ed Kingdom.
OPEN
ACCESS
KA EN VON KUNES 65
o amuse as well as ins uc . Gi en he g adual decline o o e memo iza ion in he
digi al age, Naugh on’s book can o e whelm oday’s college s uden s wi h an exces-
si e amoun o lea ning ma e ial in each chap e , o en loaded wi h he amoun o
ocabula y abo e s uden s’ g asp. Ins uc o s end o supplemen hese ex s wi h
hei own ma e ials, sho ilms, o simpli ied Czech eade s adap ed o class oom
use. Each ins uc o a o s hei own me hodological app oaches; hey come down
o in oducing apa icula segmen o g amma (pas ense, impe a i e, e bs o
mo ion, noun declensions in he plu al), combined wi h a eading passage in he ex -
book, ollowed by pai -d illing p ac ice and con e sa ion.
Reali y Czech p oduced by Ch is ian Hilchey, associa e p o esso o ins uc ion a
he Uni e si y o Texas a Aus in, combines a isual app oach wi h in e iews and
dialogues by na i e Czechs who s udied a UT Aus in du ing he p oduc ion o his
online cou se. This digi al ex book p o ides se e al app oaches o lea ning: i in-
oduces mo phology, embedding i in he con ex o li ing language and p o iding
mul iple op ions o u he p ac ice o eage lea ne s. Each o he abo e-men ioned
manuals (along wi h a a ie y o o he s, mos o hem being published in he Czech
Republic) has ad an ages and d awbacks. Fo his eason, ins uc o s o en al e na e
hem and supplemen wi h addi ional lea ning aids.
The cu en Uni e si y o To on o ins uc o p oduces ase o he own ma e i-
als: dialogues, s o ies based on in iguing ideas. Sophis ica ed passages om au-
ho s, such as Pa ik Ouředník, Milan Kunde a, Václa Ha el, and Ka el Čapek, a e
in oduced h ough sho eading passages and discussed as soon as s uden s g asp
he basics o Czech mo phology, usually by he end o he all e m. The cou se o-
cuses on abs ac hinking and speaking as a e lec ion o eal li e. Sho ilms, o en
p oduced by FAMO and FAMU s uden s, se e as asp ingboa d o discussions o
he li es o young Czechs wi h hose o Canadian s uden s. Realia pe se, such as
o de ing dinne in a es au an , a ise spon aneously du ing he cou se since hey
equi e knowledge o basic e bs and ocabula y o ood and p oduc s. Addi ional
sho esou ces (Výuko á idea, Czech Reali y, online news) a e inco po a ed a he
beginning o he cou se. Du ing he i s classes, he ma e ials a e simpli ied and
ocused on mo phology co e ed in class and emphasized wi h addi ional g amma i-
cal examples and p ac ice.
Despi e he a ailabili y o hese esou ces and ins uc o s’ e o s, Czech language
cou ses a No h Ame ican colleges and uni e si ies a ac only asmall, i no min-
iscule, numbe o s uden s.8 En ollmen s a is ics a e kep in e nally by each uni-
e si y bu can be disclosed o esea ch pu poses. The en ollmen s a is ics below
o se e al ecen and pas semes e s emain low. The ollowing able summa izes
en ollmen da a a Ha a d, Columbia and Yale o 2024–5 and 2025–6, based on ac-
cessible s a is ics o each uni e si y.
8 Un il he ecen pas , Czech a Yale augh by Ka en on Kunes had he la ges class sizes
in he his o y o Czech language ins uc ion in he US and Canada, ypically anging om
25 o 35 s uden s. He Yale summe ab oad p og am in P ague main ained amo e man-
ageable en ollmen , limi ing he g oup o app oxima ely 23 s uden s.
OPEN
ACCESS
66 NOVÁ ČEŠTINA DOMA A VE SVĚTĚ 2/2025
Uni e si y Yea /
Semes e
Elemen a y
Czech
In e media e
Czech
Ad anced
Czech
To al En-
ollmen No es
Ha a d
Fall 2024 33
(in 2 sec ions)
3 (in 2
sec ions) 9A g. 1.8
pe cou se
Sp ing
2025 2 3 2 7Shows 33%
a i ion
Fall 2025 3 2
(in 2 sec ions)
3 (in 2
sec ions) 8A g. 1.75
pe cou se
Columbia
Fall 2024 3 3 2 8
Sp ing
2025 1 2 2 540% decline
in one yea
Yale
Fall 2024 2 ( ia
Columbia)
1 ( ia
Columbia) 03
Sp ing
2025
1 ( ia
Columbia) 0 0 1
Fall 2025 1 ( ia
Columbia) 0 0 1
Recen En ollmen S a is ics a Th ee I y League Uni e si ies
In Fall 2025, o accommoda e s uden s’ schedules while main aining iable en oll-
men , Ha a d’s h ee cou ses we e spli in o i e sec ions: wo each o In e me-
dia e and Ad anced Czech. Wi h one o wo s uden s pe sec ion, he i e cou ses
collec i ely en olled only eigh s uden s, yielding an a e age o jus 1.6 s uden s
pe cou se.
In he Sp ing 2025 e m Elemen a y Czech los one- hi d o i s s uden s (33.33%)
o 1 ou o 3 om Fall 2024. Gi en ha Ha a d unde g adua es mus ul ill aone-yea
language equi emen in alanguage o he han English o g adua e, he a i ion o
e en asingle s uden mid-yea is conce ning.
The u o ial app oach has long been s anda d a he Uni e si y o Ox o d— bu
no a Ha a d which allows amaximum o wel e s uden s in one language class.
Spli ing Czech cou ses in o sec ions o only one o wo s uden s migh be bene icial
o he in ol ed s uden s, bu i inc eases he numbe o con ac hou s o he in-
s uc o (a Ha a d called ap ecep o ).
Whene e Ha a d ad e ises o aCzech o any o he “mino ” language ins uc-
o , he job desc ip ion ou inely includes a esponsibili y o “assis wi h ec ui men
o s uden s and expanding in e es in he language p og am,”9 in addi ion o eaching
language classes and possibly unning asumme language class ab oad. Un o u-
na ely, en ollmen da a o e he pas decade show li le e idence o expanded s u-
den in e es . O e he las wel e yea s, on a e age Ha a d’s Czech cou ses a he
elemen a y, in e media e, and ad anced le els ha e a ac ed only 2.3 s uden s pe
cou se (wi h annual en ollmen s luc ua ing be ween i e o nine s uden s— yield-
ing an a e age o jus 7.1 ac oss he en i e Czech language p og am pe academic
9 Quo ed om he 2022 ad e isemen o he Czech posi ion published in p o essional jou -
nals o Sla ic o ganiza ions.
OPEN
ACCESS