Startup Jicki, offering to learn foreign languages online, was created in January 2017 in Freiburg, Germany. 12 employees – in the state, several consultants – on a freelance basis. Until now, the startup offered to study seven languages, and a month ago, immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, two more courses appeared in the program: German for Ukrainians and Ukrainian for Germans.
Mobile applications and lessons on the web page
The courses have been successfully tested for a month, and the number of those who download the mobile application is growing every day. Today, there are about 7,000 German language learners among refugees, and just over 3,000 German learners of Ukrainian.
Languages can also be learned on the startup’s web page, which has audio lessons from the first course. After completing the course, the student acquires elementary speaking skills. Each course contains 12 lectures. “Access to these courses is open to everyone without registration. Most importantly, it’s free,” says startup owner and CEO Helge Speth-Straube. All other courses are paid, access to them can be obtained after registration and payment for tuition.
Experience in language integration
The startup already has experience in the language integration of refugees. “In 2017, we put Arabic courses for Germans and German courses for immigrants from Syria and other countries on our page and in mobile applications. We strive to help people find mutual understanding with each other as soon as possible through languages, because without knowledge of the language In the country they have arrived in, integration is not possible. Of course, we provide such courses for refugees free of charge, despite the fact that we have financial costs associated with them, “explains Helge Shpet-Straube.
Startup CEO Helge Shpet-Straube
Startup is looking for sponsors for free courses
The Ukrainian language not only added to the startup’s list of languages, but will also remain in its program after the war ends, because many refugees will not immediately return to their homeland, and it is important for them to find a common language with the indigenous population of Germany, as well as vice versa. The first introductory courses will remain free, but more detailed and qualified courses may become paid if the startup fails to find sponsors.
“But we hope that we can find them in the face of government agencies, whether it be the labor exchange or the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, who are interested in integrating refugees into a new life,” the startup manager emphasizes in an interview with DW. According to him, an active search for sponsors is already underway, negotiations are underway.
A refugee from Kyiv helped create Ukrainian language courses
Immediately after the start of the war, the startup managed to find a specialist in the methodology of learning the Ukrainian language: a teacher of German and Ukrainian languages, Marina Goncharuk, was forced to leave Kyiv to escape the war. She took an active part in the development of all lectures. She had work experience back in Kyiv, where she taught Ukrainian as a foreign language and German at a special language school. “Marina is fluent in both languages and her help has been invaluable,” emphasizes Helge Shpet-Straube, head of the Freiburg start-up.
“Language shower” – learning without stress
Many foreign language courses are created according to the scheme of school programs. Startup Jicki decided to create its courses according to a different methodology, which is based on mastering the skills of speaking through dialogues during audio lessons. Listeners are invited to repeat new words after the speaker and then, listening to short texts, understand what is being said and at the same time practice speaking on different topics. “We call this technique “linguistic shower”. This means that these lessons can be listened to while driving in a car, playing sports, traveling around the country, completely relaxing, as if under a warm shower. This technique is very popular and in demand. To master the skills of speaking is offered in a playful way – easily and naturally,” explains Helge Shpet-Straube.
Germans and refugees can learn languages together
Helge, in an interview with DW, emphasizes that their proposal was created according to the mirror method: that is, what the Germans and Ukrainians study is based on the same material. “And this means that the Germans, who have taken in Ukrainian refugees, can learn languages together with refugees, exchanging information, clarifying and explaining to each other certain features of colloquial speech. In other words, they can learn together, and this will bring them even closer and will unite Ukrainians and residents of Germany,” the head of a start-up for learning foreign languages Jicki is sure.
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