Acquiring Advanced Latvian: A needs analysis of Level C learners, pedagogical resources, and system support

Abstract

The article analyses data from the high-impact pilot project “Acquisition of Latvian as a Foreign Language – an Issue of Language Sustainability and State Security,” implemented in 2025 by the Department of Latvian and Baltic Studies of the Faculty of Humanities,
University of Latvia (hereinafter, the UL) within the UL Development Programme. One of the main goals of this project was to examine, from an interdisciplinary aspect, the opportunities for acquiring the Latvian language as a foreign language at Level C. The conclusions of not only linguists, but also sociologists, political scientists and statisticians were contrasted in relation to the preservation of the Latvian language and Latvian identity, as well as in the strengthening of civic education. The project was implemented in collaboration with several UL structural units and the Latvian Language Agency.

The article provides a closer examination of the findings of the UL pilot project’s linguist group, which were obtained in spring 2025 through surveys of various focus groups. Initially, high school students from several Latvian regions were surveyed. Since 2025 teaching at these schools has been undertaken purely in the Latvian language, which is why the high school students’ experience in acquiring the Latvian language was especially significant. Latvian language teachers at the mentioned schools were also surveyed, as were participants in the Latvian diaspora’s distance education programme “The Latvian language teacher”. Previously, translators of Latvian literature, whose native language is not Latvian and who live outside of Latvia were an uncharted audience with respect to acquiring the Latvian language at the highest-level, which is why this target group was included in the surveys. Valuable insights were also obtained from surveying language teaching centres which cater for the acquisition of the Latvian language at Level C.

The goal of the research analysed in the article is to examine the current opportunities for acquiring the Latvian language as a foreign language at Level C in Latvia, as well as to evaluate language acquisition programmes and the available teaching materials based on the current needs of those learning the language. The study reviews three main challenges in acquiring Latvian at the highest proficiency level: the currently available Level C teaching programme and the quality of the materials; the development criteria for new and contemporary teaching (including digital) materials; as well as factors that influence the acquisition of Latvian at Level C.