With the growing demand for the Chinese language and culture in Slovenian schools and the establishment of Confucius Classrooms (CCs), Slovenian schools are facing many challenges. The present paper examines important issues in teaching Chinese through CCs in Slovenian kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools.

The first Confucius Classroom in Slovenia was established in Maribor at the 2nd High School in Maribor in 2013. It was followed by Confucius Classroom Ljubljana at Trnovo Primary School in 2013, Confucius Classroom Kranj at the Krnaj High School in 2014 and Confucius Classroom Koper at the University of Primorska in 2014. The Slovenian Ministry of Education, Science and Sport has confirmed the curriculum for the Chinese language in Slovenian primary schools (2011) and high schools (2013). The “Chinese culture and language” pilot project was first introduced in two Slovenian primary schools: France Prešeren Primary School and Gorje Primary School. In the school year 2012/2013, the project started in the form of an enrichment of activities as extracurricular activities involving the Chinese culture and language in H. C. Andersen Kindergarten, Trnovo Primary School, Koseze Primary School and Tone Čufar Primary School in Ljubljana. In the school year 2013/2014, in cooperation with and under the sponsorship of the National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, Trnovo Primary School, introduced the “Chinese culture and language” project to the Slovenian education system. Since 2012, presentations of Chinese culture and language are held on a regular basis every year in the form of creative workshops at Trnovo and Koseze primary schools.

During the three years of teaching and learning Chinese in Slovenian primary schools and secondary schools, a survey on teaching the Chinese language through CCs was conducted among Slovenian sinologists and Chinese teachers. The results of the survey yield some important data and insights on how to improve teaching Chinese in Slovenia. The key research questions addressed in this paper are: