NEWS
“Estonian language study kit for vocation schools with Russian as the language of instruction” published
The Integration Foundation has worked in association with Kirjastus Ilo to publish Mare Kitsnik’s “Estonian language study kit for vocation schools with Russian as the language of instruction”. The web version of the kit will be available to everyone from June to use and download from kutsekeel.ee. The Integration Foundation’s information day, which will introduce the study kit to the public as well as other materials produced as part of the “Development of Estonian-language teaching and study materials in vocational schools with languages of instruction other than Estonian” project, will be held in the National Library on 4 June.
The study kit comprises a textbook, workbook, audio CD and teacher’s book. The volume of material in the study kit is sufficient for it to be used in vocational education institutions on compulsory courses of Estonian as a second language. All of the subjects it covers are youth-oriented and presented in an enjoyable way, while the school theatre sketches and songs by Ines and Hendrik Sal-Saller included on the CD make the kit even more engaging. Moreover, the author approaches the youth-based subjects from an unexpected and surprising angle. The study kit is also suitable for use in general education high schools.
Reviewer Hiie Asser (PhD, Director of Studies, Tartu Annelinna High School) had this to say of the study kit:
“My overall impressions of ‘Estonian language study kit for vocation schools with Russian as the language of instruction’ have been very positive. The best things about the textbook are the way the topics are presented at two different levels of difficulty and the structure, which is flexible and allows for variety. There are other strong points to the study kit, too. The material in the textbook dovetails nicely with the exercises in the workbook and the listening texts on the CD. There are a lot of different kinds of exercises in both the textbook and the workbook, with the author very imaginatively introducing some new takes on practice tasks alongside the more traditional. The emphasis with a lot of these tasks is on the need for students to express their opinions, and what also stands out is how topical and appropriate the discussion questions and material are for vocational students.”
The study kit was developed as part of the Integration Foundation’s “Development of Estonian-language teaching and study materials in vocational schools with languages of instruction other than Estonian” project (2005-2008). The project, financed through the European Social Fund, was implemented in response to the results of the Faktum survey “Development of vocational education in vocational education institutions with Russian as the language of instruction” (2004). The aim of the project was to create the conditions for high-quality Estonian language studies and to develop the methodology of Estonian-language studies among Russian-speaking groups in vocational education institutions. More than 300 teachers received training as part of the project and 23 (e-)teaching materials and methodology books were issued. These materials are available from kutsekeel.ee.
For further information please contact Helena Metslang from the Lifelong Learning Unit.
Minister approves language studies development programme
Minister of Education and Research Tõnis Lukas has approved a language studies development programme to be financed through the European Social Fund.
The aim of the programme is to guarantee all residents of Estonia, regardless of their native language, age or nationality, equal opportunities to learn Estonian and to be able to survive on the labour market.
More so than previously, the programme is based on individual needs and opportunities, which means a diverse range of language learning formats in addition to ordinary language courses, such as private studies with tutors (if required).
Apart from teaching, the programme also supports language learning by other means: through studies of a specialist nature or via working with young people of different nationalities. Greater attention is therefore being paid to young people studying in vocational education institutions, who have received less attention in the past than those studying in general education schools and on adult language courses.
The success of the programme depends on how quickly teachers and trainers take to the idea that although language studies are of value in themselves and a source of intellectual enrichment, the motivation of those studying them is often higher when they perceive the real connection that exists between language learning and some other activity. That is why both teachers and trainers should learn the skills that will enable them to teach languages through (for example) specialist studies or interest groups.
The total budget for the project, which is being implemented by the Integration Foundation, is more than 60 million kroons, 51 million of which is being provided by the European Social Fund.
For further information please contact Eduard Odinets from the Lifelong Learning Unit.
Source: BNS
Children with Estonian roots living elsewhere are coming to learn the language
This summer the Integration Foundation will be running a language camp for several dozen children with Estonian roots who live outside the country.
Eduard Odinets, the director of the foundation’s lifelong learning unit, told BNS that there will be three camps in total designed for 12 to 17-year-olds.
The first of these, the exact dates and location for which have yet to be announced, is planned for the end of June or early July, while the second is scheduled to run from 7 to 18 July and the third from 11 to 21 August at the Ojako tourism farm in Pärnu County.
The camps are being financed by the state as part of the national minorities programme.
Between 2000 and 2003 and again between 2005 and 2007 the foundation ran Estonian language camps for almost three hundred children with Estonian roots living in Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Unlike in previous years, the chance to take part in this year’s camps will be offered to young people with Estonian roots wherever they live outside of the country.
For further information please contact Eduard Odinets from the Lifelong Learning Unit.
Source: BNS
“Estonian-language studies in schools with Russian as the language of instruction” conference
A conference on the topic of Estonian-language studies is to be held at the Rocca Al Mare Open Air Museum on 14 May, with the aim of reviewing the first year of the transition to Estonian-language studies. Describing their experiences will be representatives from a number of schools, while Minister of Education and Research Tõnis Lukas and Irene Käosaar, director of the Minorities Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Research, will also be presenting their views. Adding a splash of colour to the conference will be sample lessons given by renowned teachers of their subjects, and the best entries in the recent play competition will be performed. Schools will also have the opportunity to present their materials related to the transition to Estonian-language studies.
For further information please contact Ave Osman from the Lifelong Learning Unit.
"Reducing the risk of unemployment among young people who speak languages other than Estonian” project comes to an end
The “Reducing the risk of unemployment among young people who speak languages other than Estonian” project financed by the Ministry of the Interior and the European Social Fund has reached its final phase. Although the official end date of the project is 30 June 2008 and specialist training and work experience continue, the project team will be presenting summaries and thanking their partners on 8 May in Tallinn. The project was designed to help unemployed young people who speak languages other than Estonian to enter the labour market. A variety of training courses were carried out as part of the project: job search training, Estonian language courses and a range of specialist training based on the needs of the unemployed participants. One aspect of the project was organising work experience placements for the participants so as to enable them to get a feel for working life. All of these activities took place in Tallinn, Narva, Jõhvi and Sillamäe.
For further information please contact Daisi Sprenk from the Lifelong Learning Unit.
Training for teachers’ aides
The Language Immersion Centre will be launching training for kindergarten language immersion group teachers’ aides with a training session on 1 and 2 May. The training will be carried out by Nonna Meltsas and Hedi Minlibajeva from the Language Immersion Centre.
For further information please contact Svetlana Belova from the Language Immersion Centre.
Guests from Helsinki
In October 2007 local government representatives, kindergarten directors and immersion group teachers visited Helsinki to see how language immersion is promoted in Sälen kindergarten. On 9 May the Language Immersion Centre will be hosting the Finns on a reciprocal visit. Finnish kindergarten teachers will be given an overview of the implementation of the language immersion kindergarten programme in Estonia, and they will visit Vindi kindergarten with programme director Svetlana Belova to observe language immersion group activities.
For further information please contact Svetlana Belova from the Language Immersion Centre.
COMPETITIONS
Ongoing competitions
“In-service training of national culture society Sunday school teachers in their motherlands”
Competition closes on 20 May 2008.
Applications can be made for the funding of in-service training for national culture society Sunday school teachers in their motherlands.
The competition will help finance such things as travel and visa costs, accommodation and the cost of purchasing study materials. The amount of the grants that can be applied for from the foundation is 80,000 kroons per teacher.
National culture society Sunday schools who would like their teachers to take part in further training must submit confirmation from the university or higher education institute in the motherland that they will accept the teacher. More detailed conditions can be found in the competition guidelines.
For further information please contact Eda Silberg from the Centre for Educational Programmes.
Concluded competitions
“New immigrants in Estonian general education schools”
The competition was designed to support the teaching of new immigrant students in general education schools with Estonian as the language of instruction. Financed as part of it were the organisation of extracurricular activities and special events, cooperation with parents, the acquisition of study materials and equipment and more. The total amount of grants came to 249,415 kroons. Four general education schools received grants as part of the competition, with a total of 26 new immigrant students who have come to Estonia from Belgium, Italy, Germany, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.
For further information please contact Ulvi Müürsepp from the Centre for Educational Programmes.
“New immigrants in Estonian preschool institutions”
The aims of the competition was to support the Estonian language studies of new immigrant students in preschool institutions with Estonian as the language of instruction and to develop a system for the teaching of Estonian as a second language in which a range of methodology would be implemented and contemporary teaching materials used.
Financed as part of the competition were the activities of preschool institutions with Estonian as the language of instruction, the acquisition of teaching materials and equipment, the salaries of teachers and in-service training.
Seven applications were received. Five kindergartens (three municipal and two private) were issued with grants to a total value of 280,776 kroons.
For further information please contact Marje Sarapuu from the Centre for Educational Programmes.
