SEPTEMBER 2010

 

The ‘Adaptation training for new immigrants’ project was launched by the Narva College of the University of Tartu in August, commissioned by the Our People Integration and Migration Foundation. The project will provide training for 12 citizens of third countries residing in Narva.

 

The course comprises basic training – covering Estonian history and society and life in the country – and Estonian language training to the A2 level. The adaptation programme developed in 2009 for the integration of third country nationals in Estonia is being used on the course (http://kohanemisprogramm.tlu.ee/). 

 

The competition is being financed from the state budget through the Ministry of Culture (25%) and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals (75%) on the basis of the implementation plan of the Estonian Integration Programme 2008–2013. The total amount of support being allocated to the project is 190,652 kroons.

 

For further information please contact: Ruslan Prohhorenko, Coordinator, Civic Education and Migration Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9035 / E-mail: [email protected]

 

 

 

On 23 & 24 August the Integration and Migration Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Research organised a study trip to Lääne-Viru County for teachers and directors from national culture association Sunday schools.

 

Such trips have been held every year since 2004. They are designed to showcase the natural and cultural values of different regions of Estonia for representatives of Sunday schools so that the teachers can use what they see and hear to make their lessons even more interesting and useful for their students. The teachers also have the chance on these trips to share their experiences with one another and thus promote cooperation.

 

As part of the trip the group visited the Viru-Nigula local history museum, Rakvere castle, Rakvere’s museum of home life in centuries past, Metsaantsu farm and Toolse fortress. The training session held as part of the trip saw discussion of future plans and development potential for Sunday schools. Irene Käosaar, the director of the General Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Research, also presented the terms and conditions for the round of applications for base financing of national culture association Sunday schools.

 

The study trip was financed by the Ministry of Education and Research.

 

For further information please contact: Kristina Pirgop, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9024 / E-mail: [email protected]

 

 

An in-service training course for teachers of Estonian as a second language will commence on 14 September as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme of the European Social Fund. The course is designed for teachers of Estonian as a second language from general education and vocational education schools. Five training sessions are being held as part of the course. The first four sessions have already been completed and were attended by 160 teachers. The fifth and final group will begin their studies in September. 

 

The course consists of four training modules. The first module takes place from 14–16 September just outside of Tartu. The following three modules will be held from October to December this year.

 

The following topics will be covered as part of the course:

·        the European language learning framework document and the changes it has brought about in teaching, learning and assessment;

·        determining language skill levels;

·        setting study goals and planning lessons;

·        teaching materials: selection, creation and adaptation;

·        active learning and communicative language learning methods and activities;

·        opportunities for integrated language and subject studies;

·        the supporting role Estonian language teachers play for subject teachers in the implementation of subject studies;

·        ways of activating and motivating students; and

·        teaching grammar.

 

The teachers will be trained by renowned language experts and teachers including Leelo Kingisepp, Piret Kärtner, Hiie Asser, Mare Kitsnik and Tõnu Tender.

 

The courses and materials used are free of charge for participants. Attendees are also provided with free accommodation and catering. The course is being organised by the Integration and Migration Foundation and financed by the Ministry of Education and Research and the European Social Fund.

 

Places are still available on the course. Those interested in attending should contact Multicultural Education Unit coordinator Maarja Mänd by e-mailing [email protected] or calling +372 659 9853.

 

For further information please contact: Maarja Mänd, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9853 / E-mail: [email protected]

 

A training course for teachers from upper secondary schools with Russian as the language of instruction entitled “In-service training on ILSL methodology: Learning strategies” is due to begin in September. The volume of the course is 78 hours (3 CPs). The course is designed to provide the participants with the knowledge of integrated subject and language studies methodology and Estonian language skills they need for their professional work. The course will focus on subjects related to learning strategies.

 

The following topics will be covered as part of the course:

·         the principles of integrated language and subject learning and ways of implementing them;

·         supporting language learning in subject lessons;

·         learning strategies and teaching methods (learning strategies, learning styles, methods of cooperation between students in learning, writing strategy and repeated text reading strategy); and

·         setting goals (teaching in a way that is designed to achieve goals; setting goals and wording them; how to measure the achievement of goals; and managing the learning process in a way that is designed to achieve goals).

 

There will also be a focus on updating the participants’ skills in Estonian, developing their competence in vocabulary, their writing skills and their skills in self-expression.

 

Those wishing to register for the course can do so by e-mailing [email protected].

 

For further information please contact: Maarja Mänd, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9853 / E-mail: [email protected]

 

Language immersion programme training in autumn 2010 will focus primarily on developments in training study programmes: updating basic programmes, creating new ones and implementing them on courses.

 

Language immersion programme training courses showcase the following:

·    the learning and testing of new methods of working and new methodologies;

·    generating a sense of security in setting goals and selecting activities for individual lessons or longer periods of teaching;

·    getting to know more about teaching materials and options for self-development;

·    the chance to revive what has already been learnt and discuss how it has been implemented;

·    talking to colleagues within the language immersion network; and

·    grasping the importance of feedback and self-analysis in ensuring quality.

 

The study programmes for the language immersion programme in autumn 2010 were launched in August and will continue through to December. An overview of the programmes can be found below. The courses listed are already full.

 

 

Target group: School directors, directors of studies, language immersion coordinators and teachers just starting out in the programme or who have not previously attended language immersion training

Volume: 28 contact hours + 1 home assignment

Dates: 24 & 25 August / 26 & 27 October

Place: Tallinn

 

 

 

Basic training on the methodology of the language immersion programme, in two groups: one in Tallinn and the other in Narva.

Target group: Teachers working in language immersion classes who wish to experience cooperation at different levels of schooling and with teachers of different subjects

Volume: 49 contact hours

Dates: 16–18 August / 5–6 November / 2–3 December

Place:  1^st session – 2 groups together at Nelijärve

2^nd and 3^rd sessions – 1 group in Tallinn and 1 group in Narva (in Estonia, with support available in Russian)

 

 

 

Target group: Subject teachers working in language immersion classes who are seeking support as developers of learning and language skills

Volume: 28 contact hours + 1 home assignment

Dates: 8 & 9 October / 12 & 13 November

Place: Tallinn

 

 

 

Target group: Teachers working in language immersion classes who are looking to diversify their teaching methods

Volume: 21 contact hours + 1 home assignment

Dates: 8 & 9 October / 12 & 13 November

Place: Tallinn

 

 

 

For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: [email protected]

 

 

 

The children and families who took part in the family studies programme this summer have been invited to a special event to be held in Rakvere on Sunday 26 September at which Minister of Culture Laine Jänes will present them with letters of thanks for their participation. Every child who took part will also be presented with a book by UNICEF, marking International Year of the Book, and the children and families together will attend workshops to better understand elements of family studies.

 

The non-profit organisation Veeda Vaheaeg Võrumaal (‘Spend your holidays in Võru County’) and UNICEF’s Estonian foundation organised for children who, in European Union terms, are third country nationals or citizens with undetermined citizenship to study Estonian whilst staying with Estonian-speaking families over the summer. The children got involved in the everyday activities of the families and in the social life of their new neighbourhoods for two weeks.

 

The family studies were organised as part of a competition launched by the Integration and Migration Foundation and financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and the Ministry of Culture from state resources.

 

The special event in Rakvere is being arranged by UNICEF Eesti AS, the Ministry of Culture and the Integration and Migration Foundation.

 

For further information please contact: Lianne Ristikivi, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028 / E-mail: [email protected]

 

The www.kutsekeel.ee website is an e-learning environment that is designed to act as a shortcut to professional language teaching and learning materials. In addition to collecting such materials and making them available to the public, the website has also begun publishing articles related to professional language. The authors of the latest articles are University of Tartu doctoral candidate Helena Metslang and freelance author and trainer Mare Kitsnik.

 

In her article “The methodology of teaching professional language – is it the same as the methodology for general language teaching?” ("Erialakeele õpetamise metoodika - kas sama kui üldkeele oma?"), Metslang examines international experience in the teaching of professional language, with an emphasis on vocational school courses. She says that teachers of professional language need to adapt themselves more specifically to the needs of their students than teachers of general language, which tends to involve much more in-depth preparation of courses. The methodology of teaching professional language is largely similar to that of teaching general language. However, in order to mould students into more capable communicators in their fields, the choice of teaching and learning materials is of primary importance – the vocabulary, communication functions and situations they present must match those the students themselves will encounter. Metslang highlights a variety of needs of teachers: the need for training in the professional field they are dealing with; the need for computer resources; and the need for methodology training.)

 

Mare Kitsnik’s article "Experiences producing teaching materials for professional Estonian as a second language" ("Erialase eesti keele kui teise keele õppematerjalide koostamise kogemustest") addresses a broader readership. Parts of it are directed more towards teachers, for whom the logic of the structure of teaching materials and the phases in the teaching of skills, vocabulary and grammar in the professional language studies system are explained using a wide variety of examples, and to whom recommendations are given for the use of different parts of different textbooks in lessons. Authors (of future textbooks) are given an overview of the process of creating a language textbook as well as recommendations and tips in terms of producing better textbooks and avoiding less effective solutions. Publishers and clients too will gain something from the article, because Kitsnik explains how to recognise a good textbook and the factors involved in creating a textbook for professional language.)

 

The articles are available online (in Estonian) at www.kutsekeel.ee/artiklid.

 

 

The Estonian Integration Programme 2008–2013 is being put into practice via implementation plans, which set out the measures, activities and budget of and parties responsible for achieving the programme’s goals. The current implementation plan comes to an end in 2010, which is why a new plan is being developed for the period 2011–2013.

 

Implementation of the integration programme is being coordinated by the Ministry of Culture, while the development of the implementation plan for 2011–2013 is being led by PRAXIS, an independent centre for policy studies.

 

In developing the implementation plan for the new period, experience to date in putting the integration programme into practice is being analysed, and a number of different parties are contributing to the process so that the implementation plan for the coming years enables the objectives set out in the programme to be achieved in the best possible way.

 

In August, PRAXIS conducted an online survey among project managers who took part in the application rounds for the integration programme. Almost 450 organisations were included in the survey, all of whom had taken part in the application rounds organised by the Integration and Migration Foundation and Ministry of Culture in 2008 and 2009 related to putting the activities of the integration programme for 2008–2013 into practice. The project managers behind projects to which funding was allocated as well as those whose applications were rejected were surveyed. The questionnaire will highlight the experiences these organisations had in implementing the activities of the integration programme, what the effect of these activities on different target groups was considered to be and the kind of activities and target groups that will need to be focussed on more in the near future. The results of the survey will be made public in September.

 

Also in August, PRAXIS launched consultations with ministries connected to the field in order to obtain feedback and an assessment of the way in which the implementation plan was put into practice in 2008 and 2009 and proposals for the future. A series of discussion seminars looking at different areas within the integration programme – educational integration, social integration and so on – is to begin in September. Six seminars in total are to be held, which representatives of the target group for each area, experts in the field and those implementing the activities are invited to attend.

 

An analysis of the implementation of the activities of the integration programme by the consultation and auditing bureau Ernst & Young Baltic AS, and the results of monitoring of the integration programme by the Institute of International and Social Studies of Tallinn University, both commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, are also due in September.

 

For further information please contact:Silver Pramann, Adviser, Cultural Diversity Department, Ministry of Culture / Telephone: +372 628 2266 / E-mail: [email protected]

 

 

This year, led by the Ministry of Culture, National Minorities Day will be celebrated at the Russian Theatre in Tallinn at 17:00 on 22 September; at the Vanemuine Concert Hall in Tartu at 17:00 on 24 September; and at Jõhvi Concert Hall in Jõhvi at 11:30 on 26 September.

 

For further details see: www.etnoweb.ee, www.kul.ee and www.johvi.ee starting from 10 September

 

 

On 7 September 2010 the Ministry of Culture introduced the new information portal www.etnoweb.ee to the advisory committee on national minority culture in the Estonian parliament.

 

Project Etnoweb was created for improving communications between various culture organizations and minority communities, and everyone who could be interested in this information - Mass media, the goverment, fonds or people interested in national cultures due to professional or self-intrest.

Etnoweb allows you to quickly see the picture, who is doing what in any cultural minority group. To read fresh news from communities and government institutions. To see, what is happening right now and what will be happening in the future. Here you can find information about current competitions. Here you can quickly find a partner for your project, and also contact info of the consultants and officials that are responsible for working with national societies.

The website is open for newcomers. Contact the administrator, and after a short wait your organisation will be added to the list, and you will gain access to your own web page, where you can place all the important information about yourself, your members and your activities. The news you publish will not only show up on the website's main page, but also will be sent to newspapers, radio and television.

The goal of project Etnoweb – to make the activities in cultural societies and societies of national minorities an integral part of the overall information and cultural space of Estonia.

 

For further information please contact: Jevgeni Žurjari-Ossipov, Adviser to the Minister of Culture / Telephone: +372 628 2259 / E-mail: [email protected]; or Natalja Kitam, Project Manager, Etnoweb / Mobile: +372 5665 8222 / E-mail: [email protected]