Language Immersion Program to develop further
The advisors of teachers will meet in Tallinn from 15 to 16 January. The agenda will focus on the tasks arising from the advisory activities concept of the Language Immersion Program and on planning activities for 2009. The DISC training that was first provided in the summer of 2008 will continue. The training will be delivered by Avatud Meele Instituut and Inscape.

On 15 and 16 December language immersion teachers will be developing their skills in producing teaching materials. They will also be examining the principles behind producing lesson plans. The materials produced by the teachers will be made available on the website of the Language Immersion Centre.

For further information please contact: Made Pandis and Svetlana Belova, Language Immersion Centre

NEWS

219 organisations (17 umbrella organisations with 202 member associations) successfully complete national minority culture society evaluation and can apply for activity support for 2009

An evaluation committee working with the Office of the Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs has assessed the umbrella organisations of national minority culture societies and their member associations in accordance with the directive of the Secretary of State of 23 September 2008 entitled ‘Base financing of the umbrella organisations of national minority culture societies and their members’. 288 associations operating under 20 umbrella organisations were registered for evaluation.

The aim of the evaluation was to find cooperation partners for the state among representatives of different nationalities operating under the auspices of umbrella organisations in order to promote cultural diversity, support national culture societies in preserving and promoting their cultural heritage, develop cooperation between Estonia’s cultural societies and improve the flow of information between members of umbrella organisations.

The umbrella organisations who successfully completed the evaluation now have the right to obtain activity support for 2009 through the round of applications for the base financing of national minority culture societies which will be launched by the Integration Foundation at the end of October. Information about the application round will be posted on the website.

For further information please contact:
Iris Järv, Culture and Youth Work Unit

In-service training opportunities for national minority Sunday school teachers

The Centre for Educational Programmes of the Integration Foundation is launching a training course for teachers from national minority Sunday schools entitled ‘Teaching in a dialogue between yourself and a child’ in association with the in-service training centre of Tallinn University’s Open University. On the course the teachers will be able to build on their pedagogical and language teaching knowledge, develop their skills in organising linguistic and cultural cooperation and prepare themselves to work with children of different ages and those with special educational needs. The course will run for a total of 120 hours, with the first session being held on 26 and 27 November.

In November the Centre for Educational Programmes of the Integration Foundation is organising a culture and study trip to Hiiumaa for teachers from national minority culture society Sunday schools. They will see the sights of the island and learn about the culture of its people. A training session on psychological drama will also be held as part of the trip.

For further information please contact:

Zoja Tint, Centre for Educational Programmes

Integration Foundation provides 650,000 kroons for promotion of national minority languages and cultures

The national culture society project competition came to an end in October. 51 projects were submitted which were designed to raise awareness of the activities of national minority culture societies and/or promote cooperation between societies. Support was designated to 22 of the projects.

As part of one of the projects to be funded, the Ukrainian Cultural Centre’s “Promoting Ukrainian Culture IV”, an exhibition of icons and toys from the country will be organised in Tallinn and master classes held in traditional Ukrainian ceramics, including toys and toy instruments.

The “Ukrainian folk songs in Estonia and for Estonians” project of the folklore ensemble Žurba will highlight the similarities between Estonian and Ukrainian folk music and see the presentation of both Ukrainian folk songs in Estonian and Estonian folk songs in Ukrainian.

The competition was financed by the State Chancellery. The projects will be carried out until June 2009.

For further information please contact:

Kristina Pirgop, Culture and Youth Work Unit

Russian-language schools to receive additional Estonian literature materials for secondary students

Secondary schools with Russian as the language of instruction are set to receive additional materials for the teaching of Estonian literature this November in the form of ‘Contemporary Estonian literature: a collection of worksheets for secondary students’. The collection contains extracts from the work of young Estonian authors published between 2000 and 2007 and accompanying exercises. The texts were selected and the tasks compiled by Leili Sägi from the Russian Secondary School in Pärnu, Diana Joassoone from Annelinna Secondary School in Tartu, Annelii Juhkama from the Tallinn High School of Humanities and Natali Happonen from the Vocational Education Centre in Tartu. The teaching materials provide an overview of the diversity of modern Estonian literature, enabling students to improve their functional reading skills and skills in Estonian by working with literary texts.

For further information please contact:

Ulvi Müürsepp, Centre for Educational Programmes

Language immersion programme teachers learn new methodology skills

November will see the continuation of Russian-language methodology training for subject teachers (20–21.11), basic immersion methodology training for class teachers (12–13.11) and advanced methodology training for class teachers from schools which joined the language immersion programme in 2000 (25–26.11). The Tallinn and Ida-Viru County groups will also continue their training on immediate feedback (the ‘5-minute observation’).

For further information please contact:

Made Pandis, Language Immersion Centre

Matters related to the way in which parent–teacher meetings are conducted (the structure of such meetings, the role of the immersion teacher as group teacher, et al) will be discussed and the different plans for child–teacher meetings will be analysed as part of ‘Parent–teacher meetings’, the November training course for kindergarten teachers. The course will be held in Tallinn on 12 November and in Jõhvi on 14 November and presented by trainers from the Language Immersion Centre.

For further information please contact:

Svetlana Belova, Language Immersion Centre

Language immersion kindergarten and school teachers to witness Welsh immersion programme at work

From 2 to 7 November a group of language immersion kindergarten and school teachers, parents and Language Immersion Centre workers will be on a study trip in Cardiff, Wales, to find out more about Welsh language policy and the Welsh-language immersion programme. They will meet students, teachers, education officials and parents.

For further information please contact:

Svetlana Belova, Language Immersion Centre

Training of language immersion programme advisors reaches final stages

Everyone who completes the second stage of training for language immersion programme advisors will be issued with a certificate of graduation. In the course of the training, those taking part introduced practice exercises in their kindergartens and schools. The action plan for the launch of the counselling system and a description of the role of the advisor are being developed in parallel with the training, under the guidance of the Open Mind Institute. The advisory concept of the language immersion programme is also being refined.

Regional information days for schools and kindergartens will be held prior to the launch of the counselling system.

For further information please contact:

Made Pandis, Language Immersion Centre

Language immersion programme strategy 2008–2013 almost complete

The language immersion programme strategy 2009–2013 is nearing completion in the Language Immersion Centre. Development of the strategy has involved the programme’s steering committee, the heads of the educational institutes that have joined the programme, employees of the Language Immersion Centre, experts on the language immersion programme and representatives of local governments.

The general strategy – that language immersion should be widespread in Estonia as a high-quality programme bringing language and other subject studies together – will be broken down into five more specific strategic objectives.

Regional meetings will be held to perfect the wording of the strategy and finalise the responsibilities of the local governments and agencies involved in the programme in implementing the strategy.

For further information please contact:

Marju Randlepp, Language Immersion Centre

Courses in Estonian as a second language set to begin for tertiary students

The Integration Foundation has launched cooperation with the Estonian Aviation Academy, the Estonian Maritime Academy and the Estonian Public Service Academy to organise additional Estonian language courses for their students who speak Russian as a mother tongue. The courses are designed to help the students develop the professional Estonian skills they will need in the workforce.

Preparations are currently being made for the courses in association with the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology and the Virumaa College of Tallinn University of Technology, the Estonian Academy of Arts, the University of Tartu and the Narva College of the University of Tartu and Tallinn Health College.

The courses are being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

For further information please contact:

Ave Osman, Lifelong Learning Unit

Three youth events scheduled for the next six weeks

A youth conference entitled ‘Are you ready?’ will be held in Viinistu on 31 October and 1 November. 100 young people of different nationalities are expected to attend the event. There will be a general discussion on democracy and the values it entails, as well as workshops looking at the state of youth today and issues that are important to young people: education, the future, relationships, health and addictions and making the world a better place.

The City of the Future game will be played in Pärnu on 12 and 13 November. Students from schools with Estonian and Russian as the languages of instruction will work with officials to find solutions to key social problems. The way in which the game works was developed by the British Council in order to involve residents in community development work.

An inclusion-themed seminar is due to be held in Tallinn on 5 and 6 December for members of regional youth groups. A range of organisations and institutions will be promoting their inclusion activities at the event, during which attendees will be issued with the Estonian National Youth Council’s Inclusion Anthology, reprinted with the support of the European Social Fund.

All three of these events are being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

For further information please contact:

Lianne Ristikivi, Culture and Youth Work Unit

6700 Estonian-language and 2000 Russian-language Citizen’s Handbooks issued in September

The fourth print-run of the new edition of the handbook was primarily distributed to general education schools, but also to vocational schools and libraries. The Citizen’s Handbook provides updated information about how the state is run and dealing with state agencies. New topics have also been included in the latest edition, and links are provided to institutions and organisations from which more information can be obtained if required. A significant addition compared to previous publications is a list of key terms, which makes using the handbook much easier.

Publication of the new edition was funded by the Ministry of the Interior and its distribution supported by the Ministry of Education and Research. The book was published by the Integration Foundation.

For further information please contact:

Tea Tammistu, Citizens Education Unit

PROCUREMENTS AND COMPETITIONS

Simplified public tender for the development of professional language subject programmes

The ‘Development of subject programmes for professional language’ tender will see the production of programmes for computer servicing, automatics, car mechanics, electricians and electrical equipment, the organisation of transport, general construction, construction finishing, bakers and confectioners, environmental technology locksmiths and metal industry workers. Each programme will comprise a description of the professional language skill requirements, a list of the minimum required vocabulary and expressions, the study programme and the evaluation guidelines forming the basis for the targeted teaching of the professional language.

The professional language subject programmes will be of support to teachers of Estonian as a second language from vocational education institutions in the effective teaching of professional language so that graduates are able to pass vocational examinations in Estonian and take up work in an Estonian-language environment.

The programmes are being developed as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

The procurement competition is open until 17 November.

For further information please contact:

Reet Kallo, Lifelong Learning Unit

Simplified public tender for worker exchanges designed to increase Estonian skills

The aim of this procurement is to create a variety of flexible opportunities for adults with mother tongues other than the national language to learn Estonian to the level necessary for them to be able to cope in their everyday and professional lives.

With the support of the European Social Fund, short Estonian language courses will be held for teachers, police officials, medical workers, prison officers, library workers and public servants who speak languages other than Estonian as well as worker exchanges with colleagues from Estonian-language environments.

The procurement competition is being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

The competition is open until 10 November.

For further information about the competition see.

For further information please contact:

Tea Kotkas, Lifelong Learning Unit

Estonian language camp project competition

The project competition for 2009 language camps will be launched in November. Organisations who arrange youth camp exchanges and project camps are invited to take part in the competition. Programme-based projects as part of which camp activities can be conducted all year round will be preferred.

The procurement represents the first part of a two-part competition. The second part will be launched in spring. Organisations which are supported in the first round will not be able to take part in the second round (in spring 2009). A project competition for the organisation of family studies will also be launched in spring.

The competition guidelines will be available from the Integration Foundation website or from the project manager lianne.ristikivi (at) meis.ee once the competition has been launched.

For further information please contact:

Lianne Ristikivi, Culture and Youth Work Unit

• activities of successful integrated subject and language learning groups (expected and unexpected results)
• integrated subject and language learning methodology (best practice)
• studying and brain research (implementation of new knowledge in support of learning)
• inclusion and avoiding elitism (broadening the availability of integrated subject and language studies)
• intercultural dialogue (coping with cultural differences in the classroom)
• success in the working world through integrated subject and language learning.

Immediate feedback in support of the language immersion programme – the 5-minute review method

Development of a consultation system for the language immersion programme

NEWS

National Culture Society project competition

The national culture society project competition came to an end on 27 August. The aim of the competition was to support the promotion of the languages and cultures of national minorities in Estonia.

The projects submitted have been designed to keep people in Estonia informed about national minority culture societies and their activities and to foster cooperation between culture societies in the country.
51 projects were submitted. The results of the competition will be announced in September. Project activities will last until June 2009. They will be financed by the State Chancellery.

For further information please contact:
Kristina Pirgop
Culture and Youth Work Unit

Evaluation of national minority culture societies

In September the Office of the Minister for Population Affairs will be initiating evaluation of the umbrella organisations and members of the umbrella organisations of national minority culture societies applying for base financing. In the course of evaluation the umbrella organisations and their members will be assessed in terms of whether they comply with the conditions for base financing (see www.rahvastikuminister.ee).

Based on UNESCO’s definition of intellectual heritage, activities which directly reflect the nature and characteristics of a national minority will be established as activities related to intellectual heritage as part of base financing. These are primarily language, music, singing, dancing, handicrafts, observance of traditions and customs, knowledge of nature and the world and the organisation and celebration of folk festivities.

In order to be evaluated umbrella organisations must submit a list of their members on the form provided to aleksandr.aidarov@riigikantselei.ee. The form is available from www.rvke.ee.

A committee has been formed to carry out the evaluation, made up of representatives of the Office of the Minister for Population Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Integration Foundation, Tallinn City Government and the Network of Estonian Non-Profit Organisations. The committee will review the articles of association, B-cards and 2007 annual reports of the organisations submitting applications and check that their previous agreements have been fulfilled.

Meetings will be held between the committee and representatives of the umbrella organisations until 25 September 2008 for the provision of feedback and the elimination of any shortcomings.

The Integration Foundation will launch a round of applications for the base financing of national minority culture societies in October 2008 in which those organisations which have been successfully evaluated may participate.

For further information please contact:
Aleksandr Aidarov, Adviser to the Minister for Population Affairs
Telephone: +372 693 5257
E-mail: aleksandr.aidarov@riigikantselei.ee

New rounds for the submission of proposals for vocational education institutions “Organisation of additional studies of Estonian for vocational students with native languages other than Estonian”

As part of this programme proposals are awaited from schools with regard to how they wish to organise the provision of additional studies of Estonian for their students. The aim is to ensure that as many vocational education institutions as possible are able to develop their teaching of Estonian in different ways based on the needs of and options open to their students. The format and cost of the teaching have not been prescribed. Some schools may wish to provide bridging courses, others summer schools, while others may prefer to build on their work experience programmes or combine their teaching of professional and language skills. All proposals are welcome. What is important is that they comply with the aims of the programme and the description of the activity. Thereafter, working with both experts and schools, we will begin to organise the language studies.

The Integration Foundation will be accepting proposals from vocational education institutions during the following periods:

1. 1 September-31 October 2008
2. 1 February-31 March 2009
3. 1 September-31 October 2009
4. 1 February-31 March 2010

Reviewing the ideas submitted by schools, including input from experts, may take a couple of months (depending on the volume of teaching work and the number of proposals received). Schools may submit a number of proposals. What is important is to know that the amount indicated in the budget will not be transferred to the school’s budget, but that the Integration Foundation will order the required services itself.

We would ask that cooperation proposals be submitted on the allocated form and that these be forwarded to us by e-mail by the due date. The proposal form and a description of the programme activity can be found at www.kutsekeel.ee.

For further information please contact:
Edydt Johanson
Lifelong Learning Unit

Results of the Integration Foundation’s “In-Service and Language Training for Non-Estonian Speaking Unemployed People” project

The main aims of this project, which ran for a total of 16 months, were to assist in reducing the level of unemployment and social ostracism among people with native languages other than Estonian and thereby to raise the levels of employment and integration within Estonian society. Job search training, vocational and Estonian language courses, work experience and professional and psychological counselling were offered to participants in order to achieve these aims. In addition to language courses, information days were also held at which attendees were introduced to the conditions of and possibilities available to them in taking the state language examination and in training to get to know and understand how the Estonian constitution and Estonian citizenship works.

The total cost of the project was 6,128,068 kroons, 80% of which was funded by the European Social Fund and 20% co-funded through Estonian public sector financing.

For further information please contact:
Riina Ring
Lifelong Learning Unit

Development of the Integration Foundation’s information systems

The “Support for the Implementation of the National Integration Programme and for the Capacity-Building of Integration-Related Institutions” project has been won by Columbus IT Partner Eesti AS.

The aim of the procurement was to bring the financial management of the Integration Foundation to a new level, modernising and integrating financial management and accounting processes and guaranteeing the information technology solutions required for their effective operation. Another objective was to introduce an electronic document administration system so as to improve the operativeness and effectiveness of administration.

The updated and modernised financial information system will help to guarantee transparent financial management, adequate financial supervision and effective reporting and control systems for the appropriations and resources administered by the foundation.

The activities of the project are being funded from the resources of EU Transitional Support, the State Chancellery and the Ministry of Education.

For further information please contact:
Inna Pusikova
Citizens Education Unit

Development of a consultation system for the language immersion programme

Stage 2 of training for language immersion programme advisers is set to begin, led by the Open Mind Institute. The training will run from September to November 2008. Regional training sessions will be held in Tallinn and Ida-Virumaa. The training will be attended by 42 future language immersion programme advisers, who have already completed a 6-day training course representing Stage 1.

Development of the methodical counselling concept for teachers will continue under the guidance of the Open Mind Institute.

For further information please contact:
Made Pandis
Language Immersion Centre

Language immersion programme for the 2008-2009 academic year

There are language immersion groups in the early language immersion nursery programme in 27 nurseries this academic year. Newcomers to the programme are Vaivara nursery, the Punamütsike and Tuhkatriinu nurseries in Kohtla-Järve and the Päikseke nursery in Sillamäe. Extensive renovation work is being carried out on the Päikese nursery in Narva, so the language immersion groups are continuing on other temporary premises.

No language immersion groups have been opened at Tallinn’s Muhu nursery again this year although it has joined the programme.

Language immersion classes forming part of the early language immersion school programme are continuing in 14 schools. The first graduates of the early language immersion programme (from five classes in four schools) will receive their diplomas in spring.

Language immersion classes forming part of the late language immersion programme are continuing in 17 schools.
Narva Joala School has merged with Narva School no. 6. Narva School no. 6 is ready to continue with the late language immersion programme.

Due to reorganisation as a classics secondary school, Pärnu Hansa Secondary School is no longer taking part in the programme.

Tallinn’s Karjamaa Secondary School, which recently joined the programme, will launch classes in brand new class rooms.

For further information please contact:
Maire Kebbinau
Language Immersion Centre

“Let’s Read Together” series of large-format picture books

All Estonian nurseries have received the “Let’s Read Together” series of large-format picture books for the start of the new academic year, as ordered by the Ministry of Education and Research. The set is aimed at children between the ages of 5 and 7. They provide material for practising vocabulary and developing speech; material and examples for the revision of certain expressions; impulses for the reproduction and development of words and texts; and the joy of improvisation for nursery teachers in presenting sample and listening texts.

All 14 books in the series are eight pages long. Every page features a picture illustrating the aims of the book. Each book therefore comprises eight pictures (illustrations). The pictures are child-friendly, colourful and rich in detail.

The format of the books allows groups of up to 20 children to read them together (and describe the pictures).

For further information please contact:
Maire Kebbinau
Language Immersion Centre

NEWS

Integration Foundation supports national minority cultural associations

The Integration Foundation has launched the latest in its series of national culture society project competitions, which is designed to support the promotion of the languages and cultures of national minorities in Estonia. Non-profit organisations whose objectives as stated in their statutes meet those of the planned activities will be supported as part of the project. The applications submitted must be related to at least one of the following fields:

• raising people’s awareness of and keeping them informed about national minority culture associations and their activities in Estonia;
• recognising the multicultural nature of Estonia and introducing and learning about national minority cultures through public events (lectures, exhibitions, seminars, TV and radio programmes, leaflets and so on);
• developing cooperation between the national minority cultural societies which operate in Estonia.

The deadline for applications is 4.00 pm on 27 August 2008.

Estonian society is interesting and multicultural. The cultures of other nationalities enrich our everyday lives. People of 121 different nationalities live in Estonia, and there are more than 200 active national culture associations. Every year many of them organise a variety of events, concerts and lectures at which they promote their cultural heritage. The Integration Foundation has supported many of these events over the years.

For more detailed information please contact Kristina Pirgop from the Culture and Youth Work Unit.

Project for the development of teaching in Estonian in Russian-language vocational schools comes to an end

The Integration Foundation’s “Development of Teaching in Estonian and Relevant Study Materials in non-Estonian Vocational Schools” project reached its conclusion in June. Its aim was to create the conditions for high-quality Estonian language studies and to develop methodology for Estonian-language studies among Russian-speaking groups in vocational education institutions. The project was designed for language and specialty subject teachers of Russian-speaking groups in vocational schools, but steps were also taken to support the development of professional Estonian language skills by directors.

More than 300 teachers received training and 23 (e-)teaching materials and methodology books were issued as part of the project, which was financed by the European Social Fund. These materials are available from kutsekeel.ee.

For more detailed information please contact Helena Metslang from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

“Support for the Transition of non-Estonian General Education Schools to Bilingual Studies” project comes to an end

The “Support for the Transition of non-Estonian General Education Schools to Bilingual Studies” project was implemented so as to prepare schools with Russian as the language of instruction for the transition to Estonian-language studies starting from the 2007-2008 academic year. It represented the continuation of the “Enhancement of the Competitiveness of Teachers in non-Estonian Schools” project, beginning in February 2007 and ending in June 2008.

Both projects were carried out by the Integration Foundation in association with the Ministry of Education and Research.

For more detailed information please contact Ave Osman from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

Evaluation of results of ESF projects "Enhancement of the Competitiveness of Teachers in non-Estonian Schools", "Support for the Transition of non-Estonian General Education Schools to Bilingual Studies" and "Development of Teaching in Estonian and Relevant Study Materials in non-Estonian Vocational Schools" ends in June

The evaluation was designed to assess the effectiveness of the projects and to provide recommendations for the planning of subsequent integration-based activities.

The evaluation included an online survey conducted among those who took part in the projects and interviews with key figures, while assessment of the vocational school project also incorporated focus groups with members of the target group.

Evaluation revealed that there has been a significant change for the better in people’s attitudes to studying Estonian, particularly among students. Nevertheless, Estonian language skills remain largely dependent on consistency and the forms of study that are offered. Training on the methodology of teaching Estonian needs to be organised, predominantly in terms of methodology related to the teaching of functional language skills. In many cases there are few people in schools who can speak Estonian, and while the teachers do attend courses, they do not communicate in the language. One solution would be for several teachers from the same school to attend the courses so that they are then willing and able to practise using the language with each other in the workplace.

The evaluation also showed that the current language courses are provided with a thorough grammatical basis but not emboldening learners to communicate in the language. Summer language courses and camps should be arranged at which the teachers and students are in an Estonian-language environment, and a range of joint activities should also be promoted. Teachers could attend work placements for practice in schools with Estonian as the language of instruction, and students could also study certain subjects in other schools in Estonian. Language courses should be closely connected with real life in Estonia: examples should be provided which help learners to understand the cultural and physical environment around them. Interactive learning formats also need to be developed.

The recommendations made based on the evaluation of the results of the projects will be taken into account in the planning of the vocational studies activities of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme, which forms part of the “Lifelong Learning” measure, a priority of the “Human Resources Development Plan” of the “National Strategy for the Use of Structural Resources 2007-2013”.

For further information please contact Merlin Mägi from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

“Staff Excursions within Estonia for Language Practice” project comes to an end

June saw the conclusion of the “Staff Excursions within Estonia for Language Practice” project, whose aims were to support the formation of an open, democratic and multicultural society in which the people living in Estonia enjoy equal access to education and employment opportunities through improved language skills and social competence and to ensure that rescue workers and police officials working in the public sector who speak languages other than Estonian obtain the level of language skills required by law and for their work.

Four stages of language courses were held as part of the project, in which 447 rescue workers and police officials studied Estonian in Tallinn, Paldiski, Jõhvi, Kohtla-Järve, Narva and Sillamäe.

COMPETITIONS

Lifelong Learning Unit launches simplified public tender for “In-service training of language and specialist studies trainers from informal adult education institutions in the field of integrated language and specialist studies”

The tender is designed to boost the competence of language and specialist studies trainers from informal adult education institutions in order to carry out integrated language and specialist teaching. In-service training on the topics of “Different methods and ways of teaching languages”, “Language skill levels and determining them: Setting goals in learning” and “Integrated learning of language and professional skills” will be organised to this end. The deadline for submission of applications is 11 August 2008.

For more detailed information please contact Riina Ring from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

Lifelong Learning Unit launches simplified public tender for organisation of training on basics of multiculturalism and language learning for trainers of adult learners

The “In-service training of language and specialist studies trainers from informal adult education institutions on subjects related to the field of multiculturalism and language learning” tender is designed to boost the competence of language and specialist studies trainers from informal adult education institutions in order to teach people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In-service training on topics related to multiculturalism and language learning will be carried out to this end.

The deadline for submission of applications is 1 August 2008.

For more detailed information please contact Riina Ring from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

Support for the studies of Estonian for non-Estonian speaking children in preschool institutions

In spring the Centre for Educational Programmes of the Integration Foundation organised the “Studies of Estonian for Non-Estonian Speaking Children in Preschool Institutions” project competition. A total of 1,359,580 kroons was allocated in support of Estonian language studies and related activities for preschool institutions as part of the competition.

39 kindergartens submitted applications for the competition, 27 of whom received funding. Ten were located in Harju County, ten in Ida-Viru County, five in Tartu, one in Võru and one in Kohila.

For more detailed information please contact Marje Sarapuu at the Centre for Educational Programmes.

Support for Estonian-language teaching

791,709 kroons is to be provided in support of the teaching of subjects in Estonian in basic schools during the 2008-2009 academic year. 20 applications were received as part of the “Support for Estonian-language subject teaching” competition. 14 schools received funding: six in Harju County, three in Ida-Viru County, one in Lääne-Viru County, one in Valga, one in Pärnu, one in Tartu and one in Haapsalu. As part of the project, Estonian-language teaching is being provided in the following subjects: art, music, work studies, physical education, nature studies, Estonian literature, social studies, history, people studies and geography.

For more detailed information please contact Tiina Kuurmaa at the Centre for Educational Programmes.

Training of national culture society teachers in their motherlands

As a result of the project competition organised by the Centre for Educational Programmes of the Integration Foundation this spring, six national culture society Sunday School language and culture teachers will be undertaking in-service training in their motherlands. The training courses will be held in Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The total value of the grants issued is 366,093 kroons.

For more detailed information please contact Eda Silberg from the Centre for Educational Programmes.

NEWS

Russian vocational schools take steps towards Estonian-language studies

Estonian-language studies are not only important to students from general education schools: those studying in vocational education institutions also need to develop skills in the national language in order to get by on the labour market and in society. More than 130 vocational schools claim that there are many obstacles to them teaching in a second language, but the number of such schools where Russian-speaking students are able to study certain subjects in Estonian is nevertheless growing.

The series of teaching materials developed by the Integration Foundation in association with OÜ Miksike is designed for use in professional classes in vocational schools with Russian-speaking students. The materials, produced by teachers of such subjects in vocational schools, is meant to help students in Russian groups acclimatise to an Estonian-language working environment and to get to know professional terminology and texts.

All of the materials have been edited and comprise professional texts and figures, with the texts accompanied by translations of new terms and other words and related exercises. Reviewer Vladi Purro is full of praise for the visual impact of the materials: “The way it’s put together is great. The teaching material is clearly and comprehensibly illustrated, categorised and supplied with icons that aid in orientation.”

E-studies can be carried out with the help of the materials: the same texts with interactive exercises are available to everyone online at www.kutsekeel.ee. The reviews the series of seven textbooks have been receiving confirm their reliability: “It would be hard to make the content any better or any more in line with the mandatory modules the students have to take.” The materials are also suitable for use in the teaching of professional language in Estonian as a second language and to groups.

Published materials: Meelis Pääro: Standardi EVS 807:2004 kasutamine kinnisvara korrashoiu korraldamisel (Tallinn Kopli Vocational School); Tatjana Karaganova: Keevitus (Tallinn Industrial Education Centre); Irina Muravljova: Höövelspoon (Tallinn Kopli Vocational School); Edgar Hansen: Treimistööd (Tallinn Industrial Education Centre); Hergi Kruusimaa & Aare Helinurm: Joonestamine (Tallinn Polytechnic); Aleksei Sedjakin: Programmijuhtimine (Tallinn Industrial Education Centre); and Olga Popova & Natella Mihhailova: Diagrammi- ja skeemiloomine (Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Centre).

The Integration Foundation and University of Tartu handbook Erialaõppe ja keeleõppe lõimimisest will also soon be published. An information day regarding the series of teaching materials and others developed as part of the European Social Fund’s “Development of Estonian-language teaching and study materials in vocational schools with languages of instruction other than Estonian” project will be held at 10.30 am on 4 June in the National Library. For further information please see www.meis.ee.

For further information please contact Helena Metslang from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

Working assignment project reaches final stage

June will see the end of activities forming part of the “Staff Excursions within Estonia for Language Practice” project, which was launched in May 2005 in order to implement the European Social Fund measure “An educational system that guarantees labour flexibility, coping and lifelong learning and is available to everyone” in Estonia.

The aims of the project were to support the formation of an open, democratic and multicultural society in which the people living in Estonia enjoy equal access to education and employment opportunities through improved language skills and social competence and to ensure that rescue workers and police officials working in the public sector who speak languages other than Estonian the level of language skills required by law and for their work.

Four stages of language courses were held as part of the project, in which more than 400 rescue workers and police officials studied Estonian in Tallinn, Paldiski, Jõhvi, Kohtla-Järve, Narva and Sillamäe.

The courses in Tallinn and Paldiski were organised by AS TEA Keeleõpetus and the NPO Eesti Keele Suhtlemiskool while those in Ida-Viru County were organised by AS Kesk-Eesti Arenduskeskus.

The 120-hour courses, offered at elementary, intermediate and advanced levels, enabled the students to improve their reading, listening, speaking and writing skills with the guidance of a teacher and prepared them to take the state language exam.

30-day working assignments for language practice were undertaken by 82 employees of the Eastern, Southern, Western and Northern Police Prefectures, 52 workers from the Eastern Estonian Rescue Centre and one rescue worker from the Northern Estonian Rescue Centre. The language practice was preceded by training on how to survive in a foreign language environment. The staff excursions were carried out by AS Kesk-Eesti Arenduskeskus.

All of the activities forming part of the project are being financed by the European Social Fund and the Estonian state budget. Involved as partners in the project are the Police Board and Rescue Board as well as prefectures and rescue centres. The project was launched by the Integration Foundation.

For further information please contact Tea Kotkas from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

Teaching materials for Russian-language high schools about turning points in Estonian history set to be published

The Integration Foundation and publishers Argo are set to release a supplementary study kit of materials on Estonian history titled Turning Points in Estonian History: Documents and Materials for High Schools with Russian as the Language of Instruction and Turning Points in Estonian History: Additional Materials for Teachers. Both sets of materials were produced by the project team of Andres Adamson, Toomas Karjahärm, Mare Räis, Vjatšeslav Žiburtovitš and Einar Värä.

The following is an extract from the principle guiding the development of the study kits:

“The target group of the kits is students and teachers from general education schools with Russian as the language of instruction, and anyone else interested in the subject. The aims of the materials on Estonian history, which are designed for schools, classes and groups which study or teach in Russian, are to improve the level of teaching of history in schools with Russian as the language of instruction, and to assist in the transfer to studies in Estonian. We have tried to make the teaching of history more scientific, but also more exciting and engaging, and to help students manage better as part of the endless progression of history.”

Both study kits are to be published in Estonian and Russian, and will be distributed to general education high schools free of charge. Training days to introduce the materials to teachers will be held on 31 May in Tallinn, 2 June in Tartu and 4 June in Jõhvi.

The study kits are being published as part of the Integration Foundation’s “Support for the Transition of Non-Estonian General Education Schools to Bilingual Studies” project.

For further information please contact Ave Osman from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

Estonian in vocational schools

An information day about teaching materials forming part of the European Social Fund’s “Development of Estonian-language teaching and study materials in vocational schools with languages of instruction other than Estonian” project will be held at 10.00 am on 4 June in the National Library in Tallinn. The study materials published as part of the project will be introduced, including the following:

• Mare Kitsnik: Eesti keele õppekomplekti vene õppekeelega kutsekoolile (Ilo Kirjastus);
• Kristi Saarso & Elle Sõrmus: Kuidas õpetada erialakeelt: Metoodika käsiraamat (Eesti Ekspressi Kirjastuse AS)
• Tiina Kikerpill & Elle Sõrmus: Erialaõppe ja keeleõppe lõimimisest: Käsiraamat vene õppekeelega kutseõppeasutustele (Eesti Ekspressi Kirjastuse AS)
• The series of teaching materials on Estonian as a professional language (10 sets)
• Teaching materials for Estonian-language vocational classes (7 subjects)

At the end of the conference a brief overview of the development of the e-teaching materials website www.kutsekeel.ee will be presented.

The first part of the conference day will include a discussion studies of Estonian and studies in Estonian in vocational schools. Presentations will be given by Irene Käosaar, Maie Soll and Rita Siilivask, specialists from the Ministry of Education and Research.

For further information please contact Maria Ratassepp from the Lifelong Learning Unit.

Kindergarten Language Immersion Programme Summer School

Summer school will be held from 5 to 7 June in the Männisalu Training Centre in Võsu. 60 kindergarten teachers and directors will be in attendance. The main topic covered at the summer school will be language learning through drama, presented by the Open Mind Institute. Also presenting the results of their research will be Airi Kukk from Tallinn University and Maarika Mae from Tallinn Allika Kindergarten.

For further information please contact Svetlana Belova from the Language Immersion Centre.

Language immersion classes will be graduating from the following schools this year:

• Narva Pähklimäe High School
• Narva Old Town State School
• Tallinn Pae High School
• Tallinn Karjamaa High School
• Tapa Russian High School
• Kohtla-Järve Tammiku High School
• Lasnamäe High School
• Narva Humanities High School
• Narva Joala School
• Sillamäe Estonian High School
• Tartu Annelinna High School

The meeting of directors of educational institutions who have joined the language immersion programme will take place on 26 and 27 June in Rakvere. The main topic of discussion will be the language immersion strategy for 2009-2013.

For further information please contact Marju Randlepp from the Language Immersion Centre.

COMPETITIONS

National culture society project competition to be launched in June

The goal of the national culture society project competition is to support the promotion of the languages and cultures of national minorities through a range of events around Estonia.

Non-profit organisations whose objectives, as stated in their statutes, meet those of the planned activities will be supported as part of the project.

The deadline for submission of applications is the end of August.

For further information please contact Kristina Pirgop from the Culture and Youth Work Unit.

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.

NEWS

Estonian Integration Plan 2008-2013 reached the Government

What is it?

The national programme Integration in Estonian Society 2000-2007 ended in 2007. For the next six years, integration policy in Estonia will be based on the Estonian Integration Plan 2008-2013.

The integration plan is an action plan for government agencies and other institutions in the area of integration.

How was it prepared?

Preparation of the integration plan started in December 2005, when Minister Paul-Eerik Rummo gave the terms of reference for the integration plan to the Government of the Republic. Minister Urve Palo has been responsible for integration issues in the Government and for the completion of this development plan since April 2007.

Approximately 100 people took part in the preparation of the new plan and its implementation plan on different levels.

A 25-member expert committee was created for the preparation of the development plan at the initiative of the Office of the Minister of Population in spring 2006. The committee consisted of specialists from different areas of integration, members of Riigikogu and representatives of employers, employees, research institutions, non-government institutions and organisations of ethnic minorities. The task of the committee was to collect data and perform background checks in order to ascertain the target group, primary and secondary goals, realisation principles and plan, assessment criteria and required completion tools of the intended integration plan.

A 7-member work group was created to assist the expert committee. The work group gathered and analysed the proposals submitted by ministries and their agencies and used them as the basis for the preparation of the working version of an area development plan. Russian-speaking experts from different areas of integration were also involved in discussions of the working version of the development plan.

A supporting consortium consisting of Centre for Policy Studies PRAXIS, University of Tartu, Baltic Research Institute, Hill & Knowlton Estonia and Geomedia joined the preparations of the development plan in May 2007. The task of the consortium was to support the development of the integration plan with research, strategic consultations, a communication plan and study travel.

The target groups and social partners of the integration plan have had the opportunity to present their own proposals in respect of the integration plan in order to achieve a consensus in the society about the goals and activities of the development plan. The development plan was approved by the Government of the Republic of 25 January 2007 and published on the homepage of the Office of the Minister of Population. On 1 August 2007, the official working version of the national programme was published on the involvement website www.osale.ee. In addition to this, the draft of the integration plan and all relevant questions were sent for review to almost 1000 social partners (incl. local governments, schools, universities, ethnic culture associations, youth associations, business organisations, etc.).

Three public information and feedback seminars about integration were held in Tallinn and Jõhvi in the beginning of September 2007. The priorities of the integration plan were discussed at these seminars with the representatives of associated groups. Participants had the opportunity submit specific amendment proposals about the working version of the development plan. In addition to the research conducted in summer and autumn of 2007 (both in the format of public opinion polls and group discussions), more than 200 amendment proposals have been received in the course of a public discussion. All amendment proposals were studied by the representatives of ministries and the expert commission and they were an important input for the preparation of the national programme.

What is integration?

Integration is a friendly and safe coexistence based on mutual acceptance and respect between different social groups.

Integration will occur when all people living in Estonia have equal interest, desire and opportunities to contribute to the development of the state and participate in community life regardless of their nationality and native language.

What are the bases of the integration plan?

Preparation of the integration plan was based on the following principles:

• The core values of Europe (democracy, a state based on the rule of law, an individual’s right to self-determination, cultural diversity);
• Constitutional values (Estonian as the official language of the state and everyone’s right to preserve their national identity);
• Guarantee of equal opportunities regardless of nationality and native language;
• Avoiding separation on the grounds of nationality;
• Strengthening the identity of the state

What are the objectives the integration plan?

The integration plan will be realised in three different areas:

• educational and cultural,
• social and economic,
• legal political integration.

What is the expected output of integration?

The integration plan stipulates the measures and activities that will be taken and realised on the national or local level, but also though the civil society.

Integrating the population of Estonia is a long-term process and its objective is to create a culturally diverse society that gives a strong identity to the state of Estonia and consists of people who share common democratic values and communicate in the Estonian language in the public sphere. The integration plan supports this proceeding from the principles and obligations of a democratic state based on the rule of law.

The objective of the integration plan is to emphasise to every permanent resident of Estonia that they belong in our society through shared values and command of the official language of the state. As a result of successful integration, everyone will be able to realise themselves and feel safe as they participate in the economic, social, political and cultural lives of the society. Estonia has created the opportunities for speaking other languages and developing ethnic cultures.

The integration plan sets itself the goal that by 2013, the country is in a situation where, when compared to 2007:

• command of the Estonian language among people for whom Estonian is not their native language has improved on all levels;
• contacts and communication between people with different native languages have become more frequent and the differences in the participation of people who do and do not speak Estonian in citizens’ associations and the public sphere have decreased;
• the share of persons with undefined citizenship among the population of Estonia has decreased constantly;
• the majority of people living in Estonia trust people of other nationalities and vice versa;
• the majority of people whose native language is not Estonian receive regular information through Estonian language media and trust this information;
• the differences in the employment and income between people of different nationalities have decreased.

Structure of the integration plan

The integration plan consists of two parts: the strategy that stipulates the objectives of the plan and the implementation plan that gives an overview of planned activities and their cost.

The integration plan will be submitted to the Government of the Republic for approval within the next few weeks.

For further information please contact Mart Soonik from the Support Unit

Information events and information materials for people taking part in Estonian language courses

The Procurement of Communication Services for the National Examination and Qualification Centre organised within the framework of the Support for the Implementation of the National Integration Programme and for the Capacity-Building of Integration-Related Institutions project was won by Alfa-Omega Communications OÜ.

The goal of the procurement is to strengthen the system of examinations in Estonian language proficiency in the National Examination and Qualification Centre and to increase the awareness of the non-Estonian-speaking part of our population of the requirements and organisation of language proficiency examinations and examinations in the knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act through communication activities associated with such the examinations. All communication activities support transition to the language proficiency levels defined in the European Language Learning Framework Document prepared at the initiative of the Council of Europe, which is expected to be completed in July 2008.

These communication activities involve informing the public of any changes in the Estonian language proficiency examinations in Estonian and Russian language media, organisation of information events in Tallinn and Ida-Virumaa and preparation and printing of a total of 60,000 copies of different information materials.

The target group of the training consists of persons who must be proficient in the Estonian language pursuant to Section 5 of the Language Act and its implementation acts, but who at the time of the activities lack the Estonian language proficiency required for working in their position, and applicants for the citizenship of the Republic of Estonia, who have to take an Estonian language proficiency examination and an examination in the knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act. A more indirect target group consists of language training companies, employers and the whole Estonian and non-Estonian language public.

The project is being funded from the resources of EU Transitional Support and the Ministry of Education.

For further information please contact: Citizens Education Unit, Inna Pusikova

Big books for kindergartens

In the beginning of April, the Language Immersion Centre of the Integration Foundation will send out invitation to tender in order to find contractors who will print 14 picture books and deliver them to different counties.

The 2008 implementation plan of the Estonian Integration Plan 2000-2013 stipulates the distribution of a series of large format books written for language immersion kindergartens to all Estonian kindergartens. The set of picture books is aimed at children aged 5 to 7. The books provide the following: material for practicing vocabulary and developing speech; material and examples for revision of certain expressions; impulses for reproduction and development of words and texts; joy of improvisation for kindergarten teachers in presenting example and listening texts.

The format of the books allows groups of up to 20 children to read them together (and describe the pictures). The books should reach kindergartens by the start of the new study year.

Training in new language immersion methods about to being

In April, the Language Immersion Centre of the Foundation will start offering training in language immersion methods, which will take place in four groups. In addition to two groups where the working language is Estonian, there will be another two groups where the working language is Russian, but which offer the opportunity to practice Estonian. The training is meant for teachers of immersion classes, but teachers of ordinary schools that work with non-Estonian language children can also participate by agreement.

Training will take place according to the curriculum of language immersion methods and its total volume is 80 hours. The training consists of four sessions. The training will be organised by trainers of the Language Immersion Centre and certificates will be issued to everyone who has passed the training.

COMPETITIONS

Competition for extracurricular language learning projects

The goal of the competition for extracurricular language learning projects is to support young people who do not speak Estonian as their native language in acquiring Estonian through extracurricular activities and by the peer training method.

Invitations to participate in the competition were sent to non-profit organisations that plan extracurricular activities for young people up to 18 years of age for the period of 1 May to 20 September 2008.

The application deadline was 11 am on 14 March 2008. 22 applications were received by the deadline. The results of the competition will be announced in the second week of April.

For further information please contact: Culture and Youth Work Unit, Lianne Ristikivi

Base financing of culture associations of national minorities in 2008

The purpose of the application stage is to support preservation of the languages and culture of ethnic minorities through reimbursement of the current expenses of the umbrella organisations of national culture associations and/or art collectives (hereinafter support).

The submitted applications must contribute to the achievement of at least one of the following objectives:

1. texpansion of knowledge of the cultures of national minorities and informing the society of Estonia of the activities of culture associations of national minorities;
2. acknowledgement of the multicultural nature of Estonia and introduction of the aspects of the cultures of national minorities to the society of Estonian via cultural projects aimed at the public (public events, lectures, exhibitions, seminars, TV and radio programmes, leaflets, etc.);
3. development of cooperation with the culture associations of other national minorities (public events, lectures, exhibitions, etc.);
4. development of cooperation with Estonian culture associations (public events, lectures, exhibitions, etc.);

The application deadline was 4 pm on 4 March 2008. 43 applications were received by the deadline and they consisted of the documents of 231 organisations. The results of the competition will be announced in the second week of April.

For further information please contact: Culture and Youth Work Unit, Iris Järv

Competition of integration development grants

Development grant is a public grant allocated by the Integration Foundation to persons who completed the projects supported in 2007. Grants are given in three categories (public law agencies, third sector organisations and national culture associations), they amount to 20,000 kroons each and their aim is to support the development of integration work.

The grants are allocated by a committee created by the Integration Foundation, which assesses all applications proceeding from the content of the project, innovation, the opportunity to use experience, the number of different target groups involved and the opinions of the persons who participated in the project.

Recipients of the 2007 development grants will be announced at the 10th birthday of the Integration Foundation in Salme Culture Centre on 3 April 2008. A certificate that confirms receipt of the grant will be issued to all recipients.

For further information please contact: Culture and Youth Work Unit, Kristina Pirgop.

DISPATCHES

Overview of the decisions of the supervisory board of the Integration Foundation and its plans for the year

In 2008 the foundation will be launching more than one hundred different activities which will contribute to better integration in Estonian society. The Integration Foundation’s key activities in 2008 are as follows:

Educational and cultural integration

• PA project competition will see support for Estonian language teaching activities in 23 kindergartens and for the acquisition of teaching materials and resources;
• 150 teachers will be taking part in in-service training;
• The studies in general education schools of 50 new immigrant children will be supported;
• A total of 120 teachers will undergo training on the teaching of new immigrant children;
• A total of 1200 young Estonians and young speakers of other languages as their native language will take part in extracurricular summer language study projects;
• Through a project competition and base financing, 170 national minority culture associations will receive funding, with 3 training sessions arranged for them;
• 12 national minority native language and culture teachers will undergo in-service training in their motherlands;
• 8 educational institutes will join the language immersion programme, making a total of 62 members by the end of the year;
• The language immersion consultation system will be completed;
• A total of 480 school and kindergarten teachers will receive training on language immersion methodology;
• An international language immersion conference will be held in October 2008;
• 80 students from higher education institutions will undergo further studies of Estonian;
• 160 teachers who will be teaching subjects in Estonian will take a 10 CP training course, including:
  • 40 geography teachers
  • 40 music teachers
  • 40 social studies teachers
  • 40 history teachers
• An online environment bringing together the teaching and methodological material for vocational education institutes will be set up at www.kutsekeel.ee.

Social and economic integration

• 129 public sector employees from the police and rescue services who speak languages other than Estonian as their native language will take part in free language courses;
• 262 officials will take part in working assignments to improve their skills in the national language;
• Additional training will see 150 teachers of Estonian to adults boosting their competence to work with the target groupa.

Legal and political integration

• 350 people will attend free language courses;
• 2200 people will take courses on the constitution and citizenship laws of the Republic of Estonia;
• Awareness-raising campaigns will be launched to boost people’s awareness of the conditions for obtaining citizenship, tolerance and equal treatment.

The projected 2008 budget comes to a total of 117,859,448 kroons, which may change depending on the funding decisions made by the European Migration Network and the European Social Fund.

For the purpose of simplification, the supervisory board took the decision to shorten the foundation’s name from the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation to the Integration Foundation. The new name will take effect when the registry details are changed.

The Integration Foundation was established on 31 March 1998 by the Estonian government with the aim of initiating, supporting and coordinating projects designed to promote integration in Estonian society. These projects are funded from the state budget as well as from external sources. The Ministry of the Interior held founder’s rights until 31 December 2007; these have now been assumed by the State Chancellery.

For further information please contact Mart Soonik from the Support Unit

New print-run of Citizen’s Handbook completed

Reaching users in the coming weeks will be 5000 copies of the Citizen’s Handbook, the updating of which was supported by the Ministry of the Interior. The book is published by the Integration Foundation.

The Citizen’s Handbook is designed to provide as many people as possible – including those who do not use the Internet on an everyday basis – with information in a convenient format about the running of the state and dealing with state institutions.

New to this edition of the handbook are links to institutions and organisations from which more information can be obtained if required. The book also includes more practical advice on coping in particular situations. A significant addition compared to previous publications is a list of key terms, which makes using the handbook much easier.

In terms of content, the new edition goes into greater detail on issues related to the labour market and legal matters. There are overviews of all state institutions and a brand new chapter on Estonia’s defence policy and national defence.

The handbook was first published in 2004 with the support of the Embassy of the United States of America. The new edition is the fourth to be published, having been updated to reflect changes in the law and to include new topics.

The print-run is being distributed free of charge to citizens associations, local governments, libraries, vocational schools and county development centres. The handbook will also be published this year in Russian.

For further information please contact Ülle Kraft at the Transition Facility Support Unit

Competition launched for the funding of extracurricular language study projects

Extracurricular language studies are conducted on the basis of age-appropriate teaching methods with the aim of developing the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes of young people for the use of Estonian.
Applications can be submitted by non-profit organisations, foundations and public law organisations and institutions. The competition documents and application forms are available from the Integration Foundation website at www.meis.ee. The deadline for applications is 11.00 am on 14 March 2008. Further information will be available from the project manager until 5 March by e-mailing lianne.ristikivi@meis.ee.

In her 2007 reports, Kristi Tamm, responsible for the monitoring of language study projects, highlighted the fact that “studies of the national language in schools have improved markedly over the years, as can be seen in the way the language skills and willingness to communicate of children from schools with Russian as the language of instruction are getting better every year.” Thus all kinds of language learning-based activities involving children are supporting their language use and skills, be they excursions, camps, plays, handicraft, hiking or role-playing, Tamm added.

The Integration Foundation has supported the participation of around 24,000 children in language camps, family studies and other extracurricular language study activities over the last 10 years as part of the extracurricular language study projects.

For further information please contact Lianne Ristikivi from the Project Unit

Dozens of children with Estonian roots able to study the language in Estonia again

Dozens of children whose families have roots in Estonia will again have the chance to come to Estonia this summer to study Estonian in language camps, get to know Estonian culture and the country and meet their Estonian peers.

Language camps for young people with Estonian roots are organised in the country by the Integration Foundation in accordance with the state’s countrymen programme, which is designed to support Estonians living outside of Estonia and mutual cooperation.

Between 2000 and 2003 and between 2005 and 2007 the foundation organised Estonian language and life camps for children and young adults with Estonian roots living in the CSI states, Latvia and Lithuania. Almost 300 young people from different parts of the former Soviet Union have taken part in such language camp projects.

Unlike in previous years, the chance to take part in the 2008 language camp will be offered to young people with Estonian roots wherever they live outside of the country. Integration Foundation project manager Eduard Odinets says that this means summer should see the arrival of young Estonians wishing to study the language in the country from further afield than merely Russia or Ukraine. “The only restrictive factor here might be the budget, as the cost of getting the kids here will vary widely depending on whether they’re from St. Petersburg, Sweden or Canada,” he added.

The activities of language camps to date have been funded by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education and Research. In 2008 the camps will be financed by the State Chancellery.

For further information please contact Eduard Odinets from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds

Competition launched for integration-based development grants

The Integration Foundation has launched a competition for three integration-based development grants valued at 20,000 kroons each. The grants are awarded in recognition of the development of integration work. Applications are open to all funding recipients with whom the Integration Foundation entered into project support agreements as part of project competition in 2007 and whose agreement has come to an end by the time they apply.

Applications can also be made by institutions and organisations who submitted and carried out projects and the people who took part in them.

The grants will be awarded in three categories:

1. Public law institutions (including those under the jurisdiction of state or local governments);
2. Third sector organisations;
3. National culture associations.

Written applications will be accepted by the foundation until 12 March 2008. A committee will be formed for the allocation of the grants which will evaluate the applications based on the content of a project, how innovative it is and the opportunities to use experience. They will also assess how many target groups were included and what the participants thought of the projects. The winners of the 2007 development grants will be announced at the beginning of April during the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Integration Foundation.

For further information please contact Kristina Pirgop from the Project Division

National minority culture societies can apply for base financing

The Integration Foundation has launched the round of applications for the base financing of national minority culture societies. Applications can be made until 4.00 pm on 4 March 2008.

These associations are supported through the application round in covering their running costs, thereby increasing the stability of their development of culture and educational life. Other goals are raising awareness of the multicultural nature of Estonia, introducing people to the unique natures of national minority cultures and developing cooperation between cultural associations.

Since 2006 the State Chancellery and the Integration Foundation have worked together in distributing more than 7 million kroons in support of more than 150 national culture societies.

The budget for the 2008 application round is 4 million kroons, including information days and training for societies. This year the foundation is paying closer attention to training for the improvement of the administrative sustainability of these societies in terms of both their actual and financial operations. The accountants from the societies’ umbrella organisations will also continue to be trained as part of the programme which began in 2007. The foundation would also like to provide training on project writing and management for the directors and project leaders in these societies.

In addition to the base financing of minority group cultural societies, the Integration Foundation organises annual project competitions for national culture associations to implement culture projects such as exhibitions, seminars, concerts, festivals and newsletters. The foundation also supports national culture association Sunday schools and the in-service training of their teachers both in Estonia and their motherlands. It is also with the support of the foundation that the Rahvused Eestis /Nationalities in Estonia/ book series and Etnomosaiik /Ethnomosaic/ television series are produced. The foundation supported the promotion of minority education and culture in 2007 with 6,350,000 kroons of funding.

For further information please contact Iris Järv from the Project Unit

Book on Uzbeks published

March will see the publication of The Uzbeks as part of the Nationalities in Estonia series by AS Kirjastus Ilo. The book provides an overview of Uzbekistan and its peoples’ traditions, food and more. The book will be distributed to all schools throughout March.

For further information please contact Eda Silberg from the Centre for Educational Programmes

Seminar-camp for geography teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction

A seminar-camp for geography teachers from schools with Estonian and Russian as the languages of instruction will be held from 13 to 15 March. The camp is designed to give Russian-speaking teachers the chance to improve their willingness and ability to speak Estonian, to promote cooperation between teachers from Estonian-language and Russian-language schools and to allow their knowledge on matters related to school life and the education system to be shared. In addition to the seminar work, the camps will also include excursions and study trips to southern Estonia.

For further information please contact Ave Osman from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds

Final of the student play competition

The grand final of the short play competition based on Estonian literature will take place on 29 March. Participating are students from schools with Russian as the language of instruction in two age groups: those in years 7 to 9 and those in years 10 to 12. The three best plays in each age group will be selected by a panel of judges in a preliminary round to compete in the final, which will decide the overall winners. Details are available from http://www.meis.ee/est/uudised/index.php?newsID=1540.

For further information please contact Ave Osman from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds

Methodology training

A second group will commence training on language immersion methodology for teachers from schools with Russian (or English) as the language of instruction on 28 and 29 March. The training will be held in Russian and primarily directed at teachers who give lessons to language immersion classes. The 80-hour course is to take place in the Language Immersion Centre on the basis of its study programme. Participants will gain an overview of the history and principles of language immersion, team work, the creation of the learning environment and teaching materials, active learning methods and children’s development. The course will be led by Liina Norit and Anna Sele.

For further information please contact Marju Randlepp from the Language Immersion Centre

COMPETITIONS

Support for Estonian-language subject teaching

For the fifth year running, the Integration Foundation’s Centre for Educational Programmes is organising a competition designed to support Estonian-language subject teaching in schools with Russian as the primary language of instruction.

The target group this time is basic, municipal and private school projects which contribute to consistent and systematic Estonian-language subject teaching in schools with Russian as the language of instruction.

For further information please contact Tiina Kuurmaa at the Centre for Educational Programmes

In-service training of national culture society Sunday school teachers in their motherlands

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.

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

In-service training for teachers in kindergartens with Russian as the language of instruction

The general aim of the tender is to offer additional training to teachers who are involved in the teaching of Estonian in kindergartens so as to make them better prepared to teach Estonian.

The direct goal of the tender is to broaden the knowledge and experience of the participants in the following areas:

1. Children’s linguistic development;
2. Teaching methodology for Estonian as a second language;
3. Producing individual study programmes.

For further information please contact Marje Sarapuu at the Centre for Educational Programmes