DISPATCHES

Base financing training for accountants from national culture association and art collective umbrella organisations

On 15 November 2007 the Project Division of the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation held a training session on accounting for accountants from the umbrella organisations of national culture associations and art collectives. The rules and laws and regulating the accounting of non-profit organisations and foundations were discussed at the training session, as were the reporting requirements of the “Base Financing of National Minority Culture Associations” competition being organised by the Integration Foundation.

For further information please contact Iris Järv from the Project Unit.

Language immersion worksheets and teaching materials

The training course for compilers of Estonian language-based worksheets came to a conclusion on 30 November and 1 December. While support for language learning is already offered by the subject-based worksheets that are currently available, worksheets for targeted language learning remain few and far between. A dozen teachers of Estonian as a second language have obtained new computer skills and knowledge of Estonian-language teaching methodology and simple language rules and have entered into agreements on the format of worksheets. Those produced in the course of the training are available from the website of the Language Immersion Centre at www.kke.ee.

On the last day of the course on 1 December, the teachers of Estonian were joined by the authors of the language immersion teaching materials, teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. Together they looked back on the development of teaching materials over the last 15 years for children with Russian as their home language, from a Russian-language alphabet book to materials for studying different subjects in Estonian.

For further information please contact Kai Võlli from the Language Immersion Centre.

5 years of language immersions in kindergartens

The 5th anniversary of the language immersion programme in kindergartens will be marked on 8 December. Nine kindergarten groups adopted the early immersion programme in 2003. Today 41 groups from 24 kindergartens are part of the programme. The birthday celebrations will be opened by Minister for Population Affairs Urve Palo. Attendees will be given an overview of the current state of the programme and of the challenges facing it in the future. Tallinn University will also be introducing its scientific study titled The Preparedness for School and School Performance of Pupils from Language Immersion Kindergartens at the 1st Stage of Study.

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

Methodology training

Methodology training for teachers from the 2nd and 3rd stages of study will be held at Jüri Upper Secondary School on 6 and 7 December. 32 language immersion teachers are registered to take part. The training session will focus on the implementation of active learning methods in language immersion lessons, with the chance to compare and analyse such things as open classes.

For further information please contact Maire Kebbinau and Aivar Liivrand from the Language Immersion Centre.

Organisers of language courses for police officers and rescue workers announced

The tender competitions organised as part of the “Staff Excursions within Estonia for Language Practice” project in order to open additional groups for Estonian-language courses for police officers and rescue workers have been won by AS Kesk-Eesti Arenduskeskus and AS TEA Keeleõpetus.

The courses to be run by AS Kesk-Eesti Arenduskeskus in Ida-Viru County between December 2007 and April 2008 will involve a total of 75 rescue workers and police officers who speak languages other than Estonian. The courses to be run by TEA Keeleõpetus in Tallinn and Paldiski will be attended by 54 rescue workers and police officers. The aim of the courses is to improve the participants’ listening and speaking skills in Estonian and to prepare them for the basic, intermediate and advanced level state exams in the language.

Three stages of the course have been completed as part of the project since December 2005, with 127 police officer and rescue workers from Tallinn and Harju County and 158 from Ida-Viru County taking part. Anyone who participates in the course can, if they wish, be sent to police and rescue units in other districts of Estonia for 30 days of language practice. The project is being financed through the European Social Fund (measure 1.1) and the Estonian state budget.

For further information please contact Liilika Raudhein from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

News from the “Support for the Transition of Non-Estonian General Education Schools to Bilingual Studies” project:

• A training day will be held for teachers and teaching directors from schools with Russian as the language of instruction on 5 December on topics related to the transition to Estonian-language studies. The training is being organised by Koolituse Korralduskeskus OÜ.
• Training in the methodology of bilingual teaching for history teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction will be held on 3 December in Tallinn and 12 December in Narva.
• A state tender competition titled “The Publishing of History-Themed Teaching Materials” is to be launched.
• A competition is to be launched for Estonian literature-based plays for students from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. It is to be organised in association with the Ministry of Education and Research and the public relations firm Alfa-Omega Communications.

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

Citizen’s Day Quiz launched

The 2007 Citizen’s Day Quiz will be held until 2 December. The Internet-based quiz, designed for school students, can be entered through our website at www.meis.ee.

The results of the quiz will be announced online on the same site on 10 December.

The Citizen’s Day Quiz, which is traditionally held around Citizen’s Day, is designed for students in years 7 to 12 from general schools with Estonian and Russian as the languages of instruction and students from vocational schools. Its purpose is to improve the students’ knowledge of the constitutional institutions of the Republic of Estonia, human and civil rights, freedoms and duties, and issues associated with the European Union. The quiz is in Estonian, with links to laws and other sources of information able to be used to some extent when answering the questions.

Winners will be named in six categories – students in years 7 to 9, secondary school students (years 10 to 12) and vocational school students from schools with Estonian as the language of instruction; and students in years 7 to 9, secondary school students and vocational school students from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. Prizes will also be awarded to the schools with the largest number of participants. The winners will receive their prizes in January 2008. In previous years an average of 3000 students have taken part in the Citizen’s Day Quiz each time, and active involvement is expected this year too.

The quiz questions will also be able to be used as teaching materials once the quiz is over.

For further information please contact Toivo Sikk at the Centre for Educational Programmes.

“How Cultural Differences are Construed in the Media” teaching material completed

Additional teaching material titled “How Cultural Differences are Construed in the Media” supports social, media, native language, people, history and foreign language studies, providing students with the opportunity to understand how cultural differences (including opposing views and misinterpretations) are produced and reproduced through analysis of media material. The central focus is on television news (with newspaper news also included to a lesser extent).
The teaching material is to be issued on CD and is designed for the 3rd and 4th stages of school study. A seminar introducing the materials will be held in December.

The working group convened to develop the materials was led by Kristina Veidenbaum.

For further information please contact Toivo Sikk at the Centre for Educational Programmes.

CONCLUDED COMPETITIONS

National Culture Society project competition

The aim of the competition is to support the preservation of the language and culture of ethnic minorities through the activities of national culture societies and art collectives.

The projects submitted needed to accord with one of the following topics:

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

The total amount of grants is 350,000 kroons, with 13 projects receiving funding.

For further information please contact Kristina Pirgop from the Project Unit.

DISPATCHES

Non-Estonians Integration Foundation and Eesti Ekspressi Kirjastuse AS enter into agreement for publication of study materials series and four handbooks

Eesti Ekspressi Kirjastuse AS has begun publication of the textbooks and handbooks of the Universities of Tallinn and Tartu designed to support Estonian studies in Russian-language vocational schools. The series includes study materials for Estonian business language in ten subjects. Tiina Kikerpill from the University of Tartu and Elle Sõrmus and Kristi Saarso from the University of Tallinn were involved in the development of the handbooks. The first handbook to be published, about the teaching of business language in vocational education institutions, will appear in December.
Spring 2008 will see the publication of both Estonian and Russian-language handbooks on the organisation of Estonian-language studies in vocational education institutions. The teachers from these institutions are the authors of the handbook on Estonian business language subjects, which is also due for publication in spring.

The materials to be published will be primarily used by teachers of Estonian as a second language in Russian-language and bilingual vocational schools, as well as other subject teachers and students and by people generally connected to the field of education. All of the study materials developed as part of the project will also be available from spring as e-learning materials on the Internet.

The Development of Estonian-Language Studies and Learning Materials in Vocational Schools with Other Teaching Languages project is being carried out in order to implement measure 1.1 of the European Social Fund in Estonia.

For further information please contact Helena Metslang from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

News from the Support for the Transition of Non-Estonian General Education Schools to Bilingual Studies project:

1. A seminar-camp for history teachers from schools with Estonian and Russian as the languages of instruction was held during the autumn school holidays. Its aims were to give Russian-speaking teachers the chance to practise their Estonian and actively involve themselves in the language environment, as well as to promote cooperation opportunities between Estonian and Russian-speaking teachers through discussion of relevant education issues.
2. The second day of a training series designed for directors of schools with Russian as the language of instruction will be held in the Dzingel Hotel on 8 November. The theme for the day will be the transition to Estonian-language studies. The training is being organised by Koolituse Korralduskeskus OÜ in association with the Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Research.
3. The second cycle of the series of seminars on turning points in Estonia’s history designed for history teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction will be held from 19 to 21 November. The seminars are being organised by the Open Mind Institute in association with the Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Research.
4. On 12 and 13 November excursions to Palamuse will be held for school students from schools in Ida-Viru County to visit the Oskar Luts Parish School Museum, while students from Russian-language schools in Tallinn and Harju County will be taken on field trips to Vargamäe on 14 and 15 November. The goals of these excursions are to involve the students in active and entertaining pursuits and to educate them, through Estonian literature, on the future and positive influence of bilingualism. The trips are being organised by Alfa-Omega Communications in association with the Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Research.
5. A trip is planned to Mustvee at the end of November for journalists and others interested in visiting schools with Russian as the language of instruction and meeting education specialists. The trip is being organised by Alfa-Omega Communications in association with the Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Research.

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

Training begins for unemployed speakers of other languages

The second half of October saw the launch course as part of the In-Service and Language Training for the Non-Estonian Speaking Unemployed project for 120 unemployed speakers of other languages found through the Harjumaa and Ida-Virumaa Departments of the Labour Market Board.

Within the framework of the project, the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation has begun working with SALO Baltic International OÜ, who are providing job search training and professional and psychological counselling, and Edukool Grupp OÜ, who are arranging Estonian language training.

Two groups have commenced job search training and there are three Estonian-language study groups. The courses are being held from October 2007 to May 2008. Anyone still interested in taking part is asked to contact their local department of the Labour Market Board.

For further information please contact Riina Ring from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

The Advice in Support of the Professional Development of Teachers advisor training programme

The Advice in Support of the Professional Development of Teachers advisor training programme ordered by the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation’s Language Immersion Centre will come to an end in November. A total of 48 language immersion programme candidate advisors have taken part in the 80-hour training course. Over three sessions they examined the principles of advice and counselling and practised creating contacts, actively listening, observing and much more. The home assignments between sessions helped the participants prepare to guide their colleagues in thinking more deeply about their work and finding new solutions without being directly advised.

The training is being carried out by Ene Kulasalu, Ene Velström and Koidu Tani-Jürisoo from the Open Mind Institute.

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

Immersion methodology training for teachers of Russian

Immersion methodology courses for teachers of Russian will continue in November. The training will take place in accordance with the language immersion methodology curriculum. The courses are to be carried out by trainers from the Language Immersion Centre.

For further information please contact Maire Kebbinau from the Language Immersion Centre.

Strategies for Recruiting and Holding on to Teachers: the annual conference of the language immersion programme

The annual conference of the language immersion programme, Strategies for Recruiting and Holding on to Teachers, will be held at the National Library on 22 and 23 November. The speakers will present a number of ways in which teachers can be recruited and held on to. Sharing their own experiences will be guest speakers from Latvia and Spain. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their experiences and set out their proposals for forming strategies at the levels of individual institutes, local government, the language immersion programme and nationally to recruit and hold on to teachers.

The title ‘Friend of the Language Immersion Programme 2007’ will be awarded at the conference: an honorary title for work done in influencing the development of the language immersion programme during the year or in previous years.
The conference is being organised by Koolituse Korralduskeskus OÜ in association with the Language Immersion Centre.

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

In-service training for class teachers

The fifth module of in-service training for class teachers from general education schools with Estonian as the language of instruction who are involved in teaching new immigrant students will take place from 13 to 15 November with a trip to Finland. Native language lessons for immigrant children – in Albanian, Arabic, English, Mandarin, French, German, Somali, Thai, Estonian, Farsi and Kurdish – will be visited, as well as adapting classes and ordinary lessons involving these students. The latter will primarily examine the work of support teachers. The trip will take the teachers to schools in Kirkkojärve, Keski-Espoo, Katajanoka, Roihuvuori, Pirkkaanpuisto and Ruusutorppa. One of the events they will participate in is the annual meeting in Espoo of teachers of children who speak other languages. The six study sessions that make up the training course are being run by the University of Tartu, with 25 teachers taking part. The project is being led by Kadri Sõrmus.

For further information please contact Külli Vollmer from the Centre for Educational Programmes.

Seminar for class teachers

A seminar for class teachers who are involved in the teaching of new immigrant students will be held on 29 and 30 November in Jõhvi Concert Hall and Mäetaguse Manor. A visit will also be made to Mäetaguse Elementary School, where studies are carried out in both Estonian and Russian. The seminar will introduce study materials that support the language and cultural studies of new immigrant children.

For further information and registration please contact Külli Vollmer from the Centre for Educational Programmes.

Free national training

All those who wish to be naturalised as Estonian citizens are invited to take part in the November preparation courses for the constitution and citizenship exam. NB! Courses are free for all participants! Information and registration is available from the free information line 800 9999 and at advisory centres. Advisors can also provided more detailed information about the terms and conditions of and procedure for applying for citizenship.

Advisory centres are open at the following addresses:

Tallinn, Tõnismägi 2
BDA Estonia OÜ rooms
Advisor Reet Valing
Telephone: 627 4412

Open in November on working days at the following times:

• 1 November 12.00 pm-4.00 pm
• 6 November 10.00 am-12.00 pm
• 9 November 2.00 pm-4.00 pm
• 13 November 10.00 am-12.00 pm
• 16 November 2.00 pm-4.00 pm

Jõhvi, Tartu mnt 2
Kersti Võlu Training Centre
Advisor Kersti Võlu
Telephone: 800 9999
Open Monday-Friday 10.00 am-4.00 pm.

Narva, Kerese 14
Eesti Kodu Narvas
Advisor Maritsa Ort
1st floor, room 118
Telephone: 356 1985
Open Monday-Friday 10.00 am-4.00 pm.

Further information about courses and the terms and conditions for applying for citizenship are available from www.meis.ee/kodanik.

CURRENT COMPETITIONS

Estonian-Language Courses for Police Officers and Rescue Workers in Tallinn and Paldiski tender

The aim of this tender is to organise Estonian-language courses for police officers and rescue workers in Tallinn and Paldiski as part of the European Social Fund’s Staff Excursions within Estonia for Language Practice project.

The deadline for submission of applications is 8 November 2007 at 11.00 am.

Estonian-Language Courses for Police Officers and Rescue Workers in Ida-Viru County tender

The aim of this tender is to organise Estonian-language courses for police officers and rescue workers in Ida-Viru County as part of the European Social Fund’s Staff Excursions within Estonia for Language Practice project.

The deadline for submission of applications is 8 November 2007 at 11.00 am.

Simplified public tender ordering bilingual and Russian-language television programmes

The result of this tender will be the production of a series of television programmes supporting the integration of non-Estonians within an open, democratic and multicultural Estonian society. The aim of the series of programmes is to create a stronger shared space and active and positive dialogue between the Estonian- and Russian-speaking communities in the country.

The deadline for submission of applications is 9 November 2007 at 11.00 am.

Preparatory Courses for the Examination Testing Knowledge of the Law tender

The aim of this tender is to carry out preparatory courses for at least 1200 applicants for citizenship.
Legal entities who have experience in carrying out large-scale training and working with the target group are invited to take part in the tender. Private individuals may not participate.

The deadline for submission of applications is 19 November 2007 at 11.00 am.

DISPATCHES

The following agreements were entered into with new partners as part of the “Support for the transition of schools with a language other than Estonian as the language of instruction to bilingual studies” project:

1. Training related to the partial transition to Estonian-language studies for managers and teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction and education officials and seminar camps for history and geography teachers from schools with Estonian and Russian as the languages of instruction will be organised by Koolitus Korralduskeskus OÜ. Training for school managers and teachers and education officials will deal with possibilities and issues related to the transition to bilingual studies, the production of development plans, the supervision of bilingual studies and cooperation between schools. The aim of the seminar camps is to give Russian-speaking teachers the chance to practise Estonian and to promote cooperation between teachers from Estonian-language and Russian-language schools. In addition to seminar work, the training and camps will also include school visits and/or excursions.
2. The training series based on Estonian history and bilingual subjects for history teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction will be carried out by the Individual School Development Centre’s Open Mind Institute. The goal of the series of lectures examining seminal points in Estonian history is to improve awareness of Estonian history among history teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction and to increase the opportunities for study work to be organised outside of the school (each seminar including at least two field trips – to museums, archives et al). The goal of bilingual subject methodology training is to raise teachers’ awareness of the methodology involved in bilingual subject teaching and to improve the opportunities they have to implement it in their work. Methodology training will include lesson visits alongside seminar work.
3. Russian-language study materials related to turning points in Estonian history will be developed for schools with Russian as the language of instruction by a team of authors from Argo publishers. Two different sets of material are being prepared: an anthology of source materials illustrating these important moments in the country’s history (for students) and an anthology of translated history-themed texts (for teachers). The anthology of source materials illustrating the seminal events in Estonia’s history is designed to be additional material for schools with Russian as the language of instruction so as to support Russian-speaking students’ studies of Estonian, European and world history. The anthology will include source extracts, illustrative material and exercises. The anthology of translated history-themed texts is designed for teachers and will include, amongst other things, methodology notes alongside the history-themed materials.
4. Information activities regarding the transition to partial Estonian-language studies will be organised by Alfa-Omega Communications OÜ. As part of information activities, journalistic materials and leaflets dealing with questions related to the transition will be compiled and published; information events will be arranged for students from schools in Tallinn and Ida-Viru County; introductory excursions for journalists and other interested parties will be organised; a conference on bilingual education will be held; and a national competition of students’ work will be run (a play contest based on Estonian literature subjects).

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

Advisor training programme: “Advice in support of the professional development of teachers”

The “Advice in support of the professional development of teachers” advisor training programme ordered by the Language Immersion Centre continues. A total of 48 language immersion programme candidate advisors are taking part in three groups. The training is being carried out by Ene Kulasalu, Ene Velström and Koidu Tani-Jürisoo from the Open Mind Institute.

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

Teacher training: “The teacher’s role as an authority figure”

A training session titled “The teacher’s role as an authority figure” will be held for the first teachers from language immersion pilot schools on 11 and 12 October. It is designed to raise teachers’ awareness of their role in the school and to gain new ideas for their everyday work. The training session will be carried out by Ene Kulasalu from the Open Mind Institute.

For further information please contact Maire Kebbinau from the Language Immersion Centre

In-service training for kindergarten teachers

From 15 to 17 October, the Centre for Educational Programmes, in association with education officials from Finland, will be organising a field trip for kindergarten teachers to Finland. The trip is designed to introduce the participants to the Finnish education system, including the programmes that have been implemented in order to integrate children who speak other languages into education establishments. During the field trip the teachers will visit schools and kindergartens in Central Espoo and take part in English, Russian and Estonian lessons. At Ruusutorppa school they will see how teaching works with immigrants in their native language, among them Arabic, Mandarin and Somali. The training will be attended by 25 teachers from both Estonian and Russian-language kindergartens, and five education officials.

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

Kindergarten directors in Finland

From 17 to 19 October, directors of language immersion kindergartens and representatives of local governments will be visiting Finland. The aim of the trip is to find out what experiences Finland has had in the area of language immersion. There will be meetings with kindergarten carers, teachers and education officials and visits to the Finnish Board of Education and language immersion kindergartens and schools.

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

Training for teachers of social studies

A two-day study trip titled “In the footsteps of famous fighters” will be held on 6 and 7 October for history and social studies teachers, during which visits will be made to a range of historical sites in southern Estonia and northern Latvia associated with Estonia’s War of Independence. Commenting on the war will be Ago Pajur. There are plans for 90 Estonian and Russian-speaking pedagogues to take part in the training.

For further information please contact Toivo Sikk at the Centre for Educational Programmes

In-service training for class teachers

The fourth module of in-service training for class teachers from general education schools with Estonian as the language of instruction who are involved in teaching new immigrant students will take place on 29 and 30 October. The six study sessions that make up the training course will be run by the University of Tartu and be attended by 25 teachers.
Lecturers and subjects:
Kristina Praakli – Support studies and Appraisals;
Madis Arukask – Cultural differences;
Meeme Liivak – Singing games in language and cultural studies;
Hiie Asser – Producing individual curriculums;
There will also be lesson visits in October in schools with new immigrant students.

For further information please contact Külli Vollmer from the Centre for Educational Programmes

In-service training for teachers of Estonian as a second language

From 30 October to 1 November, the autumn school will be held in Pärnu for teachers of Estonian as a second language from general education schools with Russian as the language of instruction. During the course the teachers will receive additional methodology training. 40 teachers will be attending the course.

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

Presentation of the “New immigrants in Estonian education institutions” survey

The presentation of the “New immigrants in Estonian education institutions” survey will take place in the Tartu Catholic School on 30 October. The aims of the survey were to analyse the readiness of local administration and the possibilities of the region to integrate the children of new immigrants into the Estonian education system. The survey was financed by the European Union through the European Refugee Fund and the Ministry of Education and Research and carried out by OÜ Mindpark. The survey is available from the website of the Integration Foundation.

For further information please contact Külli Vollmer from the Centre for Educational Programmes

New study materials

The manuscript for the fourth publication in the Nationalities in Estonia series of booklets designed for basic schools will be completed in October and introduce students to the culture and traditions of the Uzbeks. The booklet will be published in winter 2007 and be distributed to every school and library in Estonia. Its authors are Sulfia Nurmanova, Lola Sahnibnazarova and Ita Serman.
The previous three booklets in the series, which featured Lithuanians, Kazaks and Russians, are available from the website of the Integration Foundation.

For further information please contact Evelin Müüripeal at the Centre for Educational Programmes

Estonian language courses begin again after the summer break as part of the European Social Fund project “Reducing the risk of unemployment among youth who speak other languages”

29 people began studying Estonian again in three groups in Tallinn on 3 September. Courses began in Narva on 10 September, with 22 young people taking part in two groups. The courses are 120 hours in length. The next groups will begin their studies in the second half of October.

For further information please contact Daisi Sprenk from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

Free courses

Free preparatory courses for constitution and citizenship examinations continue to be provided. The courses will be held on the following dates in October and November:

• Tallinn:
  15-24.10.2007, Tallinna Tõnismäe Reaalkool (25 hours, evening times)
  27.10.2007 (5 hours, Saturday)
  19-28.11.2007 (25 hours, evening times)
• Jõhvi:
  15-24.10.2007, Kersti Võlu Koolituskeskus (25 hours, evening times)
  27.10.2007, Kersti Võlu Koolituskeskus (5 hours, Saturday)
  19-28.11.2007 (25 hours, evening times)
• Narva:
  15-24.10.2007, Eesti Kodu Narvas (25 hours, evening times)
  19-28.11.2007 (25 hours, evening times)

You can enrol for courses free of charge by phoning 800 9999 or at the Kersti Võlu Koolituskeskus, Tartu mnt 2, Jõhvi; Eesti Kodu Narvas, Kerese 14 (room 118), Narva; and BDA Estonia, Tõnismägi 2, Tallinn

Further information about courses is available from www.meis.ee/kodanik.

CONCLUDED COMPETITIONS

Estonian language courses for pedagogues from educational institutions in Ida-Viru and Harju Counties with Russian as the language of work and instruction

The goal was to organise Estonian language courses for 350 pedagogues from educational institutions in Ida-Viru and Harju Counties with Russian as the language of work and instruction in order to improve the level of their skills in the national language.
As a result of the tender, the training is being organised in Harju County by OÜ Sugesto and in Ida-Viru County by the non-profit organisation Open Education Union’s Kohtla-Järve Study Centre.

For further information please contact Ave Szymanel from the Project Unit

Round 2 of base financing of national minority culture societies

The main aims of the competition were to increase people’s awareness of the multicultural nature of Estonia, to introduce the unique cultures of different national minorities, to increase knowledge of national minority cultures and to inform Estonian society of the activities of the cultural societies of national minorities.
The activities of 63 cultural society projects are being supported to a total of 1.4 million kroons.

For further information please contact Iris Järv from the Project Unit

CURRENT COMPETITIONS

Ordering of bilingual and Russian-language television series

The aim of this tender is to produce a series of at least 10 episodes which will create a stronger shared space and active and positive dialogue between groups speaking different languages in Estonia.
The tender will be launched at the start of October 2007.

For further information please contact Lianne Ristikivi from the Project Unit

DISPATCHES

In-service training of National Culture Society Sunday school teachers in the motherland

Summer saw the end of a project competition designed to support the in-service training of national culture society Sunday school teachers in their ethnic homelands. The competition funds the cost of a course, the acquisition of literature and study materials in the native language and travel costs.

Eleven teachers from six different national culture society Sunday schools received grants through the competition. Support for in-service training was issued to Ukrainians (two schools), Armenians, Azeris, Chuvashis and the Dagestan Cultural Association.

The total amount of the grants came to 608,039 kroons.

For further information please contact Evelin Müüripeal at the Centre for Educational Programmes.

Improvements in access to youth-related data

In order to ensure the better availability of youth-related data, the new version of the Estonian Youth Institute’s website will be completed in September in association with the Centre for Educational Programmes of the Non-Estonians’ Integration Foundation, as a result of which:

1. existing information will be systematised;
2. the central information base will be updated, including the database of studies;
3. access to youth-related information will become quicker and more convenient for users.

The new site will feature information about everything related to youth. For example, how many young people are studying and where they are studying, the kind of interest areas they can be involved in, and the contact details of youth advisory centres. Information is available in both Estonian and Russian.

For further information please contact Toivo Sikk at the Centre for Educational Programmes.

Estonian language courses for 130 vocational school teachers and directors come to an end in Tallinn and Ida-Viru County

The 240-hour courses were held at the Ontika Training Centre of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation and at Multilingua Language Centre. The courses focussed on professional language, general communication training and Estonian culture. In addition to everyday language lessons, participants were also given practice in teaching their subjects in Estonian, with mathematics, plastering and aerobics proving very popular! It emerged that many of the ‘students’ knew nothing of the more intriguing details of their colleagues’ work. The groups from Ida-Viru County were particularly satisfied with the main test of their communicative language: the study day held at the Tartu Vocational Education Centre, during which the teachers were able to form contacts and share experiences for the first time with Estonian colleagues. They were also very pleased with their cultural field trips to Palamuse, the Lahemaa tourism farm, the open air museum and other places. Such a connection with Estonian culture gave the participants in the project a lot of self-confidence and represents a very positive stimulus for language learning.

126 teachers and staff from vocational schools successfully completed and were certified for the course. They were from the Narva Vocational Studies Centre, Sillamäe Vocational School, Tallinn Building School, Tallinn Kopli Professional School, Tallinn Lasnamäe Mechanics School, the Tallinn School of Service, Tallinn Transport School, the Tallinn Industrial Education Centre and the Ida-Viru County Vocational Education Centre.

For further information please contact Helena Metslang from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

Training of language immersion programme advisors

The Non-Estonians’ Integration Foundation continues to train advisors from the Language Immersion Centre as part of the ‘Advice in Support of the Professional Development of Teachers’ programme. Six training days will be held in September in two-day cycles for three groups. A total of 48 candidate advisors for the language immersion programme will take part. In the future they will support and advise language immersion teachers in schools throughout Estonia.
The training sessions will be carried out by Ene Kulasalu, Ene Velström and Koidu Tani-Jürisoo from the Open Mind Institute.

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

Excursion to Latvia for parents of children in the Language Immersion Programme

From 27 to 29 September, 25 members of the Language Immersion Programme’s Parents Association will have the chance to learn more about the experiences of Latvian schools with bilingual studies. Meetings with parents, teachers and education officials are planned along with visits to the Daugavpils bilingual education centre and kindergartens and schools in Riga.

Organisation of the excursion is being financially supported by the Ministry of Education and Research.

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

In-service training of teachers of Estonian as a second language

A training day for teachers of Estonian as a second language in Russian-language kindergartens entitled ‘Good Kid, Impossible Behaviour?!’ will be held in Tallinn on 10 September and in Kohtla-Järve on 12 September. A range of topics will be looked at during the day, including the emotional nature of children, ‘difficult’ children as inspiration for the personal and professional development of teachers and bilingual children. The trainer is Viktoria Saat.

For further information please contact Külli Vollmer at the Centre for Educational Programmes

In-service training for class teachers

A field trip to Greece will take place from 15 to 21 September for educational officials, trainers, school directors and class teachers who deal with new immigrant pupils. The trip is designed to introduce the participants to the Greek education system and to the teaching of immigrants in kindergartens and schools. Greece was chosen as an example country because of the multicultural background of the children that must be integrated into its education system.

For further information please contact Külli Vollmer from the Centre for Educational Programmes.

Free national training

Free preparatory courses for constitution and citizenship examinations continue to be held for individuals with undefined citizenship status. Information and registration is available from the free information line 800 9999 and at advisory centres.

The addresses of these advisory centres changed in August. They are now located at:

Tallinn, Tõnismägi 2
BDA Estonia OÜ rooms, adviser Reet Valing
Telephone: 627 4412
Open Monday-Friday 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.

Jõhvi, Tartu mnt 2
Kersti Võlu Training Centre, adviser Kersti Võlu
Telephone: 800 9999
Open Monday-Friday 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.

Narva, Kerese 14
Estonian House in Narva, adviser Marista Ort
1st floor, room 118
Telephone: 356 1985
Open Monday-Friday 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.

Further information about courses and the terms and conditions for applying for citizenship are available from www.meis.ee/kodanik.

ONGOING COMPETITIONS

Project competition for national cultural societies

The aim of the competition is to support the preservation of the culture and language of ethnic minorities through the activities of national cultural societies and arts groups.

The deadline for submitting applications is 19 September, 2007 at 4 pm.

Open competition for integration projects

The aim of the applications to be submitted to the competition should be to support integration activities that meet the objectives of the program “Integration in Estonian Society 2000-2007” and the Articles of the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation.

The deadline for submitting applications is 2 October, 2007 at 4 pm.

• teavitada programmi potentsiaalseid sihtrühmi ning kaasata nad seeläbi tõhusamalt programmi raames toimuvatesse keeleõppe tegevustesse;
• kujundada avalikkuses positiivseid hoiakuid eesti keele kui teise keele õppimise suhtes ja eesti keelt mitte emakeelena kõnelejate suhtes;
• tõsta avalikkuse teadlikkust Euroopa Sotsiaalfondi toetusest.

• teavitada programmi potentsiaalseid sihtrühmi ning kaasata nad seeläbi tõhusamalt programmi raames toimuvatesse keeleõppe tegevustesse;
• kujundada avalikkuses positiivseid hoiakuid eesti keele kui teise keele õppimise suhtes ja eesti keelt mitte emakeelena kõnelejate suhtes;
• tõsta avalikkuse teadlikkust Euroopa Sotsiaalfondi toetusest.

Lisateave: Ruslan Prohhorenko, kodanikuhariduse üksuse koordinaator, tel 659 9035, e-post ruslan.prohhorenko@meis.ee

• Üldinfo
• Kursused ja koolitused
• Hanked ja konkursid
• Lähiajal tulekul – hanked, konkursid ja kursused

• Hindajalt eeldatakse kõrgharidust või selle omandamist ja kogemust valdkonnas viimase viie aasta jooksul.
• Kasuks tulevad projektijuhtimisalased teadmised ja kogemused projektide hindamisel, valdkondlike poliitikate ja peamiste dokumentide tundmine ning finantsanalüüsi alased teadmised ja oskused.

• „Eestimaa kuulsad inimesed“ „Знаменитые люди Эстонии“ (teisipäeviti ja kolmapäeviti kell 20.45) annab ülevaate 30 kuulsast eesti kultuuritegelasest ning nende panusest eesti kultuuri ja elunägemuse kujunemisse;
• kultuurisaade „Batareja“ „Батарея“ (neljapäeviti kell 20.00) tutvustab huvitavaid persoone, põnevaid kohti, tänapäeva ja ajalugu;
• „Lähme külla“ „Гость в доме“ (reedeti kell 20.00) tutvustab Eesti põliselanike ja rahvusvähemuste esindajate traditsioone külaliste võõrustamisel;
• „Ela sajani“ Доживем до ста“ (reedeti 20.30) koosneb portreefilmidest, kus eakate inimeste eluloo kaudu jutustatakse ajaloost, elust Eestis ja arutletakse elu põhiväärtuste üle.

• saade „Otsekõne“ „Прямая речь“ (pühapäeviti kella 16 paiku), kus arutletakse stuudiokülalistega ühiskonnas aktuaalsetel teemadel. Saateid on võimalik vaadata siit.

• infosaade „Nõudepeatus“ „Остановка по требованию“ (kaks korda kuus esmaspäeviti kell 11.05), kuula saateid siit.
• diskussioonisaade „1. stuudio“ „ I студия“ (kaks korda kuus neljapäeviti kell 11.05), kuula saateid siit.

• portreesaadete sari „Vis a vis“ „Неслучайные встречи“ (laupäeviti kell 10.05).