This year, the Estonian Language Houses of the Integration Foundation have made efforts to bring their activities closer to the target group. That is why the Estonian Language Houses in Narva and Tallinn are offering Estonian language and culture studies on site in the Lüganuse and Lääne-Harju rural municipality, respectively. Communicative language learning is conducted in Estonian using active learning methods.
In Lääne-Harju municipality, Estonian language courses for levels A2–C1 are offered from October to December to a total of 160 people. In addition cultural education is provided to 90 adults whose mother tongue is not Estonian. Lessons take place either in Paldiski or online. The duration of the course is 120 academic hours, which includes language learning as well as informal learning in the form of visits to cultural institutions or other leisure activities. The course groups were assembled in the cooperation of our regional coordinator and the trainer ImmiSchool.
Cultural education activities support language learning and enable practising the target language in a language environment and getting to know the Estonian cultural space. The cultural education offered to the residents of Lääne-Harju municipality consists of three study tours, where participants will get to know the birthplace of Forselius and the history of Estonian-language schools, as well as the history of Padise Monastery and Estonia’s earlier history, and the Arvo Pärt Centre and his works. The cultural study groups were assembled in the cooperation of the trainer and the regional coordinator of the Estonian Language House, primarily from among the students of the Lääne-Harju language courses and, secondarily, from those who signed up in the self-service of the Integration Foundation.
In Lüganuse rural municipality, Estonian language courses and cultural education will start in December–January. In total, we are expecting 320 adults for the Estonian language courses for levels A2–C1. In cooperation with the training partner Kersti Võlu Koolituskeskus OÜ, in-person learning will be offered in Lüganuse, Jõhvi, Kiviõli, Sillamäe, and Ahtme; training will also be offered in the form of an online course.
The cultural education programme of the Lüganuse rural municipality will take the participants in three directions, introducing the sights and cultural history of Kohtla-Järve, Narva, Iisaku, Avinurme, and Tudulinna. For example, the Kohtla-Järve Museum of Oil Shale, Purtse Castle, the Ontika limestone cliff, Oru Park in Toila, the Narva Museum, the Vaivara Sinimägede (Blue Hills) Museum, the Museum of Avinurme, and many other special places will be visited. Signing up for language learning and cultural activities in Lüganuse is possible through the regional coordinator and the self-service of the Integration Foundation.
In addition to new activities, the Estonian Language Houses in Narva and Tallinn will organise free language practice events in their operating area – Narva, Sillamäe, Kiviõli, Tallinn, Paldiski, Pärnu – as well as online. For example, you can practice communicating in the target language at the parents’ club, on Library Fridays and movie nights, in chat rooms, in language training, or at game nights online. Check out all of these events in our online calendar and sign up early!
