FEBRUARY 2011

 
 
 
Free preparatory courses for constitution and Citizenship Act examination to recommence in May
 
Persons with undefined citizenship and third country nationals are once again being offered the opportunity to participate free of charge in the preparatory courses for the constitution and Citizenship Act examination starting from May 2011. The persons to organise the courses will be selected through a competition to be announced in March.
 
In 2009, more than 1,000 target group members took similar courses. The courses are designed for persons with undefined citizenship and third-country nationals (including Russia). A third-country national is a person residing in Estonia who is not a national of a Member State of the European Union and the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), or the Swiss Confederation.
 
Prior to May, all interested persons can prepare for the examination and use materials distributed by the National Examinations and Qualifications Centre (Riiklik Eksami- ja Kvalifikatsioonikeskus) without charge and take part in the free pre-examination consultations. The consultations will be held in Tallinn, Narva, Jõhvi, and Tartu, with the scheduled times available on the web page of the National Examinations and Qualifications Centre www.ekk.edu.ee.
 
Further information: Tea Tammistu, Education and Migration Unit Coordinator, tel 659 9062, E-mail tea.tammistu@meis.ee
 
 
Language Immersion Programme 2011 first training to begin in February
 
The first training course to open the training calendar of the Language Immersion Programme 2011 will be a methodology course entitled “Direct supportive feedback, 5 minutes observation method” in Narva Vanalinna Riigikool (from 9 February) and Tallinna Humanitaargümnaasium (from 11 February).
 
The training course is designed for directors of educational institutions, head teachers, programme coordinators, advisors, trainers, and education officials of local governments.
 
The course will explain the key principles of the Language Immersion Programme. The learners will be introduced to the collegial management method as an important instrument of organisational culture. The trainers will explain various uses of observation checklists and reflective questions to show the importance of a follow-up interview in supporting teacher development.
 
Krista Juhkov and Riina Vohta will conduct the courses in Narva and Anne Pipar and Ruth Kaur in Tallinn.
 
Further information: Maire Kebbinau, Multicultural Education Unit, Language Immersion Programme Coordinator, tel 659 9847, maire.kebbinau@meis.ee
 
 
Sunday school teachers learn how to use CLIL programme in their schools
 
The III module of the Content and Language Integrated Learning training for the teachers of Sunday schools of national minorities will begin on 18 February. The training, which consists of three modules, will take seven days with 18 participating teachers.
 
The training will be conducted by Õie Vahar, an advisor of CLIL and the Language Immersion Programme, methodologist and teacher-practitioner, and Helgi Org, a methodologist and textbook author.
 
By the end of the training, the Sunday school teachers will have learned various forms of study and identify ways for stimulating the active involvement of students in the learning process. At the same time, the teachers’ Estonian language skills are improved.
 
The training, which began in November, is being funded by the Ministry of Education and Research.
 
 
Further information: Kristiina Pirgop, Culture and Youth Work Unit Coordinator, tel 659 9024, E-mail kristina.pirgop@meis.ee
 
 
Estonian Non-formal Adult Education Association offers free Estonian language courses
 
In the first half-year of 2011, the Estonian Non-formal Adult Education Association (Eesti Vabaharidusliit) will offer free Estonian language courses to 223 people under the programme “Adult education at informal training centres” with the support of the European Social Fund.
 
The target group of the courses is adults who have had compulsory schooling, i.e. have acquired basic education, or are 17 years of age and older. People who have not been able to study due to economic or other reasons are especially welcome to these free courses.
 
Anyone interested can register for the courses at the training centres that organise the courses. The course schedules and contact details of the training centres are available on the home page of the Estonian Non-formal Adult Education Association at www.vabaharidus.ee
 
The Estonian Non-formal Adult Education Association offers several other free courses in addition to the Estonian language courses. In the first half-year of 2011, a total number of 3,409 people can learn on various free courses, and 223 people can attend the Estonian language courses.
 
The Estonian language courses will be held at the training centre “Osilia” at Kuressaare Gümnaasium, Pärnu Sütevaka Training Centre, Pärnu Folk High School, Haapsalu Folk High School, Tartu Folk High School, Tartu AHL Training Centre, Johannes Mihkelson Training Centre in Tartu, Folk Culture Development and Training Centre in Tallinn, and Viru Training Centre in Kohtla-Järve.
 
More information on the courses is available at www.vabaharidus.ee and www.rajaleidja.ee
 
Further information: Tiina Jääger, Programme Head of Estonian Non-formal Adult Education Association, tel 677 6299, E-mail tiina.jaager@vabaharidus.ee