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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
