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Early Language Immersion. Language Immersion Project in Estonian Kindergartens.
(
Svetlana Belova
,
Ene Kulderknup
,
Õie Vahar
,
Meeli Pandis
)
- Svetlana Belova
- svetlana.belova@kke.ee
- Integration Foundation of Estonia
- Tallinn
- Estonia
- Ene Kulderknup
- ene.kulderknup@ekk.edu.ee
- Estonian National Examination and Qualification Centre
- Tallinn
- Estonia
- Õie Vahar
- oie8@hot.ee
- Integration Foundation of Estonia
- Tallinn
- Estonia
- Meeli Pandis
- meeli@tlu.ee
- Tallinn University
- Tallinn
- Estonia
Serious attempts have been made in Estonia to facilitate integration at an early
age. Language immersion programmes of Canada and Finland are used offering a model
of the organisation of language learning.
Teachers use the immersion language (Estonian) in communication with the children
and encourage the children to use the language. Educational and developmental
games and activities are used with the children. Age and cultural traditions are
taken into account. Mutual understanding, cooperation, self-respect and respect
for other people, self-evaluation, and so forth are the aspects also developed
within the program framework.
The Estonian language immersion programme is a part of the sub-programme
“Education” of the national programme “Integration
in Estonian Society 2000-2007”. In 2002 the Integration Foundation, in
cooperation with the Finnish National Board of Education, began the implementation
of the language immersion programme as a pilot project in 9 kindergartens. The
following groups were asked to assess the project: kindergarten teachers,
trainers, kindergarten managers, methodologists, inspectors of municipalities, and
parents. Questionnaires and interviews were used.
The early immersion project had a favourable impact at local and national levels
in Estonia, according to the respondents.
The poster presentation followed by examples of activities in CD illustrates the
principles of language immersion, the course and results of the kindergarten
language immersion project, and the participants’ assessment of the components and
impact of the project.
Along with the poster presentation, a publication is presented which covers the
history and current situation of language immersion, its implementation in
Estonia, and the kindergarten language immersion programme.
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