Learning Estonian has smaller impact on integration than expected - survey

Photo: Aldo Luud / Õhtuleht

A survey on the effect of courses in Estonian language commissioned by the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) indicates that people attending the courses have gained courage to speak the official language but the positive effect on integration is smaller than expected.

On Tuesday MISA presented the survey on the effect of the programs «Language Learning Development 2007-2010» and «Language Learning Development 2011-2013» funded by the European Social Fund, focusing on acquiring Estonian language skills, the quality of language studies and developing new methods as well as changing the attitudes of students.

«In 2007-2010, the aim of MISA's language learning program was to teach Estonian to 3,872 people. We offered not only language courses but also methodological training programs for teachers. In reality, 4,968 people took part in the language learning activities and additionaly 2,264 people were reimbursed for the money spent by them on Estonian courses. The cost per student also turned out to be lower than expected and many goals were met,» Eduard Odinets, head of the Lifelong Learning Unit of MISA said.

The activities of the current period involve language courses and training programs for 1,800 people and reimbursing the costs of courses to 2,500 people.

The survey, carried out by pollster Saar Poll, showed that more than half of respondents or 62 percent thought that their Estonian studies have been influenced by MISA's offer to reimburse the cost of language studies after a successful proficiency examination. In the absence of the reimbursement, the program participants would have chosen shorter or cheaper language courses, postponed their studies or given up on them altogether. The survey also found that a third of the people who were reimbursed used the money for additional Estonian studies.

Discussions with the focus group revealed that students praised language learning in the form of staff exchanges as an efficient methods that allows them to simultaneously learn Estonian as well as their speciality. Focus group members specifically proposed that studies in the form of workforce exchange should be offered with a longer duration.

According to the survey, the effect of language studies on integration was not as great as expected. «When it comes to integration the survey demonstrated that Estonian is most often used in service enterprises. Yet, the following of Estonian media and interacting with Estonians does not increase sufficiently. There are many reasons for this, but language studies should probably be viewed in a much wider context than has been done so far. The language classes alone do not guarantee integration into Estonian society but it is a vital prerequisite. In the future, a more in-depth analysis is required into how the program participants wish to use their Estonian skills, broaden their social circle, use the media to be better informed about Estonian society, etc.,» Odinets said.