Language levels and registration
There are five modules, and each of them is for a different language level. Module I is meant for beginners who have never learned Estonian before. If you have learned Estonian before but are unsure which level to choose, don't worry. There will be a short test and interview for modules II–V on the first day to ensure everyone is in a group best suited to their needs.
The materials used in the summer school programme are all compiled by our language teachers. The coursebooks are a collection of well-chosen materials that never leave grammar alone and always pair it with practical exercises to cover all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
The objectives and content for each course are defined and selected in accordance with CEFR. Each module is worth 4,5 ECTS and corresponds to 56 academic hours of language lessons.
Click on the course title below to see the general topics and grammar covered at each level.
Teacher: Linda Palts
Vocabulary and conversation topics:
- Hello! Let's get acquainted
- I am a student
- My favourites
- In the shop and in the café
- My family
Grammar:
- Pronouns, possessive pronouns
- Verb conjugation in present tense
- Grammatical cases (Nominative, Genitive, Partitive)
- Semantic cases (Local cases etc)
- Constructions: Who has...? Who likes ...?
Upon completing the course, the students will be able to:
- understand and use Estonian cases in singular, conjugate Estonian verbs in the present tense, use the imperative, use adjectives and cardinal numbers;
- communicate in everyday situations in the street, in a shop, at a restaurant and socialize in a group, talk and write about themselves, their eating habits, and express (dis)approval;
- understand and create elementary-level oral and written texts.
Coursebook compiled by Piret Toomet, Linda Palts, Sille Midt and Katrin Jänese.
Teacher: Piret Toomet
Vocabulary and conversation topics:
- Let’s get acquainted
- Time, daily routine
- Activities, what are you doing today, what did you do yesterday
- What do you like to do, what you can do, what do you have to do
- Where are you, where are you going - different places and spaces
- Let’s describe people and things: adjectives and opposites, appearance and clothes
Grammar:
- Revision of interrogatives, personal pronouns, verbs, numbers
- Adjectives, opposites, nominative plural case
- Comparison of adjectives
- Present tense and imperfect (simple past tense), ma- and da-infinitive
- Local cases
Upon completing the course, the students:
- will be able to conjugate Estonian verbs in present tense and imperfect tense; knows how to form and use locatives; knows about 30 adjectives and how to compare adjectives;
- will be able to speak about themselves and their friends; describe different people, talk about plans and daily routine; tell what happened in the past;
- have received information about Estonia, Estonian nature, culture, people and traditions.
Coursebook compiled by Piret Toomet.
Teacher: Gerli Lokk
Vocabulary and conversation topics:
- me and Estonia;
- my hobbies and free time;
- education and professions;
- travelling.
Grammar:
- revision of past simple and present simple;
- present perfect;
- usage of ma- and da-infinitive;
- mine-sufix;
- verb tegelema;
- usage of verbs käima, minema and tulema;
- constructions õppima kelleks?, saama kelleks?, töötama kellena?;
- cases in plural;
- revision of locative cases;
- reading dates;
- revision of comparison of adjectives and adverbs;
- constructions in conditional mood (tahaks, meeldiks, peaks etc).
Upon completing the course, the students will be able to:
- speak fluently about the topic "Me, Estonia and Estonian";
- understand and use Past Simple and Present Perfect in oral communication and written texts;
- speak and write about him/her hobbies and interests, using ma- and da-infinitive, mine-suffix and verbs tegelema, käima, minema and tulema;
- speak and write about his/her studies, education, profession(s) and plans for future career;
- write his/her curriculum vitae;
- understand and use Estonian cases in singular and knows the principles of forming plural cases;
- compare adjectives and most common adverbs;
- use locative cases correctly;
- speak about travelling;
- communicate in easier situations connected with travelling;
- use conditional mood;
- read dates.
Coursebook compiled by Gerli Lokk.
Teacher: Monika Urb and Sälly Salusoo
Topics:
- Estonia and Estonians
- Home
- Health and eating habits
- Clothes, appearances, character
Grammar:
- declination system
- -ma and -da infinitive
- local cases, postpositions
- numerals
- conditional mood
- imperative mood
- comparative and superlative
- partitive plural
- total and partial object
Upon completing the course, the student:
- speaks about Estonian symbols, people, places, nature and traditions;
- puts together a travel plan and finds information from the internet;
- explains/justifies their points of view;
- holds a conversation on various everyday topics (e.g. healthy living, home, travelling, appearances etc).
Coursebook compiled by Monika Urb and Sälly Salusoo.
Teacher: Sille Midt
Topics:
- schools and education in Estonia
- demographic situation in Estonia, statistics; health and life expectancy
- literature and journalism; changing society, changing media
- social and economic welfare; real estate market
Grammar:
- conjunctions and complex sentences
- ma-infinitive and da-infinitive
- the passive voice; verb government
- impersonal voice
- objective and non-objective verbs
Upon completing the course, the students will be able to
- describe the education system of Estonia and prepare a resume for a presentation;
- talk about educational goals, learning and teaching styles in the New Millennium;
- describe the past, present and expected future of the demographic situation;
- evaluate health in the context of the quality of life;
- compile a book summary and share their thoughts and opinions with others;
- comment reading habits of Estonians and compare different reading platforms;
- evaluate the economic and social development in Estonia, household income;
- describe in a wide range housing estate in Estonia and buyers value (Looking to buy real estate).
Coursebook compiled by Linda Palts and Anne Jänese.