Estonian-language camps and family study model

A language camp is a special camp for non-Estonian and Estonian youth, with the aim of lowering linguistic and cultural barriers, developing communicative skills and raising motivation and interest in learning the Estonian language. In a family exchange project, non-Estonian young people can spend an average of one week to two months in an Estonian family and actively take part in their daily life.

Summer language camps for children and youth, and family exchange projects are the more well-known integration activities in Estonia. The aim of language practice in the summer is to provide young people the opportunity to supplement their knowledge of the Estonian language in an environment outside the school. The Integration Foundation has supported Estonian language camp and family exchange projects since 1998, in which nearly 14 000 children and youths have participated. Both the government of Estonia and foreign financiers have provided funding for this: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Great Britain and the European Union.

The primary aim of these projects is that children or youths (aged 7-17) of foreign language backgrounds living in Estonia could practice and supplement their knowledge of Estonian through direct communication with Estonians of their own age, live in an Estonian family and familiarise themselves with the living conditions of Estonians and with Estonian culture, yet at the same time to introduce their own culture.

Language camp differs from ordinary camps primarily in that everything that takes place during 12 days serves the objective of language learning; generally speaking, everyone (including camp personnel) communicates with the campers in Estonian. In addition to foreign-language children, support pupils (Estonian children) definitely participate in the camp and they have the important role to fill of supporting the foreign-language children. Everyone who comes to camp knows what to expect and wants to learn Estonian or to help their companions in learning it.

In Family exchange, a foreign-language child lives in an Estonian family for 2 weeks, where he can communicate in Estonian and participate in their daily family life. Family exchange can be referred to as individual language training in a direct language environment and this is suitable for more reserved children.