Russian-Language Schools Struggle With Textbooks
Russian-language schools are concerned that some of the Estonian-language textbooks for upper secondary level students are not customized for non-native speakers and lack simplified summaries.
From September 1, Russian-language upper secondary schools had to begin a transition to a 60-percent Estonian-language curriculum, a requirement set by the education reform legislation.
On leaving lower secondary school, Russian-speaking students will have acquired a B1 language level which makes it difficult to study from textbooks meant for those with a language proficiency of C1, Aleksander Haak, director of the Lasnamäe Gümnaasiun told Päevaleht, adding that for all Russian-language high schools the biggest concern is geography and history classes in Estonian.
Narva's Kesklinna Gümnaasium, for example, says it doesn't have any Estonian-language history textbooks.
The Mustjõe Gümnaasium, however, has Estonian-language history books, yet as these are not adapted to the students' needs, additional bilingual summaries have to be used which according to history teacher Olga Raatpalu, are oversimplified.
According to Irene Käosaar, head of General Education Department at the Ministry of Education, issuing Estonian-language textbooks specially adapted for Russian-speaking high school students is complicated and since the target group is very small, most probably will not happen in the future.
Ingrid Teesalu