Obtained general competences of students in language immersion classes

Abstract

One of the key ideas of the language immersion methodology is to guarantee sustainable development for children from non-Estonian families in respect to their linguistic and social development. The most important conditions are creating flexible possibilities to participate in language immersion groups and classes and applying the language immersion methodology in everyday teaching process systematically. The present research seeks to highlight teachers views on the sustainability of general competences of children who have completed the language immersion group in the kindergarten. The domain of general competences includes 32 sub-skills related to learning to learn and social skills, which were assessed by the teachers on a 5-point scale. For the sake of comprehensive data analysis, the general competences were divided into general competences fostering learning and learner-centred general competences. The present study reveals that language immersion methodology flavours applying child-centred pedagogy in the actual teaching process and supports the sustainability of childrens linguistic and social development.