Estonia developing free Estonian language learning app for C1 level; future AI integration planned

A new free application for learning Estonian to C1 level will appear next year. The Ministry of Education and Research hopes the platform will make learning the state language more accessible and effective. The course will be developed by Hydraco OÜ and Iduleht OÜ. According to Statistics Estonia, over 99,000 working-age residents do not speak Estonian, and about 81,000 have only basic knowledge.

Pille Põiklik, adviser at the language policy department of the Ministry, said on Radio 4's program "Simply Summer" that the e-learning platform called Keeleklikk already offers beginner courses and is now developing a C1 course. The course is designed for self-study, with adult learners as the main target audience. Teachers can also recommend materials, but the platform is primarily for adults. It is completely free and allows learning anytime, anywhere, especially beneficial for those who prefer self-study or cannot attend in-person courses.

The Ministry is the client and funds the project jointly with the European Union. The course follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, developing all language skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking, using authentic materials. Users can choose activities and get immediate feedback through intermediate tests and self-check tasks.

Põiklik noted that external AI tools are recommended for conversation and text correction, with a long-term goal to integrate such AI technologies directly into the platform. However, speech recognition for Estonian works well for native speakers but faces challenges with learners' accents. Work on these technologies continues, and as they improve, new language tools will be added. The course includes texts, audio, video, interviews, grammar explanations, and various tasks to make learning engaging and emotionally stimulating.