Estonian language expert: languages can be learned from anywhere in Estonia

Pille Pipar-Aksin, head of language learning development at the Institute of the Estonian Language, writes that language education is increasingly shifting online, giving learners more freedom to choose when and how they study.

She points to recent PISA results showing an encouraging trend: 83 percent of Estonia's surveyed 15-year-old students believe abilities are not fixed and can be developed. According to the author, this growth mindset matters greatly in learning, since its absence can become a serious obstacle — for instance, a teenager lacking it might prematurely give up on exact sciences, deciding in advance they are "not for them."

Online tools expand access

Online learning solutions help both those living far from major centers and those who choose distance learning for temporary or other reasons. The choice of format — independent study with an app, group lessons led by a teacher, or individual tutoring — depends entirely on personal preferences and circumstances.

The author stresses that learning requires effort regardless of whether it happens in a classroom, an online space, or an app. The main value of language technology, she argues, is not to replace teachers but to give learners tools for regular independent practice. She notes a major difference between practicing a language twice a week in class and engaging with it, even briefly, every day.

Speaking skills develop through use

Pipar-Aksin acknowledges that online learning lacks live interaction, but adds that attending class twice a week is clearly not enough either. For adult learners, responsibility for actively using the language ultimately rests with themselves, regardless of teacher, course format, or app. Speaking skills develop through repetition, making mistakes, and trying again, though many struggle because everyday life often lacks an environment where they can speak Estonian without fear.

Digital tools can add an important dimension here, letting people practice pronunciation before real conversations, review vocabulary, and listen to correct speech. She concludes that the PISA 2025 study again confirmed Estonians' faith in education, and that where in Estonia one lives or one's financial means no longer play as decisive a role in language learning.