From linguists to L1 education: the case of the Estonian Linguistics Olympiad
Submitted by:
Miina Norvik
Abstract:
The only insight Estonian students get about linguistics is in native or foreign language classes, linguistics is not taught as a compulsory subject in schools. Still, 9th to 12th grade students in Estonia can take part in the Linguistics Olympiad where they have the possibility to test their skills in solving linguistic problems and, as a result, broaden their knowledge of world’s languages (Pajusalu 2010). High school students can also take the course Basics of Linguistics offered by the Science School of the University of Tartu.
In 2017, the Estonian Linguistics Olympiad (likewise the International Linguistics Olympiad) takes place already for the 15th time (see IOL). Although there is research on talented students, more precisely on the factors that determine their achievement (e.g. Sepp 2008), there are no studies that would focus particularly on analysing the outcomes of the participation in the Linguistics Olympiads. Thus, the aims of the paper are (i) to study how the Estonian students find their way to the Linguistics Olympiad, (ii) whether and how taking part in the Linguistics Olympiad influences their professional choices, (iii) whether and how participation has a (positive) effect on native and foreign language learning. In order to answer these questions we composed a questionnaire to be completed by the students who have participated in the previous Linguistics Olympiads.
The hypothesis is that taking part in the Linguistics Olympiad does not necessarily result in pursuing studies in linguistics but it increases the prestige of one’s native language and gives an understanding of the world’s linguistic diversity.
References
IOL = International Linguistics Olympiad. http://www.ioling.org/ (Accessed on 14 December 2016).
Pajusalu, R. (2010). Kielitiede olympialajina. Virittäjä, 114 (4), 563−566.
Sepp, V. (2008). Estonian Olympiads: their psycho-educational function in supporting talented students. (Doctoral dissertation). Radboud University Nijmegen.