Library lessonsLibrary lessons
Tallinn Libraries invite kindergarten groups and school classes, along with their teachers, to participate in library lessons.
- Library lesson is an educational and participatory non-formal educational program in the library.
- The duration is about 45 minutes.
- Educational programs are free for educational institutions in Tallinn (except for “Kultuuripilet” classes). The library’s price list ↓ applies to camps and institutions located outside Tallinn (except for those using “Kultuuriranits” ).
| Service | Price |
| On-demand lecture or training (45 min), price coefficient 0,4-1,0 | 80 € / hour |
| Education programme, price coefficient 0,5-1,0 | 80 € / hour |
| Educational programme in the library bus, price coefficient 0,5-1,0 | 100 € / hour |
Topics
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? Using the Tallinn Libraries’ e-catalogue ESTER, we check whether the book(s) you need are available at your preferred library. For example, we use the searches KEYWORD, TITLE, AUTHOR and SUBJECT. We search and find the books you want on the library shelf. We find solutions if the book you need is not available at the selected library.
If you wish, we can do two lessons in a row (90 minutes) and also give you an introduction to e-libraries (facilities, logging in, search options, borrowing, and so on). For example, the OverDrive e-library offers the opportunity to read foreign-language e-books and e-magazines and listen to audiobooks.
For whom? Students in grades 1-12 accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? Tallinn Libraries will give away a book to all 1st grade students who started school in Tallinn in autumn.
We will hand out the gift books in a playful library lesson, where we will not only introduce the book, but also other useful and exciting things you can find in our library.
The aim of the book-gifting project launched by Tallinn Libraries in 2007 is to encourage children to read and to help them discover the library from the very beginning of their school journey.
Who is this for? First-grade students and their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? We’ll take a closer look at children’s literature published in this century. We’ll get a sense of who today’s children’s authors are. During the session, depending on the teacher’s preference, we can focus, for example, on Estonian children’s authors or specific genres, such as mystery stories for children.
If you wish, we can use the book café method. We will involve students to express their opinions
For whom? Preschoolers and students in grades 1–6, accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? Let’s get to know the letters of the Estonian alphabet, and put words together. We play and move. We help to create an interest in reading and to support and develop reading skills.
Reading games compiled by Estonian reading specialists – special educators, teachers, speech therapists – can be borrowed from certain libraries. See availability in the ESTER e-catalogue.
For whom? Preschoolers and first-graders, along with their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? Using the book café and world café method, we will introduce five different literary genres according to the curriculum. At the teacher’s request, we can focus on specific genres (e.g. poetry, short stories). In groups, students will be given tasks related to mathematics, geography, art, music, physical education and literature.
For whom? Students in grades 1-12 accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? We introduce contemporary young adult novels published in the 21st century and explore the authors writing for young readers today. Depending on the teacher’s preferences, the session can focus on specific genres, such as young adult science fiction.
For whom? Students in grades 7–12, accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do?
💡 Grades 1-4: talking about emojis, social media and internet safety
💡 Grades 5-9: talking about the dangers of the online world and how to deal with them.
For whom? Students in grades 1-9 accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do?
💡 We introduce age-appropriate literature and exciting poetry discoveries
For whom? preschool groups, students in grades 1–6, accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
Mystery in the library
Tallinn Libraries prepares, in consultation with the teacher and according to the topic being studied, a multi-part puzzle activity, or mystery challenge, which participants solve in groups using both their existing knowledge and new information found in textbooks. The puzzle activities are literature-related. A mystery challenge can be created for any school subject.
💡Duration: 45 minutes
💡Target audience: Grades 1–12, accompanied by a teacher or teachers.
💡Number of participants in the group: min. 10, max. 40 students
Curriculum relevance: the mystery is based on the material covered in the lesson chosen by the teacher. We support students’ listening, reading, expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
LARP in the library
Tallinn Libraries prepares and runs literature-based live-action role-playing games (LARPs). The literary work on which the LARP is based can be chosen by the teacher. Up to 40 participants can take part, making it a great activity for multiple classes, such as parallel classes. During the session, students also discover which literary character they most resemble.
💡Duration: approx. 1.5 hours
💡Target audience: Grades 4–12, accompanied by teacher(s).
💡Number of participants in the group: min. 10, max. 40 students
Connection to the curriculum: We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression, and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
For booking please write to Merle.Tanilsoo@tln.lib.ee, tel 683 0913
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? Introducing our library services and facilities. For example, the Südalinna library has a music room and you can borrow musical instruments, the Kännukuke library has an innovation lab, the Laagna library has a seed room, the Paepealse library has Estonia’s largest comics collection, the Sõle library has a sewing room and the Pelguranna library has a tool room. We also give an insight into the librarian’s most exciting jobs and activities.
For whom? Students in grades 1-12 accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? A librarian will introduce the best of age-appropriate literature from the “new arrivals” section.
For whom? Students in grades 1-12 accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? With the help of the librarian, the children are introduced to the author’s wonderful poems, and they work in groups to prepare presentations of the poems.
For whom? Preschoolers and first-graders, along with their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? We’ll explore various databases (the ESTER e-catalog, DIGAR, Google Books, Google Scholar, and the foreign-language EBSCOhost) and refresh our knowledge of information retrieval (how to start a search, which information sources to use, how to evaluate them, and what to cite).
Depending on the teacher’s preference, we can focus on specific databases. We’ll agree on the length of the class based on the topics to be covered—approximately 45–90 minutes.
For whom? Students in grades 7–12, accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or
How is it linked to the curriculum? We support students’ listening, reading, self-expression and communication skills by integrating literature with other subjects.
What do we do? We offer a library lesson on a topic chosen by the teacher, such as the Reading Challenge programme, Finno-Ugric peoples and cultures, or other subjects. To ensure a high-quality lesson, up to two weeks of preparation time may be required.
For whom? Students in grades 1-12 accompanied by their teacher(s).
The language of instruction is Estonian. For pupils with a home language other than Estonian, the lesson is adapted to the LAK principles, including the language immersion teaching methodology.
Where? In all Tallinn Libraries.
Reservations: contact the library by e-mail or phone, or