City buses and trams in Tallinn transformed into mobile learning spaces, providing Estonian education
Montreal, Canada, has long been known for its bilingual public transport signage and announcements in French and English. Now, another European city, Tallinn, Estonia, is following suit with an innovative language learning initiative.
The city of Tallinn, with a population of approximately 456,500, has launched a campaign called "Learn Estonian on the go!". This initiative aims to make language learning part of the daily routine for residents and visitors alike. The project is a partnership between the Tallinn Transport Department and the Integration Foundation.
The deputy mayor for transport, Kristjan Järvan, stated that the initiative will benefit international students, tourists, and all residents whose native language is not Estonian. Tallinn's population is diverse, with little more than half being ethnic Estonians. Russian speakers make up more than a third of the population, with Ukrainians, Belarusians, and other groups forming a further minority.
The lessons on Tallinn's public transport screens cover expressions linked to public transport and are shown in random order. Short phrases and illustrations are now appearing on buses, trams, and at stops across the city. A QR code on the screens directs passengers to wider learning resources provided by the Integration Foundation.
This campaign is part of Estonia's broader effort to strengthen knowledge of the national language among non-native speakers. It differs from other language learning initiatives in its explicit focus on nudging language acquisition. The initiative will run for just over a month, and it is uncertain whether it will continue beyond this initial period.
Berlin has multilingual signage and digital aids to help newcomers navigate its public transport network, and New York City has explored ways to improve language access for those with limited English proficiency. Tallinn's language learning initiative is a testament to the city's commitment to inclusivity and its desire to make Estonia more accessible to all.
For many in Tallinn, Estonian is not the language of home or community, making the city's streets and services the main arena for practice. A 2022 census found that 84% of the Estonian population could speak or understand Estonian, but the remaining population still faces barriers in education, employment, and daily life.
The city of Tallinn presents the campaign as a modest experiment, a month-long initiative of short, repeated exposures to encourage commuters to learn a handful of new words. The company Bolt initiated the project "Learning Estonian on the Way!" together with the Tallinn Transport Department. Whether this initiative will lead to a more linguistically diverse Tallinn remains to be seen, but it is a positive step towards inclusivity and language accessibility.
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