US Embassy and EATE Public Speaking Trainings
Public speaking competitions are becoming increasingly popular in Estonia. On 31 March 2027, EATE, in cooperation with the US Embassy, will hold the EATE Open Public Speaking Competition for secondary school students.
To help teachers prepare their students and encourage more schools across Estonia to take part, the US Embassy and EATE are organising four regional training sessions. The training will also support teachers preparing students for the 2027/28 National English Olympiad, which will take the form of a full-scale speaking competition.
Led by Phillip Marsdale, Kristi Vahenurm and ESU alumni, each session will last two hours, including a short break. The sessions will take place as follows:
- 23 October — Kuressaare American Corner, Tallinna 6
- 10 November — Narva, American Space, Malmi 8 with guest speaker Viktoria Kaasik, an ESU alumna who competed in London in 2024
- 4 December — Viljandi, American Corner, Tallinna mnt. 11/1, with guest speaker Henri Veski, an ESU alumnus who competed in London in 2026
- 14 December — Tallinn American Space, with guest speaker Henri Veski, an ESU alumnus who competed in London in 2026
The training aims to give teachers practical materials, strategies and pedagogical insights to help them prepare students for speaking competitions. It will also encourage schools to organise their own competitions and support teachers preparing students for the National English Olympiad.
About the speakers:
Phillip is CEO of International Language Services OÜ and founder of English for Refugees (E4R) a language and life skills project established in March 2022. To date almost 500 women from Ukraine have benefited from E4R courses. He is a dedicated educator and coach who has played an influential role in developing youth speech competitions in Estonia. Known for his energetic workshops and constructive feedback style, he has helped hundreds of Estonian high school, university and adult students strengthen their confidence, argumentation skills, and stage presence over the past 20 years.
Kristi is an English teacher at Tallinn Secondary School of Science, a member of the board of the Estonian Association of Teachers of English, and the Estonian representative of the English-Speaking Union. An enthusiastic educator, she is committed to nurturing young speakers in Estonia. Passionate about language learning and student empowerment, she has initiated and supported numerous public-speaking initiatives at her school and at national level. She has also mentored students representing Estonia in international speaking competitions.
