Finnish for Foreigners (5 cr)

Objectives (course unit)

After successful completion of the course students will be able to pronounce Finnish quite correctly, understand and use short and simply-structured Finnish expressions that concern some of the most common matters and situations related to everyday life (introducing oneself and one’s family, telling the time, buying and paying, timetables, food and menu, working and studying). Student can shortly discuss about these matters and understand short texts concerning such topics.

Content (course unit)

- basics of the Finnish language
- structural exercises
- pronunciation exercises
- vocabulary exercises
- conversational and drama exercises
- listening comprehension exercises
- reading comprehension exercises
- written exercises.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

Student has been able to complete all the assignments acceptably. She/he can exchange greetings/farewells, introduce oneself, name a few objects and copy some words that she/he has learned. It is hard for her/him to attend a simple conversation or create a short text. Her/his pronunciation causes difficulties to understand meanings of produced speech.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

Student has an active attitude towards studying Finnish language showing that by completing course tasks according to the schedule. She/he is able to cope in most common everyday situations: shopping, travelling, and visiting people. A student is able to write brief messages (e.g. e-mail, text message, and post card) in Finnish and is able to pronounce Finnish clearly enough. Student’s mother tongue may have an effect in pronunciation and/or sentence structure, but it doesn’t cause big problems to understand the meaning of messages.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

A student has a positive and active attitude towards learning language. She/he can pronounce Finnish distinctively and is able to use suitable and varied expressions in everyday situations using grammar mostly correct way. A student can participate in a conversation asking and responding to questions about topics studied in the course. She/he can write simple descriptions or stories and recombine words and phrases into new sentenses.

Location and time

We meet normally on Fridays at 12.15 - 14.45 online by Zoom connection: the link on course-Moodle. The first lesson exceptionally on Thursday 2. September. Week 36 distant studying. The first normal lessons 17.September.

Exam schedules

The final written exam (grade 0 - 5) in December - let's arrange the date together. Retake in January 2021: the date will be announced later on. Oral exams (passed/failed) earlier: will be announced later on.

Assessment methods and criteria

A course grade will be formed on the basis of a result of an oral assignment (50 %) and a written exam (50 %).
A very good class activity can improve the grade in borderline cases. To pass the course minimum attendance 80 % is required.

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Many kind of online studying methods: study conversation, cooperative learning, different kind of exercises (pronunciation, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, writing, discussion, grammar etc.) games, Finnish music, video made by a student, exam.

Learning materials

We start with materials made by the teacher and e-materials - both of them linked on course-Tabula. After couple of weeks we begin to use a textbook with audio: SUN SUOMI - Finnish for beginners (by Kristiina Kuparinen, Terhi Tapaninen & Karoliina Kuisma). You can find the book in the TAMK library, but it is recommended to buy the book. It is a good package of basic Finnish and used also in our spring term Finnish course Occupational Finnish.

Student workload

Contact on line lessons 36 hrs: normally 3 hrs on Fridays in autumn semester. Independent learning about 100 hours. Much independent work is needed to learn the basics properly! To build up one's motivation is very important: to find useful, fun and creative ways to learn, use and understand Finnish.

If you apply for a scholarship, a requirement for getting it: showed Finnish A2 level skills. It means very active studying also during the spring term.

Content scheduling

The contents according to the course-Moodle structure and the textbook.

Completion alternatives

No.

Practical training and working life cooperation

No.

International connections

The whole group is international!

Further information

We have lessons normally on Fridays at 12.15 - 14.45 online by Zoom connection: the link on course-Moodle. The first lesson exceptionally on Thursday 2. September. Week 36 distant studying. The first normal lessons 17.September.

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Uncompleted assignments, great difficulties to understand and produce the simplest basic phrases and expressions. More than 20 % absences from online lessons.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student has been able to complete all the assignments acceptably. She/he can exchange greetings/farewells, introduce oneself, name a few objects and copy some words that she/he has learned. It is hard for her/him to attend a simple conversation or create a short text. Her/his pronunciation causes difficulties to understand meanings of produced speech.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student has an active attitude towards studying Finnish language showing that by completing course tasks according to the schedule. She/he is able to cope in most common everyday situations: shopping, travelling, and visiting people. A student is able to write brief messages (e.g. e-mail, text message, and post card) in Finnish and is able to pronounce Finnish clearly enough. Student’s mother tongue may have an effect in pronunciation and/or sentence structure, but it doesn’t cause big problems to understand the meaning of messages.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

A student has a positive and active attitude towards learning language. She/he can pronounce Finnish distinctively and is able to use suitable and varied expressions in everyday situations using grammar mostly correct way. A student can participate in a conversation asking and responding to questions about topics studied in the course. She/he can write simple descriptions or stories and recombine words and phrases into new sentences.