Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

The course provides the basics of the Finnish language and culture (estimated level A1.2)

After completing the course, the students will be able to:
• Use the basic structure of Finnish.
• Manage in Finnish in basic situations like simple shopping and travelling.
• Learn to build up their vocabulary.
• Know forms of politeness in Finnish.
• Know how to write brief messages connected to everyday life.

Content (course unit)

• How is Finnish pronounced?
• Why do I need to pay attention to how words are written?
• How to make simple statements, ask questions and answer them?
• How to write short messages in Finnish?
• What to say in situations like shopping, travelling in Finland?
• How to be polite, and build up small talk in Finnish?

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

The student has completed all the assignments acceptably and attended contact lessons at least 80 %. The student is able to tell a few things about oneself in Finnish comprehensively. The student recognises typical grammatic structures like possessive structure, verb types and partitive.

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

The student has an active attitude towards studying Finnish language and culture showing that by completing written tasks according to the schedule. The student is able to use the typical grammatic structures like possessive structure, verb types and partitive in simple sentences. He/she is able to cope in most common everyday situations like introducing and shopping and tell simple things about his/her day, family, spare time etc. The 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.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

The student has a positive and active attitude towards learning Finnish and is genuinely interested in Finnish culture, and brings it up by comparing Finnish culture to his/her own. He/she can pronounce Finnish distinctively and is able to use suitable and varied expressions in everyday situations using grammar almost correctly. The student is able to write brief texts in Finnish, which are mostly correct.

Location and time

Finlayson

Exam schedules

Monday 23 May oral and written test at 8.10-12.00 o'clock
Retakes: Monday 30 May at 8.15-10.00 o'clock

Assessment methods and criteria

Final tests (60 % weight on the evaluation)
Home work (25 % weight on the evaluation)
Meeting participation (15 % weight on the evaluation)

Notice that the evaluation criteria below are general descriptions of different student profiles, and will be elaborated in the orientation meeting.

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

We will have course meetings in a classroom. In addition to that, you will get home work that you need to submit. In the end of the course, we will have an exam in oral and written skills.

We practice speaking, listening, writing and reading. Furthermore, you will get acquainted with the basics of Finnish pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.

Learning materials

Coursebook Suomen mestari 1 and teacher's material
Changed to: website Taste of Finnish http://tasteoffinnish.fi/ and teacher's own material

Student workload

5 ECTs course means 5 x 27 hours of work.
Group meetings twice a week.
Home work: 6-8 hours per week (may vary individually) and active attitude towards Finnish-speaking society.

To build up one's motivation is very important: to find useful, fun and creative ways to learn, use and understand Finnish. So have Finnish as a hobby also in your free time.

Content scheduling

Basic information of Finnish language, pronunciation, greetings, numbers, time expressions, positive and negative verb conjugation, verb types, question sentences, nationalities, simple declensions, everyday vocabulary e.g.
• How is Finnish pronounced?
• Why do I need to pay attention to how words are written?
• How to make simple statements, ask questions and answer them?
• How to write short messages in Finnish?
• What to say in situations like shopping, travelling in Finland?
• How to be polite, and build up small talk in Finnish?

Completion alternatives

Not available.

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

Uncompleted assignments, big difficulties to understand and produce the simplest basic phrases and expressions.

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

The student has completed all the assignments acceptably and attended contact lessons at least 80 %. The student is able to tell a few things about oneself in Finnish comprehensively. The student recognises typical grammatic structures like possessive structure, verb types and partitive.

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

The student has an active attitude towards studying Finnish language and culture showing that by completing written tasks according to the schedule. The student is able to use the typical grammatic structures like possessive structure, verb types and partitive in simple sentences. He/she is able to cope in most common everyday situations like introducing and shopping and tell simple things about his/her day, family, spare time etc. The 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.

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

The student has a positive and active attitude towards learning Finnish and is genuinely interested in Finnish culture, and brings it up by comparing Finnish culture to his/her own. He/she can pronounce Finnish distinctively and is able to use suitable and varied expressions in everyday situations using grammar almost correctly. The student is able to write brief texts in Finnish, which are mostly correct.