Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

In this course you will study basics of Finnish language. Estimated level is A1.3.

Objectives
After completing the course, the students will be able to:
• pronounce Finnish quite correctly
• understand and use short and simply structured expressions that concern basic situations related to everyday life
• learn to build up their vocabulary
• learn to use the basic grammatical structures of Finnish
• know, use and understand simple spoken and written expressions connected to everyday life.

Content (course unit)

Study book Suomen mestari 1, chapters 1–4, 8:
• alphabet and numbers
• introducing oneself
• telling about one’s family and background
• simple description of things and people
• telling about the weather
• shopping and food
• grammatical structures: basic sentences and questions, verb conjugation (positive and negative verbs), partitive, genitive, KPT-change, I have -structure

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

Students have been able to complete all the assignments acceptably. They can exchange greetings/farewells, introduce oneself and name a few objects. It is hard for them to attend a simple conversation or create a short text. Their pronunciation causes difficulties to understand meanings of produced speech.

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

Students have been able to complete all the assignments. Students have an active attitude towards studying Finnish language showing that by completing tasks according to the schedule. They are able to cope in the most common simple everyday situations. Students can use typical grammatical structures e.g. basic verb conjugation, possessive structure and partitive in simple sentences. They can write brief texts and pronounce Finnish quite clearly.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

Students have been able to complete all the assignments acceptably. They have a positive and active attitude towards learning language. They can pronounce Finnish distinctively and are able to use suitable and varied expressions in everyday situations using grammar almost correctly. Students can participate in a conversation asking and responding to questions about topics studied in the course. They can write simple texts and recombine words and phrases into new sentences.

Location and time

We will meet on Mondays and Thursdays at 9.15 - 10.45. Check the classrooms from your calendars.

Exam schedules

There will be a mid-term exam and final exam.
In the final exam you will have three possible dates to complete the exam.
Exact dates and times will be updated later.

Assessment methods and criteria

To pass the course, you will need to attend the contact classes, return all the assigned work and pass the final exam.

Your grade will be based on your final exam performance and skills you have shown in other activities.

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Classroom meetings: discussions, listening exercises, group work, lectures.

Individual tasks and group work to be done on your own time.

Learning materials

You will need a physical or digital copy of Suomen mestari 1 (2020). We will use the same book in the second course as well.

You can look for a copy of Suomen mestari 1 in an online store, local library (in Tampere), or online marketplace (e.g., Tori.fi).

We will also use online material and material provided by the teacher.

Student workload

You will have 2 x 1,5 h classroom meetings every week. In addition to this, you are expected to do independent study work 1,5-3 hours a week. The independent work can include, for example, home work, course assignments, discussions with local people, and use of language learning apps.

Notice that it can be difficult – if not impossible – to pass the course without any independent work. Classroom meetings are more like an introduction to the study topics while you will extend your knowledge with independent work.

Content scheduling

We will discuss this later in the course.

Completion alternatives

Not available.

Practical training and working life cooperation

Not available.

International connections

Not available.

Further information

If you are uncertain whether this is the right course for you, please contact our Finnish language counsellor Ella Hakala (ella.hakala@tuni.fi).