The document summarizes key aspects of the Finnish educational system as presented by Sirkku Nikamaa, a Finnish educator, to an audience in Seoul. The summary highlights that Finland's educational system is based on principles of equality, comprehensive education without streaming, respect for teachers, and flexibility. It emphasizes learner autonomy, motivation, and application of linguistic content to real-life situations over testing and exercises. The system aims to develop the whole person through collaborative learning communities and shared leadership between teachers, students, and administrators.
1. Practicing the art of
the possible
The Finnish
educational system
and English
education
Sirkku Nikamaa
Finnish educator
Seoul Education Training Institute
sirkku.nikamaa@gmail.com
+44 7759 801 814 , +358 405 298 859
2. Why am I here?
PISA scores 2009
Student performance in reading,
mathematics and science:
1. Shanghai
2. Korea
3. Finland
4. Hongkong
5. Singapore
http://www.pisa.oecd.org/dataoecd/54/12/46643496.pdf2
3.
4. Agenda
1. Principles of the Finnish system
2. Our approach to teaching English
3. Curriculum and methods
4. Teacher education, further education
5. Dream School concept, main points
6. Motivation and Engagement
7. Methods and ideas for lessons
8. Resoources
Discussion
6. “Pisa tourists” in Finland
Thousands of visitors from many countries
looking for good ideas and best practice.
They discover:
A consensus society
Equality, a good education system
Modern society, good healthcare etc
Angry Birds, engineering, design,
architecture, forest industry, NOKIA…
7. What do our visitors take
home?
CAN take away:
Ideas and best practice that will flourish in
foreign soil
CANNOT take away
1. Finnish culture and political consensus
2. The history of the educational system
3. Relatively homogenous society
9. Education is important
Consensus, ”no drop-outs”- philosophy
Finland
cannot stay on top of the
information society race without sustained
and focused efforts and good education
10. Education system
Optional preparatory class age 6 – 7
9-year comprehensive basic education
Work
experience
Upper secondary Vocational ed. and
vocational
examinations
Universities Schools for applied
sciences
Higher exams in SASc
Education system without
PhD
“dead ends”
11. System drivers:
WE HAVE WE DO NOT HAVE
Equal opportunity Streaming
Comprehensiveness
Privatization
Respect for teachers
as competent Testing, regulation
knowledge workers of teachers
Flexible remedial Standardized,
teaching
individualized, uniform
learning, requirements
Encouraging National tests
assessment and
evaluation NOT
„testing‟
13. Continuous development
Schools are seen as active learning
communities (locus of control and
capacity)
Improvement through networking and
self-regulation
Value in sharing ideas and solving
problems together
Collaboration not competition
15. Language studies
Foreign language study starts in 3rd grade
(age 9). Can start in grades 1 – 2.
An optional language from 5th or 8th grade on
(not available in all municipalities)
Compulsory minimum of languages is:
1. Mother tongue (from 1st grade)
2. First foreign language (from 3rd grade)
3. The other national language (Finnish for
Swedish speakers, Swedish for Finnish
speakers) (at the latest from 7th grade on)
16. English and the law of gravity
Cartoon by Wulffmorgenthaler
"It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of
gravity.” Kofi Annan
English is needed in the globalized world
17. English is the foreign
language of choice
English
Finnish
Swedish
Franch
German
Russian/Other
Language choices in Finnish basic education, 2009
18. A brief history of MFL teaching
1980s syllabi presented Reform in 2016 aims to
detailed lists of structures diversify MFL offering in
and situations to be schools
followed by teachers
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Prior to 1970s MFL was 1990s communicative
only available to students competence and oral
attending schools language proficiency grew
targeted to academic in importance.
professions. More autonomy: teachers
Methodology: to find their own
grammar, translation, writ methodology.
ten exercises (modeled
after study of classic
languages)
20. Curriculum
Ministry of Education and Culture
determines the general goals and time allocation for subjects
National Board of Education
develops the National Core Curriculum in consultation with
several stakeholders
Local Authorities
(education providers) form their own local curricula
Teachers
have a lot of autonomy and ownership over the
implementation. Teachers shape the curriculum in their
classrooms
21. Cornerstones
Language is:
a skill subject
means of communication
a cultural subject
Aims:
Life long learning
Linguistic competence
Cultural competence
Strategic competencies in communication and
learning strategies
Overall aims of basic education are reflected in
English education
22. English curriculum
Emphasizes
meaningful learning based on personal
experience
social interaction
learning connected to real life and culture
It aims at all-round human growth through
interactive and collaborative learning
Learning to set goals, learning how to
learn, adjust learning strategies
23. Language teaching
connected to real life
Now, do you
Threats to life on actually think
earth: this is
Overpopulation appropriate for
Climate change 3rd graders?
Diseases
Cartoon by Wulffmorgenthaler
24. A few excerpts from a local
curriculum
Language skills Cultural skills
produce oral deepen and expand
presentations, expr the knowledge
ess opinions and about the Anglo-
wishes Saxon culture and
geography
write essays using
compare his own
English language culture and country
media with other countries
and cultures
Source: Espoo local English curriculum -- 9th grade
25. A few excerpts from a local
curriculum (cont.)
Study strategies Situations and themes
Use ICT in language
sustainable
learning
Do small projects
development
independently and in health and wellbeing
groups media
Set goals for himself
and to take active travel
measures to achieve public services
those goals
working life and
Adjust methods to
achieve the goals economy
Grammar Source: Espoo local English curriculum -- 9th grade
26. Language learning has shifted
From To
Written Oral
Grammar and
structure Proficiency in real life
Translation Communicative use
Teacher Learner autonomy
centeredness
Linguistic skill Intercultural
communication
competence and
cultural sensitivity
27. The shift necessitates a new
approach to learning
The core curriculum states a broad frame
for teaching and learning and assigns
teachers exceptional pedagogical
freedom (compared to many other
countries)
Aim is that learners have life long
motivation, skill and confidence in all new
language experiences in and outside
school
28. Examples
In grades 1 – 2:
Games, songs, rhymes with emphasis on
listening, understanding and speaking.
Content related to home and school.
Grade 3 – high school:
Communicative teaching mixed with form-
focused study of grammar.
Increasing learner autonomy, emphasis on
oral proficiency, study of culture and ICT
supported learning environments (including
social media)
29. English teaching guidelines
Authorities do not give templates for
language lessons!
Guidelines:
1. Orientation and motivation
2. Internalization (rehearsal) & elaboration
3. Application of linguistic content in in-
and out-of-school settings
30. 1. Orientation and motivation
Linguistic content introduction referring to
usefulness of functions
vocabulary in real-life situations
2. Internalization, rehearsal & elaboration
Listen to a text, watch video
Seek clarification from peers & teacher.
Instruction in pronunciation, intonation
patterns. Read out loud.
Discuss, answer questions, (pictorial
cues) on the text. Students help each
other, give feedback to each other.
31. 3. Application of linguistic content in in- and
out-of-school settings
Improvised pair discussions
Homework or at school: Use the
vocabulary and grammar learned:
writing small- scale dramas
writing stories
recording video clips
present to peers and teacher
projects, games, team work etc
Independent use of learning content
32. Joy of learning Yes, feathers! My
horse gallops
faster when you
tickle him. Was
there anything
else?
Cartoon by Wulffmorgenthaler
33. Minimal Exercises, focus on Tasks
Exercises vs Tasks
Rely on formal Using language for
accuracy and one- meaningful open-ended
communication
to-one responses.
Focus on the function and
content rather than form
Provide opportunity to
interact, solve-
problems, get guidance
from teacher or peers
Making mistakes is not
stigmatizing but useful!
34. Assessment
Wrong
again, stupi
d!
Shape up!
“The ultimate
assessment tool”
Cartoon by Wulffmorgenthaler
35. Assessment
Aims:
to guide and support the study process
to promote learning and student‟s self-
assessment skill, learning how to learn
Starting point is curricular objectives
progress in language acquisition
working and learning skills and behavior
Formative assessment, self-assessment, peer
assessment a priority.
36. Assessment to support learning
1. For formative purposes during the course
of education:
Criterion referenced measures
Ongoing feedback
Verbal records, development talks
Numerical
2. Assessment at the end of the
course, school year, basic education
Numerical assessment based on multiple
sources of information and forms of
assessment, written and oral performance
considered
38. Objectives are the core of basic education.
Development of key skills.
Needs of the individual’s personality and growth
and society’s needs.
Objectives
Implementation
Content is a means to Content
achieve
the objectives
Implementation defines how objectives
are achieved: guidance, support, co-
operation, learning
environments, methods and assessment
39. Less is more
Less teaching time
Less homework
Less testing
No streaming
39
40. Streaming
Streaming was abolished in mid-1980s*
Achievement gap began to decrease
7% school variance between schools vs 42
% in other OECD countries (reading scale)
*Before that students were placed in one of 3 levels of curricula
based on prior performance, but often based on peer‟s and
parent‟s influence.
40
42. Teacher education
Class teacher education
Masters degree in pedagogy or pedagogical
psychology
Competency for grades 1 - 6
Subject teacher education
Masters degree in main subject with
pedagogical studies
Competency for grades 7 – 9, high
school, vocational schools etc.
Both studies include teaching practice in one of
12 “Normal Schools” that are attached to
universities. Focus on didactics.
43. Further education
Main organizers are:
Finnish National Board of Education
Local authorities
Teacher organizations
Publishers
Private companies
European Council supported networks like
ECML (European Center for Modern Languages)
(Minimum 3 mandatory days of professional development
annually, organized by local authority)
44. In-service and other support
Main partners for collaboration and
professional support:
Teams and colleagues at school
Local authority, other schools in the area
Informal networks, online communities
Federation of Foreign Language Teachers
in Finland, SUKOL, with 30 local and 8
national member organizations
46. Dream School – tools for a
good life
Excellence is not delivered from the top. It is
created on the spot
City of Kauniainen Dream School is an
example of a successful local development
project in a de-centralized system
It is a modular, open source system and can
be easily adopted by other schools
47. Future skills
What skills will the adult of the future need?
Knowledge and skill related abilities
Ability and desire to learn
Creative passion
Enriching interaction
Good self-confidence, self-knowledge
48. The core processes
Basic skills
Reading, writing, mathematics
History, society, culture, life sciences
Language skills
Health
Arts and Manual skills
Working skills
Creative problem solving
Communication skills
Self-guidance
Teamwork
Development of the learner‟s individual and
community- related readiness
Interaction skills
Skills in influencing
Entrepreneurship
Ethic view of life
Self-esteem and self-knowledge
49. Sharing is caring
Innovative, creative learning using a multitude of methods
and tools: Wii, phones, tablets, drama, role
play, games, film editors, mindmaps, Google
tools, Prezi, cartoons, animations, cameras etc.
Student work and assignments are given
out, presented, shared, stored and developed through
our Learning Diary, an e-portfolio tool that:
Facilitates building on prior
knowledge, sharing, development and distribution of
learning assignments between students and teachers
makes the learning path more visible and encourages
the use of a variety of evaluation methods
Collaboration and communication between
teachers, students, management is important! Goal is to
support growth and learning.
50. Shared leadership
Pedagogical
unit
Communications
and networking
International unit unit
Student and
Grade-level learning
teams management
Student
participation
Unit for safety
unit
and buildings
Unit to support
growth and
learning
51. Joy of learning
What you learn without joy you forget without grief
We bring emotion into learning
Give recognition, praise and support
Encourage and expect responsibility for own
learning and behavior
Give room for trial and error
Use what your students already know and can
Develop a positive attitude
Create a deep and personal learning process
that crosses subject - and learning environment
borders
52. Summary
System:
Equal opportunities
No streaming
Almost no testing
Schools and local authorities:
Develop their own curriculum
Quality is created on the spot, not delivered from the
top
Teachers:
Trusted and valued professionals, not subjected to
external evaluations
Student:
Ownership of and responsibility for learning
Flexible remedial teaching
Fairly little homework
Support of growth and learning. Development of the
whole person, not only the cognitive domain.
54. Sources:
Finnish Lessons. What can the world learn from
educational change in Finland. Pasi
Sahlberg, Teachers College press, Columbia
University, 2011
Miracle of Education, The Principles and Practices
of Teaching and Learning in Finnish Schools.
Hannele Niemi, Auli Toom, Arto Kallioniemi (eds).
Sense Publishers, 2012
The School of Opportunities – towards every
learner‟s potential. Finnish National Board of
Education www.oph.fi
Kielitivoli www.oph.fi
What‟s the point of school. Rediscovering the
heart of education. Guy Claxton, 2008
Cartoons by Wulffmorgenthaler
Notes de l'éditeur
Grade level teams. Teams deal with projects and other issues that concern all students in the grade.International unit. Responsible for international co-operation and contacts.Communications and networking unit. In charge of IT and PPP, marketing and publicity. Safety and school building unit. Responsible for all safety issues concerning students, staff and buildings.Unit for the support of learning and growth. In charge of pastoral care, central hub that co-ordinates multiprofessional work to ensure student welfare.Pedagogical unit.Center Student management unit (LMS, Wilma,),Participation unit (student council, co-operation),KiVa- team