curriculum reform in finnish general education

For learning and competence For learning and competence

Curriculum reform in Finnish general education

Basic outlines of the process and reform of CLIL and immersion

education

Anna-Kaisa Mustaparta

Counsellor of education

For learning and competence

Reform of general education

The entire general education system - objectives, lesson-hour distribution, the National Core Curricula and local curricula - is under reform.

The work will be carried out as a whole between 2012 and 2016/2017 (including the local process).

The process involves broad-based co-operation with education experts and various stakeholders.

Support is provided for local curriculum development efforts: http://www.oph.fi/ops2016/paikallisen_tyon_tuki


Key questions of the reform

What will education mean in the future? What types of competencies will be needed? What kind of practices would best produce the desired education and learning? VISION

How will change be realized in municipal and school cultures and in every lesson? ACTION

What kind of skills will teachers and other school staff require in order to promote education and learning for the future? TEACHER EDUCATION

How do the national core curricula and local curricula guide and support the work of teachers and the school community? STANDARDS


Premise for the curriculum planning

Premise for planning the core curricula involves: Estimating the changes in the operating environment

Analysing the current state

Findings of research, evaluations and development projects

International material – what could we learn from others?

National policy guidelines, which include:

Education Act and Decree (perusopetuslaki ja –asetus)

Government decree (tuntijakoasetus)

Government Programme and the Development Plan for Education and Research (KESU)


Applying the findings of development projects

Findings of recent national development projects to be utilised in outlining the national core curriculum:

Intensified and special support (KELPO)

Pupil and student welfare service structures

Guidance counselling

Education provision in hospitals (SAIREKE)

Supporting the basic education provision for Romani children (ROKU)

Multiculturalism skills within school communities (MOKU)

Language teaching (KIELITIVOLI)

ICT in teaching


Legislative changes and new development tasks to be

considered

Early Childhood Education Act and the possibility of pre-primary education becoming compulsory

Pupil and Student Welfare Act and amending the sections on school discipline

Promoting equality, particularly between men and women

Entrepreneurship and skills for working life

Facilitating democracy, empowerment and influence

Enhancing social skills and good manners


General education reform: curriculum development work

2012–20172012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

NCC for pre-primary, basic and voluntary additional basiceducation

NCC for general upper secondary education

NCC for basic education for adults and NCC for general upper secondary education for adults

NCC for basic education in the arts Local c

Local curricula

Local curricula

Local curricula

Local curricula

7

NCC Preparatory education for general upper secondary school

Local curricula


Implementing the core curriculum – support for local contributions

The core curriculum documents to be provided in electronic and structured form in order to allow them better serve the users and to increase adaptability

The text is divided into two sections:

a concise section about the standards with links to relevant legislation, and

a support section for explaining the standards and providing examples of implementation and links for relevant material to support teachers' work


Government Decree 422/2012 as a starting point

Applies to pre-primary education, basic education, voluntary additional basic education, and adult basic education

Sections defining main objectives for education:

Section 2: Growth towards humanity and responsible citizenship

Section 3: Necessary knowledge and skills

Section 4: Promoting education, equality and

lifelong learning

More participatory, physically active and creative schools with diverse language programs and integrated teaching and learning


Government Decree: lesson allocation

Pupil’s minimum amount of lessons is 222 in grades 1-9

More lesson hours to

•Social studies (+2)

•Physical education (+2)

•Music and visual arts (+1+1)

Integrated environmental studies in grades 1-6, including

•Biology

•Geography

•Physics

•Chemistry

•Health studies

More varied language program

•State supports financially municipalities in providing extra language studies


Broad-based competence (laaja-alainen osaaminen) in the draft

core curriculum (1)Broad-based competence refers to the entity of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, capacity and will

Competence supports the identity formation of pupils and creates an ability to lead a more sustainable life

Competence development requires cooperation across school subjects and dealing with the questions pupils find meaningful

Descriptions of competence have been derived from the government decree and defined in relation to the changes in the operating environment


Broad-based competence in the draft core curriculum (2)

Dimensions of broad-based competence (7):

Thinking and learning

Cultural competence, interaction and expression

Looking after oneself, managing daily activities, safety

Multiliteracy (monilukutaito)

ICT competence

Competence required for working life and entrepreneurship

Participation, empowerment and responsibility


Working approaches in basic education and schools

Importance of pupil assessment in the learning process is better described:

From assessment of learning towards assessment for learning, and assessment as learning

Importance of positive feedback

Defining goals for developing organizational culture:

emphasizing the developing nature of organizational culture and its significance for pupils' growth and learning

supporting the implementation of the value basis and tasks, and the development of broad-based competence

emphasizing coherent basic education and integrated teaching


Schools as learning organisationsSchools learn themselves while supporting their pupils' growth and encouraging all of their members to learn:

•Strengthening pupils' positive and realistic self image

•Emphasis of unhurried pace and peace

•Self-reflection of individuals and the whole school community

•Learning as the focus of the school's pedagogic leadership

Features of learning organisations:

•Varied working approaches

•Interaction and empowerment

•Wellbeing and safety in daily life

•Diverse cultures and language awareness

•Responsibility for the environment and future orientation


WHAT DO PUPILS SAY?

Children are different and everybody has the right to learn the things they need in life.

The key skills in the future will be the ability to look after oneself, skills for working life and empowerment, responsibility and contribution - personal relationships and looking after others could be emphasized more.

Pupils of different ages should learn to work together; learning from other pupils could be highlighted more.

Schools could make use of the skills pupils have acquired in leisure time and outside school; for example, pupils could teach each other.

Good atmosphere, encouragement and a variety of tasks in different environments are important at school.

We want to make a difference in our own lives. Pupils should be able to influence the tasks in school.

For learning and competence For learning and competence

CLIL and immersion

Questions to be considered during the curriculum reform process


Members of the groupAnna-Kaisa Mustaparta, counsellor of educatioin, FNBE, chairman

Anu Halvari, counsellor of education, FNBE, secretary

Mari Bergroth, university teacher, Vaasa University

Kim Haataja, researher, Tampere University

Eva-Lisa Hasan, teacher, The French-Finnish School of Helsinki

Maarit Kaunisto, teacher, the Finnish-Russian School

Pia Mikkola, principal of Tampere International School

Mari Peteri, teacher, Käpylä School, Helsinki

Mona Reku, teacher, Turku International School

Sirpa Rönkä, teacher, Martinlaakso School, Vantaa

Mira Tallgård, immersion teacher, Pietarsaari


Underlying principles

CLIL and immersion education obey the standards of basic education legislation and the core curriculum with small exceptions (Government Decree 422/2012 about lesson allocation, section 8).

The goals and contents for all subjects are the same as in ordinary schools.

This means also that the majority of the pupils should be able to understand and use the concepts of all the subjects and to learn the contents of various subjects also in Finnish.

The criteria of final assessment for a grade of 8 are the same in all subjects, also for the foreign language.


The present text: introduction

Instruction in a foreign language and language-immersion instruction in the national languagesIn instruction in the different subjects it is also possible to use a language other than the school’s language of instruction, in which case the language is also an instrument for learning the contents of the different subjects as opposed to being simply the object of the instruction and learning. In this case one generally speaks of instruction in a foreign language or language-immersion instruction. The education-provider decides on the designation. The central objective is that the pupils be able to acquire a firmer language proficiency than in lessons reserved for the language in normal instruction. In mother-tongue-and-literature instruction, the school’s language of instruction is used.


Instruction given in the school’s language of instruction and instruction given in a foreign language or language-immersion language form an integrated whole. The objects and contents are the same as in instruction in Finnish or Swedish. Regardless of how extensive the instruction in a foreign language or language immersion is, the pupil is to achieve such a proficiency in the school’s language of instruction and in the foreign or language-immersion language that the objectives of the different subjectives can be attained. The curriculum is to specify what subjects and how much of their instruction are to be taught in the foreign language or the language-immersion language. Curricula of mother tongue and literature and for the foreign or language-immersion language are drafted in cooperation of the teachers, so that all the contents of mother tongue and literature are covered and the objectives are attainable.


Diversity of cultural identities and language backgrounds of the

pupils 1Pupils have mixed identities and backgrounds: the majority are Finnish-speaking pupils, who may have lived abroad with their family or plan to move abroad. They have acquired or wish to acquire good skills in English in order to be able to study and work abroad. Some are from mixed marriages.

School work should be organized so as to guarantee these pupils equal opportunities with the pupils of ’ordinary’ schools when applying for secondary education.

They should be able to choose between secondary education either in Finnish or in English.


Diversity of cultural identities and language backgrounds of the

pupils 2Usually there is also a minority, who live or plan to live in Finland for a limited time. Their mother tongue can be English or any other language.

Among these pupils are so called late arrivers who may not have enough time to pracise their Finnish skills. Some are Finnish.

Part of their studies can be organized in a different way. Basic Education Act (section 18) and also the present Core Curriculum offer solutions (4.2 Learning plan).

It is hard to live in a country, if you do not speak the national language. Pupils who are going to stay in Finland should learn Finnish.


Basic Education Act 1998/628: Section 10: Language of instruction

The language of instruction and the language used in extracurricular teaching shall be either Finnish or Swedish. The language of instruction may also be Saami, Roma or sign language. In addition, part of teaching may be given in a language other than the pupils' native language referred to above, provided that this does not risk the pupils' ability to follow teaching. (Amendment 1288/1999)

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Additionally, in a separate teaching group or in a separate school, teaching may be given primarily or totally in a language other than those referred to in subsection 1.


Basic Education Act 1998/628: Section 12: Mother tongue

As mother tongue, the pupil shall be taught Finnish, Swedish or Saami in keeping with the language of instruction.

As mother tongue, the pupil may also be taught the Roma language, sign language or some other language which is the pupil's native language.


Language awareness

Language awareness and multiliteracy are new concepts to be introduced in basic education curriculum reform.

Language awareness means that language skills are supposed to develop not only during the language lessons (in bilingual education most often Finnish and English) but also during lessons of other subjects.


How much can and should be taught in English?

The legislation is very liberal: everything except mother tongue can be in English.

According to the new core curriculum skills in the mother tongue are acquired not only on mother tongue lessons but on all other lessons as well.

It does not seem justified to teach even the ’national’ content of subjects in English to the Finnish-speaking pupils (Finnish history, geography, species, social studies).

All big cities offer preparatory teaching for basic education for those who do not speak Finnish. This is a good option.


Questions of identityThe new core curriculum includes the idea of multilingual and multi-layer identity.

Children and young people may be uncenrtain about their identity: who they are, where they belong to, how highly they esteem their own background.

School should help pupils to answer these questions, support and appreciate the languages and cultures of the pupils and help them to appreciate their own cultural and linguistic background and history.


Which concepts should we adopt for use?

CLIL? (in Finnish?)

Bilingual education? (kaksikielinen opetus)

Education in a foreign language? (vieraskielinen opetus)

Immersion? Early total immersion? (kielikylpy, varhainen täydellinen kielikylpy)

Language-enriched education? (kielirikasteinen opetus)

Kielipainotteinen opetus? (in English?)

Etc.


Questions to be discussed

What kind of curriculum would support the identity formation of your pupils best?

What does language awareness mean in your kind of schools?

How is it possible to support the Finnish skills of the pupils in various subjects when the instruction is mainly in English?


Thank you!

curriculum reform in finnish general education

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