cultural activities
20
finnish cultural foundation
annual report 2012–2013
Finnish for full-time parents
T
he Finnish for full-time mothers
and fathers project run by the City
of Espoo developed models for
the integration of immigrants with small
children in the Helsinki region.
Around 200 immigrant parents applied
for the 120 places on the 12 Finnish lan-
guage courses held in the space of two
years by the City of Espoo. The courses
also provided information about Finnish
society and its services. The students’
children came into contact with a Finnish-
speaking environment and acquired skills
they would later need in a day nursery.
THE PROJECT
was coordinated by
Heli
Mäkeläinen
from the City of Espoo Adult
Education Centre, who was also one of
the teachers.
“The special thing about this pilot pro-
ject was the goal orientation. We began
by assessing the applicants’ existing lan-
guage skills and placing those selected in
groups of the same standard. This proved
to be a good idea. The groups studied for
three hours two mornings a week. They
learnt Finnish by doing things with peo-
ple of the same standard; this motivated
them and produced good results. Many of
the beginners learnt to read and write dur-
ing the year, and at the end, over 80 per
cent said they could speak more Finnish
than before.”
CHILD
care was, according to Heli
Mäkeläinen, a primary prerequisite for
successful language training. In 10 of the
groups the children played with trained
carers in another room during the les-
sons. In two mother-and-baby groups
the children were in the classroom with
their mothers.
“If the mother can speak Finnish, it
helps the whole family to integrate, and
later the children to cope in day care,
at school and in their studies,” says Heli
Mäkeläinen. “The Participative Integra-
tion in Finland project aimed to support
those who were most in need. The families
were not necessarily poor. No immigrant
can cope unless they speak the language
of the country. Children learn a new lan-
guage at an early age, and often better than
their parents. If one of the parents is a Finn,
the husband or wife should also be able
to communicate with their relations and
the community. Needs vary greatly. Few of
the people on the courses were refugees.
“In order to carry out the project, we
had to have competent personnel and
premises that were suitable for teaching
purposes and safe for children. This was
quite a job and meant being prepared to
collaborate with others. But this paid off
and I felt I was doing a valuable job.”
TAILORED
language tuition for immigrant
parents, and the child care making it pos-
sible for them to attend, are among the
primary services provided by the City of
Espoo. During the 2013–2014 academic
year, the City is running graded courses for
housewives in partnership with the Adult
Education Centre and the local parish.
Studying in a graded
group motivates immigrant
mothers to learn the new
language. Yuan Shuxiania
being taught by
Alina Niukkanen.
