Finnish for Beginners 1Laajuus (5 cr)

Learning objectives

Starting level 0, target level A1 in Finnish.  
Upon completion of the course, the student is able to 

understand elementary Finnish  
express him/herself in everyday situations and tell about his/her life, family, appearance and feelings 
at some level understand and describe the basic facts of the Finnish culture and the Finnish language 

Contents

Pronunciation 
Greetings, introducing oneself: nationality, family 
Numbers, prices 
Expressions of time 
Weather 
Days of the week, months, seasons of the year 
To have, to have not 
Verb conjugation in present tense, types 1 - 5 
Basic adjectives, colours 
Asking questions with question words and with the question suffix 

Starting level and linkage with other courses

No previous studies are required. This course is to be finished before taking any other studies in Finnish for foreigners. 

Implementation methods, demonstration and Work&Study

Contact hours  
Independent studies  
The assessment of one’s own learning  
Oral and written exercises individually and in pairs, group work. 
Homework and preparation for lessons and exams. 

Assessment criteria - grade 1

The student has a limited capability to understand simple oral and written messages and transmit them to the recipient. Speaking and writing skills are passable as far as constructions and/or pronunciation is concerned. (S)he is able to recognize simple constructions and frequently used expressions in different situations. 

Assessment criteria - grade 3

The student is often able to understand simple oral and written messages and transmit them to the recipient. Speaking and writing skills are good as far as constructions and/or pronunciation is concerned. (S)he is able to apply the learned skills in practice on simple constructions in new situations. 

Assessment criteria - grade 5

The student is able to understand simple oral and written messages and transmit them successfully to the recipient. Speaking and writing skills are excellent as far as constructions and/or pronunciation is concerned.(S)he knows how to apply the learned skills in practice on simple constructions in new situations. 

Learning materials

Gehring, S. & Heinzmann, S. 2010. Suomen mestari 1. Suomen kielen oppikirja aikuisille. Finn Lectura. Helsinki. Chapters 1 - 5. (compulsory) 
Other material provided by teacher.