1. Learning foreign languages
The Finnish-Russian school
Helsinki, Finland

2. Administration of basic education
President of the Republic
Parliament
Government
Ministry of Education
National Board of Education
Private school
Municipal authorities
State school
Matriculation Examination Board

3. Finnish educational system
Universities (3-5years)
Polytechnics (4 years)
Upper
secondary school
Vocational institutions
(3years)
Additonal voluntary 10 grade (1year)
Secondary school (9years)
Lower secondary (7-9grades)
Primary (1-6grades)
Pre-school (1year)

4. The Finnish-Russian school Helsinki
Founded in 1955
State school since 1977
Comprehensive language school
Finnish national curriculum
Focus on Russian language and culture
Teaching subjects in Russian
700 students

5. Basic education basic education 9 years Finnish national curriculum
focus on Russian language and culture
teaching subjects in Russian
Finnish as the mother tongue and Finnish as a second language
Russian as the mother language and Russian as a foreign language
English from grade 3
Swedish from grade 7
German and French from grade 8

6. Lessons per week Curriculum for basic education1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Finnish as the mother tongue and as a second language
7(+1)
6 (+1)
Russian as the mother tongue and as a second language
Swedish (B language))
Mathematics 3▲ 4▲
Natural science 1▲ 2▲
Biology and geography
Physics and chemistry
Health education
0,6
1,4
Religion/ethics
History and social studies
Music
Arts
Crafts
Physical education
Home economics
Student counselling
0,4
English (A language)
Lessons per week
22-23 23 26 28 31
▲- CLIL (content and language integration)

7. Upper secondary school Compulsory courses Applied courses Finnish 6 3
Russian 9
Swedish (B language) 5  2 
English (A language) 2
English (B language) 5
French (B 3-language)  - 8
German (B 3-language) -

8. Upper secondary school
individual study plan
course and study modules
different courses of study
minimum of 75 courses
12 courses in Russian
the studies may be accomplished in 3-4 years
students have the right to take the matriculation examination

9. Matriculation examination
written tests, the candidates pay a fee for each subject
two times a year (spring-autumn)
the candidate can complete the examination during one examination period or during three periods
4 compulsory tests: mother tongue and by choice at least 3 other tests: Swedish, a foreign language, mathematics and one test from science and humanities subjects (psychology, philosophy, history, social studies, biology, religion/ethics, geography, health education)
the Matriculation Examination Board is responsible for administering the test

10. Criteria of the language scales
 Upper secondary school
listening
speaking
reading
writing
Russian (A-language)
B2.1
English (A-language)
English (B1-language)
В1.2
German (B 2-language)
 А2.2
 А2.1-А2.2
 А2.2-В1.1
А2.1-А2.2
German (B 3-language)
А2.1
А1.3.А2.1
 French ( B 2-language)
 French ( B 3-language)

11. The levels of the language proficiency scale
9 grade
Russian
English
Language scale
В1.2 listening, reading
В1.1 writing, speaking
В1.1 listening, reading
А2.2 writing, speaking
 Upper secondary school
listening
speaking
reading
writing
Russian (A-language)
B2.1
English (A-language)
English (B 1 -language)
В1.2
German (B 2 -language)
 А2.2
 А2.1-А2.2
 А2.2-В1.1
А2.1-А2.2
German (B 3-language)
А2.1
А1.3.А2.1
 French ( B 2- language)
 French ( B 3- language)

12. Foreign language teachers
60 teachers work at school, among them
4 English teachers
1 German teacher
1 Swedish teacher
1 French teacher
15 Russian teachers
Some of the teachers teach two foreign languages

13. The Finnish Matriculation Examination in foreign languages
The test consists of two parts
1 part (listening comprehension)
2 part (written production)
The test has 4 sections
sections 1-3include texts of different difficulty level
section 4 is a translation into Finnish based on listening
duration – 60 min.
maximum points– 90
The test has 3 sections
1 – reading comprehension
2 –grammar and vocabulary
3 – written production
duration – 6 hours
maximum points –209

14. Textbook + workbook+ CD
Russian textbooks
Textbook + workbook+ CD

15. Textbook+ workbook+ CD
English textbooks
Textbook+ workbook+ CD 15

16. Textbook+ workbook+ CD
Swedish textbooks
Textbook+ workbook+ CD

17. Textbook+ workbook+ CD
German textbooks
Textbook+ workbook+ CD

18. Textbook+ workbook+ CD
French textbooks
Textbook+ workbook+ CD

19. Forign language classrooms
computer classrooms -subject classrooms -interactive board - video equipment

20. The Finnish Russian School
Address: Kaarelankuja 2
00430 Helsinki
Headmaster phone
Office phone
fax