1. Education of language and culture groups in Espoo
Astrid Kauber and Sanna Voipio-Huovinen
Unit for Language and Culture Groups
2013

2. Key figures of schools in Espoo
97 comprehensive schools with roughly 27 000 pupils
83 Finnish-speaking comprehensive schools
24 000 pupils, of which roughly 8 000 in middle schools
about 2 000 teachers
12 Swedish-speaking comprehensive schools
about 2 600 pupils in total
2 private schools
11 Finnish-speaking general upper secondary schools
About students and roughly 300 teachers
1 general upper secondary school for adults (about students)
1 Swedish-speaking general upper secondary school (about 500 students)
Several upper secondary vocational education and training institutions, of which the largest is Omnia
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

3. Number of students with a foreign L1, FSL-students and students studing their own mother tongue in Espoo
Tilastoidaan ainoastaan väestörekisteriin merkityn äidinkielen perusteella, ei ole mukana kaksikielisten perheiden lapsia, paluumuuttajalapsia.
Sininen viiva – vieraskieliset
Vihreä viiva – s2
Keltainen viiva – MAI
S2 oppilaiden määrän kasvu
Vieraskielisten oppilaiden määrä on viimeisen 10 vuoden aikana enemmän kuin kaksinkertaistunut Vieraskielisiä 12,5 % peruskoulussa, vuodessa määrä kasvaa yhdellä prosenttiyksiköllä. Koulutulokkaista 15 %. Väestöennuste. Lukioissa vieraskielisiä 6 % (aikaisempina vuosina 4 %).
Espoossa vieraskielisiä oppilaita on kaikissa peruskouluissa, 31 koulu jossa yli 10 % ja 10 koulua jossa yli 30 %.
S2 opetuksessa oppilaiden määrä reippaassa kasvussa ja S2 opetusta tarjotaan melkein kaikissa espoolaisissa peruskouluissa.
Mai oppilaiden määrä on kasvanut tänä vuonna n 250 oppilaan verran verrattuna edelliseen vuoteen.
Astrid Kauber

4. Largest groups of students in Espoo comprehensive schools
Russian 498
Estonian 466
Somali 441
Albanian 222
Arabic 210
English 149
Kurdish 144
Mandarin Chinese 113
Suomen ja ruotsin lisäksi 93 eri kieltä
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

5. Preparatory education
Children who are in need of support with their Finnish language begin their schooling in preparatory education (valmistava opetus)
Lasts for one school year (2 semesters)
Main focus on Finnish as a Second Language
Pupils in grades 2–9 are assigned to separate groups for preparatory education (“traditional” group-based preparatory education, like in other parts of Finland)
For pre-primary-aged children and first and second graders, preparatory education is organised in conjunction with ordinary pre-primary and first grade education (inclusive preparatory education, in Espoo only): 1-2 teachers giving extra support in simultaneous teaching or mini groups, making friends and learning from native Finnish speakers
Students study FSL, Mathematics, Science, English (from 3rd class onwards),
Music, Arts, Crafts and Sport in Finnish
And also Home Economics in the upper level (grades 7-9)
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

6. L1= immigrants´ mother tongue and teaching of minority religions
Children with an immigrant background can receive education in their own mother tongue (maahanmuuttajien äidinkielen opetus, 2h /week).
Finnish returnee pupils and children adopted from abroad can also participate in the classes to maintain language skills acquired abroad.
Education in the mother tongue is provided in more than 34 languages.
8 different religious and ethical subjects are taught in Espoo.
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

7. L1 Immigrants´ mother tongue
Instruction in Espoo : Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bosnian,Bulgarian, English, Spanish, Farsi/Dari, Filipino/Tagalog, Hindi, Dutch, Indonesia, Italian, Cantonese, Khmer, Greek, Kurdish, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Mandarin Chinese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Polish, French,Romanian, Roma language, Same, German, Somali, Danish, Thai, Turkish, Hungarian, Russian, Vietnamese, Estonian
2 lessons / week 90 min.
Education for pre-primary students in separate groups, mainly in the evenings: languages Spanish, English, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Estonian, Arabic,Hungarian,German
more languages will be needed in the future, organization depends on the number of applications and finding a qualified teacher
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

8. Intensified support in future school years after preparatory education
After preparatory education, the pupil is transferred to basic education, where he/she receives intensified support (maahanmuuttajien määräaikainen opetus, support given in Espoo) with his/her studies, if necessary
extra support from 1-5 teachers, two teachers in the same class, different educational arrangements etc.
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

9. Cooperation between home and school
The school provides the guardians with information that allows them to monitor and advance the schooling and learning of their child
Guardians are entitled to a personal meeting with their child’s class teacher or tutor at least once per school year
Parent-teacher evenings and other events for parents: home-school collaborative support groups (vertaisryhmä, see Väestöliitto)
All schools use the electronic Wilma system where guardians can monitor the pupil’s learning outcomes, view and report on the pupil’s absences, send messages to teachers, receive messages and notifications from the teacher and the school; also reissuvihko still in use with immigrants or other measures
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

10. General, intensified and special support for learning
The pupil can also receive special support either in a special class, part-time special class or, if possible, in connection with other teaching. The organisation of education observes the pupil’s best interests, learning potential and the special demands set for the learning environment.
Pupils are also supported by interpretation and assistant services as well as special needs assistants in compliance with the Basic Education Act and the Services and Assistance for the Disabled Act.
interpreters used weekly at schools, needed for all collaboration with immigrant /refugee families
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

11. Pupil and student welfare
Responsible for the physical, mental and social wellbeing of pupils and students.
Aims to identify the pupils’ and students’ need for support as early as possible
The support is provided by
School social workers
Psychologists
Therapists
School health care staff
Free of charge and confidential
Organised in cooperation with parents and teachers.
Each comprehensive school in Espoo has a pupil welfare team that coordinates and develops pupil welfare
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen

12. Immigrant students’ path in Espoo, if s/he does not have a full schooling background
Universities and colleges
Preparatory education for adults
1 (2) yrs. In different groups and in a separate group for illiterates
Adult high school/
Adult high school start courses/
Other high schools, 3 yrs.
Comprehensive school lower level
Starting competence in Finnish A1.3, objective level A2.2
(1 yr.)
Comprehensive school upper level, no grades
(courses on 7th-9th level) starting competence in Finnish A2.2
Vocational studies and preparatory education in vocational studies
OMNIA
APPLICATIONS / GUIDANCE to Espoo adult high school test, regarding the prior schooling and studying experience.:
Enrollment 3 times a year
Sanna Voipio-Huovinen