Improve Your English from B1 to B2 levelLaajuus (6 ECTS)

Objective

Goals

You will learn how English is studied in higher education institutes in Finland: how lectures, independent study, and group work support each other. You will learn language learning strategies, as well as how to find reliable information online and how to refer to different sources. You will learn the basic differences between academic and non-formal writing. You will also receive information about Finnish higher education study culture.

Content

Contents

The course focuses on improving the skills required for studying English at higher education institutions in Finland. It also includes some grammar, but the focus is more on study skills, language learning strategies as well as information retrieval. The course will consist of both independent study and online meetings with the teachers, which will focus on oral skills, working in groups on assignments, active participation, and student-centred learning.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Evaluation

Students’ competences are evaluated through multiple evaluation methods and criteria. The evaluation is continuous in order to support learning and it does not happen only at the end of a course.

Teacher, peer, and self-evaluation are all used when evaluating. Evaluation is a part of student guidance and its aim is to make the student aware and able to evaluate their own competences and to develop them further.
All courses are evaluated numerically on scale 0–5, and the courses use joint evaluation criteria (see below). Pass-fail evaluation may only be used if it is not possible to determine common learning goals for all students of the course. The implementation plan of each course has more detailed information about the evaluation.
Joint evaluation criteria:

FAIL
The student has not achieved the course objectives. They are able to identify and use only a few course subject area’s concepts and cannot apply their knowledge.
1–2
The student has achieved the course objectives fairly. They are able to identify and use the course subject area’s concepts and understand the conditions of knowledge and skills development.

* Students of the pilot implementation in 2023-2024 do not need to be eligible to higher education. An applicant is eligible to higher education if they have completed
• Finnish matriculation examination,
• Finnish vocational qualification,
• Non-Finnish degree, which gives eligibility to higher education in said country or
• Non-Finnish university degree.

If the applicants cannot prove their qualification with a certificate, they must be granted a refugee status (a decision on refuge or a residence permit based on international protection).
** The pilot programme in 2023-2024 is organised as blended learning, where most of the studies are carried out online. There will also non-mandatory meetings and visits to the campuses of the universities of applied sciences that are organizing the preparatory programme.
*** In the pilot implementation 2023-2024, the students may also get guidance and support for their studies in Ukrainian and Russian.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

3–4
The student has achieved the course objectives well, even though the knowledge and skills need improvement in some areas. They are able to use the course concepts well and to apply their knowledge in study and work situations. The student is able to analyse their own knowledge and skills.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

5
The student has achieved the objectives of the course very well. They know the course subject area’s concepts well and are able to make justified and fluent analysis on course subject area. The student is well prepared to apply their knowledge and skills in study and work situations. They are able to analyse the competencies of the study field and the development of their own knowledge and skills.