Study Guide

Objective

Students will acquire the oral and written language skills of their professional field in the second national language as required by the university of applied sciences legislation (1129/2014,7§). They will be able to communicate orally and in writing in Swedish in their work environments and as members of multi-professional work communities in both Finnish and Nordic contexts. They take into account in their communication the linguistic and cultural starting points of the participants. The students know how to acquire information in their professional field from different sources and convey information both in writing and orally utilizing the possibilities provided by technology and digitalization in the work tasks of their own fields. The students know their level of competence in their language and communication skills and independently develop their language skills.

Content

The course content is determined by each degree program and the course contents consist of key oral and written exercises specific to each degree program.

•Key international and domestic international interaction situations: individual and group communication
•Key concepts and terms of the professional field.
•Organizations, work environments, tasks, processes and tools of the professional field
•Self-assessment of the language and communication skills and developing learning strategies.

Location and time

Lähiopetus kampuksella, aikataulu myös lukujärjestyksessä

Materials

The teachers material, available before course start, evaluation on a scale from
1-5,

Teaching methods

activating exercises, listening and reading comprehension, activation of the spoken language in small groups

Exam schedules

Spoken language level check the second last lesson, written exam the last lesson, exam retake is possible twice

Completion alternatives

-

Student workload

contact tuition: 80% compulsory attendence, self studies, written task to be done outside lessons

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The students can communicate in their most typical and field-specific professional situations in working life. The students can write simple texts with some inconsistencies. Errors may make understanding challenging. The students take part in simple interaction but often need support from other speakers. The students have a good command of the vocabulary of their own field and everyday language use, but linguistic inaccuracies may make it difficult to get the message across. The students use the most common basic structures in a one-sided way and sometimes incorrectly. The students can pronounce mostly understandably but not like a native, and the slowness of the rhythm can slow down communication. The students receive feedback and attempts to apply it to the written and oral assignments.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The students can cope with everyday field specific language use situations related to their field of work. They are able to write a coherent text that conveys the message and participates proactively in the interaction in familiar situations in the field. They are able to use the basic vocabulary of their own field and everyday language moderately. Word choices may show inaccuracies and structural deficiencies that do not interfere with communication. They pronounce understandably, and the interruptions in the sentence rhythm do not interfere with getting the message across. The students are able to evaluate their own language skills and set development goals for themselves.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The students are performing well with versatile and demanding general and field specific language situations related to their professional field.They produce clear and detailed text that takes the register into account and is relevant. They are taking active part and interact in professional situations appropriately. The speech is smooth and
effortless and takes into account the interaction partner. They use the field specific vocabulary, general language
and structures almost flawlessly. They pronounce clearly and the rhythm of sentences is natural. The students develop their language skills in a goal-oriented manner.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The students can deal with the most common working life communication situations and field specific language situations related to their work. They write simple, partly incoherent texts. Mistakes can make it difficult to get the message across. They participate in simple interactions, but often need support from an interaction partner. They master the usual vocabulary of their own field and common language use, but linguistic inaccuracies can affect comprehensibility. They use the most common structures in a one-sided way and partly incorrectly. They pronounce mainly understandably, although pronunciation differs from the target language and the slowness of the sentence rhythm can make communication difficult. The students receive feedback and strive to apply it to their oral written assignments.

Assessment methods and criteria

ongoing evaluation, a oral test and a written exam in the end of the course

Prerequisites

The level B1 of the Common European Framework of References (CERF) for Languages.

Further information

Oral and written language skills are assessed separately.
The students, whose school education language is Swedish, complete the course Finnish as a Second Domestic Language within the module Finnish at Work in Social Services .The students shall receive the following language clause in their diploma: The student has acquired such oral and written language skills in Finnish required of state officials functioning in a position corresponding to the Act 693/2016, 6 § proficiency of the second domestic language us in bilingual public administration with a grade of good/ satisfactory for the oral skills and the scale of good/satisfactory for the written skills.

If the students are exempted from Swedish, they will complete the course Finnish as a Second Domestic Language in the module Finnish at Work in Social Services.