Lifelong Learning Programme

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basic information

Title of the Project
Teaching Chinese
Brief description
The early language teaching project is nationally important. Chinese is taught as a foreign language by using CLIL. The aim is to achieve the bilingualism. There has been close co-operations with Chinese authorities. For the pupils who do not want to stud
Country
Finland
Year
2010
Target Language
Other
Sector
School Education
Further Information

THE INITIATIVE PROMOTER’S PERSPECTIVE

Background

The project is important to economic and working life and corresponds to their needs. There is also increasing need for learning Chinese among internationally mobile families.

Objectives

The objective of Chinese as a foreign language program is to respond to the increasing need of Chinese speakers. The objective of bilingual program is functional bilingualism which is supported by providing teaching of both the Finnish language and Mandarin Chinese.

Approach

1. Early language learning
2. CLIL - Content and language integrated learning
3. Intercultural awareness and intracultural competence

Results

In 2012 already 50 % of Meilahti Primary School’s students study Chinese as a A-language or in bilingual program. In bilingual program there are about 60 students in grades 1-9. The instruction follows the national curriculum but the national assessment tools have not been made yet for Chinese. (E.g. National language tests). The program has been taken as a model also for other language programs, e.g. Finnish-Spanish program in Käpylä Comprehensive School (Helsinki).

Why the European Language Label?

The initiative for applying the label came from the National Board of Education and Helsinki Education Department that encouraged Meilahti Schools to make an application. Application was made by writing a written report.

Activities following the award of the European Language Label

The project has acted as a model for the creation and development of other language learning programmes (e.g. Finnish-Spanish programme.

Assessment of the Impact of the European Language Label

The Label gave status for the Chinese program. The program was officially noticed important and innovative.

THE NELLIP NETWORK’S PERSPECTIVE

Consistency with European Policies in the field of Language Learning

A less taught language is offered for children from the early childhood and through the whole comprehensive school.

THE NATIONAL AGENCY’S PERSPECTIVE

Motivations

The project has a nationally important impact on language learning. The aim to raise bilingual pupils is significant. There are various ways of teaching Chinese. The official contacts with the Republic of China are created and it is concrete, many-sided and carried put with many agents. There is a systematic method of follow up of the project results and the results can be transferred into other languages. The possibility to learn Chinese in the comprehensive school is assured. The project responses also in an important way to the needs of working life.

ENCLOSURES

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21 December 2014

Audio- video presentation of the NELLIP project

An audio- video presentation of the NELLIP project has been created and made available in the Information section of the NELLIP portal. To access the presentation please click here: http://nellip.pixel-online.org/IF_intro.php.