Finnish Language School

Class Descriptions

FLSA offers the following Saturday classes for new and returning students.

Beginning I

Teacher: Susanna Andersson

No previous exposure to Finnish language required. Students will learn basic conversational skills, with attendant vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. By the end of the year, students will be able to introduce themselves, discuss their language and nationality, family and friends, professions and hobbies, hometown and country, and the weather, as well as tell time and conduct basic transactions in stores and restaurants.

Beginning I

Teacher: Teija Reyes

Intermediate I

Teacher: Hanna Wagner

Some previous study of Finnish required. This course includes:

Review and extension of the basic skills necessary when talking about oneself and everyday life, i.e. questions and answers about one's name, nationality, what one does for a living, where one lives, basic shopping vocabulary, etc. (see Level I).

Introduction of basic conversational skills in talking about hobbies and other interests; family friends, relatives; work and holidays; giving and understanding directions and how to locate places.

Other topics and skills that the students show an interest in working on.

Intermediate II

Teacher: Adele Hagen

Basic concepts of Finnish required. This course reinforces and builds on grammar, vocabulary and expressions learned previously. A typical class period is spent in review, new material, and homework discussions. The emphasis is on use of Finnish in everyday life including some light reading and informal writing. Grammar and subject matter are taken from texts and augmented by the teacher and students to accommodate various interests. The class is conducted in Finnish as much as possible.

Advanced

Teacher: Lea Christiansen

Students in this class are fairly fluent speakers of Finnish who read newspaper texts, listen to current events and special interest stories, read novels and watch movies. Conversations tend to be animated and spontaneous on a variety of topics. In all activities special emphasis is placed on cognitive strategies for comprehension and recall, such as using word formation rules, syntax, and connectives to determine meaning in context. Grammar points are reviewed from a functional point of view and contrasted with similar functions but different grammatical forms in English.

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