Swedish B-language in ylä-aste

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:28 pm

Does anyone know where I can find the ruling on Swedish language lessons for schoolkids?
It is my understanding that there is an "opt out" possibility for children who are not Finnish and who are taking Finnish as a foreign language in school.

My two eldest kids had no problem with this in Helsinki but my youngest has just started ylä-aste in Espoo and I think opting out might be an issue I have to fight for.

It just seems crazy to me that kids who are struggling with Finnish have to cope with Swedish as well

In his first jakso my son only gets THREE Finnish lessons per week

So it would nice if we could trade the two Swedish lessons for some extra FFL.

**Sponsor:**

Eliss · Post by **Eliss** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:24 am

In Finland there is Perusopetuslaki http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1998/19980628 that's in finnish, i'm sorry.. Thats law for education in elementary school.
It's says in "18 § Erityiset opetusjärjestelyt" Special arrangement that "Oppilaan opiskelu voidaan järjestää osittain toisin kuin tässä laissa ja sen nojalla säädetään ja määrätään, jos:" and "2) perusopetuksen oppimäärän suorittaminen olisi oppilaalle olosuhteet ja aikaisemmat opinnot huomioon ottaen joltakin osin kohtuutonta; tai"
Students studies can be arrangent differently (than this law says) if: and 2) if some parts of elementary schools course will be unconscionable (or something like that..) considering students earlier studies and situation.

So I think thats the law you should take in board.. 'Cos it's not readonable considering students earlier studies..

AldenG · Post by **AldenG** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:07 am

kohtuuton = excessive or, especially in a context like this, unreasonable

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:47 am

Thanks

Parents' meeting next week....

RA · Post by RA » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:38 am

Penelope, I got to opt out of compulsory swedish at both polytechnic and uni levels for the reason that both my elementary and secondary education were completed out of Finland, even though the Finnish embassy provided us some lessons in both Finnish and Swedish. I was also led to believe that I wouldn't have had to have Swedish had I come back at the lukio stage or earlier so you may have a shot. Swedish though I think was much easier to grasp grammatically than Finnish because it's more closer to English. Perhaps your son may find it even easier than Finnish?

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:59 am

Yes, I'm sure he would find it easier than Finnish (who wouldn't?) but he NEEDS to learn Finnish as quickly as possible whereas he doesn't NEED Swedish and I am afraid that English+Finnish+French+Swedish would just drive him crazy. That would be four lots of grammar each week

even I couldn't cope with that and I'm really nerdy about grammar. If languages were taught differently here then I might not have such an issue. But even English mother tongue is taught from a book and is grammar-based (ie: no creative writing or analysis, little if any focus on organising long pieces of discourse - oral or written - almost zero literature, zero poetry and drama). It would be nice if he could focus on Finnish fluency for the time being. We can always send him on a study exchange to Sweden if he needs to learn the language in a hurry.

But yes, I agree with you. It should be possible for him to opt out.

RA · Post by RA » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:28 am

Oh yes... that's one too many languages I agree. Let us know how it turns out.

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