Strengthening the basic skills and language of instruction of pupils with a migrant background

The action plan to support learning will run from 2022 to 2026. It is designed especially for pupils in grades 7 to 9 who might only have between 1 to 4 years of schooling in Finland. 

The focus will be on making sure the school system is properly equipped to address and help especially learners who arrive in Finland at the lower secondary level and whose earlier educational background is low.  Pupils have different linguistic and academic capabilities and they may also have been exposed to traumatic experiences in their country of origin.

Action plan to strengthening basic skills and language skills 

The emphasis in the action plan is on how the school system can take into account and help especially learners who arrive in Finland at the lower secondary level and whose earlier educational background is low.  In addition to language skills, pupils need support for their academic skills, learning skills and basic skills.

The measures in the plan involve pedagogy, organisation of teaching, and support for learning. It will also examine whether legislative or structural changes might be needed.

1. Evaluation of preparatory studies
2. Finnish or Swedish as a second language - enhancing teaching 
3. Supporting integration of pupils in studies preparing for primary and lower secondary education
4. Supporting capabilities for attending school
5. Improving monitoring
6. National development plan for education for migrants
7. Model for integrating pupils with a migrant background into primary and lower secondary education

1. Evaluation of preparatory studies

The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) has collected data on the existing state and effectiveness of preparatory studies and instruction in the pupil’s own mother tongue. Recommendations for further development will be drawn up based on the evaluations. The project’s final report will be published in summer 2022.

The evaluations will produce information on the state and effectiveness of studies that prepare for primary and lower secondary education. The viewpoints of pre-primary education, primary and lower secondary education as well as those of young people who have arrived in the country at a late age are taken into account in the evaluation. The evaluation on the state and effectiveness of instruction in the pupil’s own mother tongue examines how the instruction has been organised. Factors that promote and hamper teaching and learning will also be examined.

2. Finnish or Swedish as a second language - enhancing teaching 

Owal Group Ltd has examined the implementation and development needs when teaching Finnish/Swedish as a second language (S2) from all the way from early childhood education to higher education.

• Report 18 March 2022 (in Finnish): Suomi / ruotsi toisena kielenä - opetuksen nykytilan arviointi (Assessment of the current existing state of teaching in Finnish/Swedish as a second language )

The report shows that providers of early childhood education and care and education and training need cooperation and national guidance for enhancing teaching in Finnish/Swedish as a second language.  Challenges include the scarcity of resources, the need for continuing education, and guidance for pupils with a migrant background to ensure the continuity of their educational paths.

3. Supporting integration of pupils in studies preparing for primary and lower secondary education

To support the integration of pupils in studies preparing for primary and lower secondary education, 13 projects are under way in which good practices are being developed and consolidated. The projects focus on preparatory studies and on the transition phase between pre-primary and primary education as well as on integration in primary and lower secondary education.

The projects, funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education, will terminate at the end of 2022. The experiences gained from the projects will be used in evaluations by FINEEC.

4. Supporting capabilities for attending school

The Finnish National Agency for Education has allocated EUR 12 million in 2022 for projects for education providers that will reinforce developing pupils’ language skills in the language of instruction and the subject disciplines, and their learning skills, school attendance capabilities and basic skills. 

In addition, seamless transitions from preparatory studies to primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education will be ensured. FINEEC will carry out a developmental evaluation of the project process.

5. Improving monitoring

A binding model whereby school communities work collaboratively that combines co-creation and evaluation will be used for monitoring and supporting the project in 2022-2024. 

The Finnish National Agency for Education will coordinate project support and networking. The Agency will use the national linguistic and cultural diversity development network for networking purposes.

FINEEC is responsible for the developmental evaluation and for monitoring and implementing the evaluation. In addition, an overall assessment of the action plan for 2025-2026 will be added to FINEEC’s evaluation plan. FINEEC, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education will carry out monitoring and project support in cooperation with the Finnish National Agency for Education’s national linguistic and cultural diversity development network. 

As part of the developmental evaluation, FINEEC will produce an overview of the number of pupils with a migrant background who do not have any school background, lack school attendance practices or lack reading skills and other basic skills necessary for attending school in the higher grades of lower secondary education (FINEEC and the Finnish National Agency for Education).

6. National development plan for education for migrants

The Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education will draw up a national development plan for education for migrants for 2023-2026. 

Stakeholders and researchers will be consulted during the preparation process. The plan will be based on the recommendations of the evaluations carried out by FINEEC and Owal Group and on the preparatory work carried out in project cooperation.

The plan will also examine how to reorganise basic education for adults.

7. Model for integrating pupils with a migrant background into primary and lower secondary education

The action plan’s research project will chart and create a model for integrating pupils with a migrant background into primary and lower secondary education in the course of their preparatory studies and for linguistically-supported teaching in primary and lower secondary education.

The flexible model will take into account the pupils’ capabilities as well as support that meets needs. The model includes support for pupils and support for class teachers and subject teachers in how to adopt language-sensitive working methods.