Markku Filppula Professor, Dean Philosophical Faculty University of Eastern Finland

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1 A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME IN EARLY LANGUAGE EDUCATION 8th seminar on Cooperation between Russian and Finnish Institutions of Higher Education St. Petersburg, March 2012 Markku Filppula Professor, Dean Philosophical Faculty University of Eastern Finland

2 COOPERATION PARTNERS UEF, Finland (Joensuu) University of Eastern Finland Philosophical Faculty School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education University Teacher Training School in Joensuu HSPUR, Russia (St Petersburg) Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia Institute of Childhood Department of Modern Languages for Young Learners

3 Joensuu St. Petersburg Finnish-Russian cooperation Joensuu Saint Petersburg

4 BACKGROUND: TEFOLA - JOINT STUDY MODULE (25 ECTS) Planning started in 2007 Language of cooperation: English Piloting of the whole module: Status as part of teacher education: UEF: optional minor subject studies for class teacher and subject teacher students HSPUR: compulsory module in the graduate programmes (Master s level) called Teaching Foreign Languages to Young Learners for Intercultural Communication and Intensive Training of Children in Foreign Languages Consists of 5 courses Two appointed persons in charge of each course: one from Finland and one from Russia

5 AIMS AND CONTENT After completing the minor subject studies of Teaching Foreign Languages to Young Learners students will: have gained expertise in early language learning/education and have knowledge and skills needed in planning, implementing and developing language education for young learners in pre-primary and primary education. o Minor studies include theory and practice and both mother tongue and foreign language perspectives, multilingualism & multiculturalism, lifelong language learning.

6 TEFOLA Teaching Foreign Languages to Young Learners (25 ECTS) Children as Language Learners Theory and Practice of Teaching Foreign Languages to Young Learners European Language Portfolio for Young Learners Research Practicum in Language Teaching/ Learning Teaching Practice 5 ECTS 5 ECTS 5 ECTS 5 ECTS 5 ECTS Individual course supervisors: UEF: Ph.D. Sari Havu-Nuutinen HY: Ph.D. Olga Malova UEF: MA Meri Jäppinen HY: Ph.D. Irina Vronskaya UEF: Ph.D.Kaija Perho HY: Ph.D. Olga Selivanovskaya UEF: Prof. Ph.D.Ritva Kantelinen HY: Prof. Ph.D.Victoria Pogosian UEF: MA Eila Kuokkanen HY: Ph.D. Olga Selivanovskaya UEF: University of Eastern Finland, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education (Joensuu, Finland) Contact person for the whole study module in Joensuu: Professor Ritva Kantelinen HY: Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Department of Modern Languages for Young Learners (St Petersburg, Russia) Contact person for the whole study module in St Petersburg: Professor Victoria Pogosian

7 Research TeFoLa a research-based and research promoting educational module Students research through Research Practicum course Action research to develop TeFoLa Comparative research on the issues of training teachers in Finland and Russia and on the primary and pre-school education in Finland and Russia, especially in the area of teaching foreign languages to young learners

8 EXPERIENCES SO FAR To enable research-based support for mutual cooperation in the joint TeFoLa module, data have been collected on teacher educators and teacher students experiences of TeFoLa cooperation and the study module so far Data collection conducted in the spring and summer of 2011 Teacher educators experiences by using SWOT templates and group discussion Teacher students experiences electronic questionnaire Data was analysed by using content analysis (Cohen, Manion & Morrison 2007) principles of SWOT analysis (Pahl & Richter 2007) Aimed at finding the relevant strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of TeFoLa collaboration

9 TEACHERS EXPERIENCES Strengths Finnish-Russian academic cooperation as such (e.g. teaching, research, team-work) Internationalization Motivated and talented students

10 TEACHERS EXPERIENCES Challenges Intercultural communication between teachers when planning and timing the teaching work Working in a Moodle environment Different timing of the academic year in Finland and Russia Students lack of orientation towards independent web-based work Organising more interaction between Finnish and Russian students

11 STUDENTS EXPERIENCES General strengths of TeFoLa: A useful combination of theory and practice to be used in future work as a teacher Well-organized Working in small groups Gaining a multi-cultural view on educational problems Sharing experience in an intercultural community

12 STUDENTS EXPERIENCES Particular benefits for students: Teaching English to children Writing scientific texts in English Getting different points of view from students from another country

13 STUDENTS EXPERIENCES General weaknesses, concerning TeFoLa as a whole too little collaboration between Finnish and Russian students Particular weaknesses, concerning some courses unclear or confusing guidelines and instructions, e.g. about deadlines too many tasks too few contact classes and discussions

14 Differences in Finnish and Russian students views Using English in the contact classes: Some of the Finnish students did not see any point in it Some of the Russian students appreciated it as an opportunity to practice professional English language

15 TOWARDS A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME Full name of programme: International Master s Double Degree Programme in Early Language Education for Intercultural Communication. Starting year: Degree to be awarded: Master s degree in Education. Both the Finnish degree from the UEF and the Russian degree from the HSPUR Includes a Teacher s qualification for Early Language Education. o Main language of instruction: English.

16 TOWARDS A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME Funding of the programme: teaching will be included in the annual work plan of the UEF/HSPUR teachers (professors and lecturers). Funding for teacher exchange (e.g. CIMO grants) will be actively applied to support teacher mobility and bring in visiting teachers/experts. Additional funding for, e.g., research within the programme (incl. Master s theses) will be applied from appropriate national/international sources.

17 TOWARDS A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME Person in charge in the University of Eastern Finland (UEF): Professor Ritva Kantelinen, Philosophical Faculty, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education. Person in charge in the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia (HSPUR): Professor, Head of Department Victoria Pogosian, Institute of Childhood, Department of Modern Languages for Young Learners.

18 TOWARDS A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME Mode of studies: programme delivery is based on offering part of the studies in Joensuu, part in St Petersburg, and part will be delivered as distance studies. Intake of students: Annually. Number of students / intake: 20. Procedure and prerequisites for admission: Foreign students: Bachelor s degree in Education or Bachelor s degree in Foreign Languages or Linguistics including teacher qualification, working knowledge of English.

19 TOWARDS A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME Finnish students: Bachelor s degree in Education or Bachelor s degree in Foreign Languages or Linguistics and qualification/accepted for pedagogical studies [class teacher students and language teacher students], working knowledge of English. Required proficiency level in English: CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) B1 level (minimum) knowledge of English; or completion of an English language Bachelor s programme; or an English language teacher qualification.

20 TOWARDS A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the programme, students will obtain and develop theoretical knowledge and practical skills for teaching foreign languages to young learners and for developing their multicultural awareness and skills in multicultural & intercultural communication. Their professional competence will be built on a wide theoretical background (current approaches to teaching languages; current theories of learning and teaching language and intercultural communication skills) and a range of practical skills based on theoretical knowledge: planning, assessment, evaluation, using games, songs, rhymes, pictures, storytelling, ICT.

21 TOWARDS A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME Students will be able to critically analyse and evaluate various approaches, methods, techniques and technologies for teaching children foreign languages and developing multicultural awareness. Students will be able to integrate research and professional development within the field of early language and education and intercultural communication. After completing the programme, students will be able to continue their academic studies at doctoral level in education.

22 TOWARDS A DOUBLE-DEGREE MA PROGRAMME Completing the programme prepares students for doctoral studies. Research conducted in the programme (Master s theses) will be tightly connected to the existing Finnish-Russian research cooperation between UEF and HSPUR. Research areas of the programme are related to: Methodology of teaching children for intercultural communication (this area of research has been little developed so far, and in this respect the research conducted by students will be an essential contribution); Problems of foreign and second language acquisition; Methods of teaching foreign languages to young learners; Comparative education studies.

23 CHALLENGING BUT REWARDING! Kuva pietarista