Want to learn a new language? Make your voluntary A2 language selection through Wilma from January 1st to January 20th, 2025!
This notice is for 3rd graders. Voluntary A2 language learning starts in 4th grade. In all schools, you can choose one of the following for your voluntary A2 language: Spanish, French, Swedish, German, or Russian.
In all schools, you can choose one of the following for your voluntary A2 language: Spanish, French, Swedish, German, or Russian. Studying a voluntary A2 language begins in the fourth grade and continues until the end of the ninth grade.
Choose your voluntary A2 language on Wilma by January 20, 2025. You will find the enrollment form at Wilma:
- Click “applications and decisions” (hakemukset ja päätökset).
- Click “make a new application” (tee uusi hakemus).
- Click “A2 language” (A2-kielivalinta).
You can also print the application form online at: vantaa.fi/kieltenopiskelu and return it to your own teacher by the due date for applications.
After termination of the application period principals will inform homes about the language groups in which instruction begins.
How is a language group formed?
Studying a voluntary A2 language will begin if 10 students have chosen the same language.
Schools in the same region can also together form a language group, if the number of students required is then fulfilled. The schools will agree in which school the group will study.
Why learn a new language?
Studying languages is an investment into the future! Learning and new language and coping in an unfamiliar environment are rewarding. A new language also opens up totally new perspectives and possibilities for the learner!
A2 language instruction largely takes the form of play, singing, and games, as well as practicing—to the extent possible—age-group-appropriate projects, information retrieval, and related use of social media. Language skills will be practiced in a number of ways: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Getting to know different countries, people and cultures, as well as comparing the similarities and differences between languages, constitute significant parts of language studies.
What is important to consider when making your language selection?
The student's interest in language studies is an important starting point. Before choosing the language, you are recommended to account for the experiences the child has in studying a foreign language. When required, you can discuss the student’s language choice with the English teacher.
It is important to consider the choice of voluntary language from the perspective of the student’s interest and coping. Good language skills result from long-term practice. There will be homework as well as exams assessing the students’ skills. Adding a second foreign language in the curriculum increases the number of weekly lessons by 2 lessons in grades 4-6. Studying an optional A2 language during grades 7–9 is included in the lessons reserved for elective subjects.
The A2 language selection is valid. Studying the voluntary A2 language will continue till the end of the 9th grade. You can only terminate your language studies for a justified reason, for example health-related issues or the change of school. At the end of basic education in 9th grade the guardians have the option of choosing to have a Pass mark instead of a number grade on the final report card for the elective A2-language.
How does the selection of A2 language (Spanish, French, German, Russian) affect optional subjects in grades 7-9?
The optional A2 language does not impact the number of optional artistic and practical subjects (for example sports and music). Studying an optional A2 language during grades 7–9 is included in the lessons reserved for other optional subjects (for example expressive arts and information and communications technology). This means that
- students with an optional A2 language do not have other optional subjects in the 7th grade
- in grades 8 and 9, the optional A2 language will be automatically counted as the student’s long optional subject (two annual weekly lessons per school year). This means that the student will have one annual weekly lesson available for other free-choice subjects per school year.
How does A2 Swedish as voluntary language affect your studies in grades 7-9?
All students will begin to study the B1 language (Swedish) in the 6th grade. If Swedish is a student's voluntary A2 language, its instruction will continue as usual in grades 6-9.
Studying optional A2 Swedish does not affect the student's optional subjects.
