In order to orient learners and teachers, to outline the curriculum and coordinate the various classes within the Finnish school, FLSA uses the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, put together by the Council of Europe. The framework is very widely used internationally and all important exams, including the exam for a Finnish citizenship application (YKI). The test has six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2. Beginning learners are at levels A1 and A2, intermediate learners at levels B1 and B2, and advanced learners at levels C1 and C2. These are described in greater detail in the list below.
A1 beginning: you can (FLSA Beginner 1: Teacher Meri)
understand and use basic familiar expressions and phrases aimed at satisfying basic needs of everyday life
introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has
interact in a simple way by asking and answering simple questions provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help
A2 beginning: you can (FLSA Beginner 2: Teacher Lea)
handle short social everyday interactions by asking and answering questions
say what they want to say about themselves and their everyday life understand the main idea of texts related to everyday life or personal interests
describe people, places, and things
understand a few details in conversations they overhear
participate in conversations on familiar topics in various time frames
sometimes follow stories and descriptions in various time frames
write on familiar topics in a generally organized way using connected sentences
write some simple paragraphs about events and experiences in various time frames.
B1 intermediate: you can (FLSA Intermediate: Teacher Pirjo, FLSA Advanced: Teacher Hanna)
communicate fluently with native speakers
participate in conversations about familiar topics that go beyond their everyday life
talk in an organized way and with some detail in various time frames
describe people, places, and things with some detail
handle familiar situations with an unexpected complication
deliver organized presentations appropriate to their audience
understand the main idea and some supporting details in organized speech on topics of personal and general interest
follow stories and descriptions of some length and in various time frames
understand information presented in a variety of genres on familiar topics
write organized paragraphs about events and experiences in various time frames.
According to State Department (FSI) research it takes around 900 hours to reach basic fluency in languages like Finnish, so at two hours of Finnish on Saturdays it might take you 17 years to learn. But you most likely don't work for the State Department and don't need to conduct visa interviews. You can reach your goal faster with a little bit of realistic planning. The more time you spend with Finnish, the faster progress you make! The more things you do with Finnish, like watching videos, reading news clips, or using a Finnish cookbook, the faster progress you make. While learning to be fluent in a language can take a lifetime, learning enough Finnish to make your next trip to Finland more fun and interesting may only take a semester or two. Acquiring enough Finnish to talk about Aalto's architecture or environmental issues may take a number of years, but learning enough to meet people, make friends, and enjoy an evening in the sauna can happen fairly quickly. No matter what your goals, we are sure you will enjoy your Saturday mornings with us. We have a great coffee hour (well, it's actually only 30 minutes, but someone often makes pulla!)
Here is an example test and a large collection of practice tests mapped to YKI.
Demo 1: Basic level, text comprehension.
Demo 2: Listening comprehension
Self-assessment: Can do statements
Languages of the World quizzes