From kindergarten to school
Honey Monsters gives children a strong foundation for applying to bilingual basic education in Espoo.
Bilingual education in Espoo
Immersion teaching in English, known in comprehensive schools as bilingual education, is offered by the following primary schools in Espoo:
- Jalavapuisto School
- Kilonpuisto School
- Kuitinmäki School
- Niittykumpu School
In lower secondary school, bilingual education is offered by Kuitinmäki, Kilonpuisto and Nöykkiönlaakso schools.
This teaching is intended for Finnish-speaking pupils who have learnt English, for example, at a language immersion kindergarten. The share of English usually decreases from 100 per cent to 50 per cent by the fifth grade.
The many benefits of language immersion
According to research, going to school after a language immersion background gives children many benefits besides language skills. These include, for example, a positive attitude towards learning languages and creativity in using learning strategies.
Fully English-language education
In Espoo, education in English is also provided as foreign-language education, which is suitable for pupils whose mother tongue is English or whose English is at the level of a native speaker.
- Primary school: Komeetta and Postipuu schools
- Lower secondary school: Espoo International School
School entrance tests
Places in English-language basic education (both the bilingual and the foreign-language programmes) are applied for, and applicants are tested. The application period is usually in January.
The City of Espoo sends a guide for new pupils (Koulutulokkaan opas) to the homes of children starting school the following autumn. The guide also includes information about English-language teaching in comprehensive schools.
Sources:
(1) Merisuo-Storm, T. Pupils' attitudes towards foreign-language learning and the development of literacy skills in bilingual education. Teaching and Teacher Education, Volume 23, Issue 2, April 2007.
(2) Merisuo-Storm, T. Development of boys' and girls' literacy skills and learning attitudes in CLIL education. In: Björklund S et al. (Eds). Exploring Dual-Focussed Education. Vaasan yliopiston julkaisuja. 2006.
(3) Björklund, S. Kielikylpyoppilaiden leksikaalinen luovuus. 1996.