Wellamo-opisto - FinTandem in English

Etusivu / Opetusohjelma / Kielet, FinTandem / FinTandem in English

What is FinTandem?

The tandem learning method was first used in youth exchange between Germany and France in 1963. Since then it has been applied in different ways in many parts of the world.

FinTandem was developed in Vaasa. It is a language course model where two people with different mother tongues take turns to speak their native languages in order to learn each other´s language. The partners need to have at least basic skills in the tandem language.

The main principles to be followed are reciprocity and autonomy. In other words, an equal amount of time and energy is spent on each language; for example the partners can speak one language for an hour and the other language for the next hour.

Both learners decide what they want to learn and what kind of support they wish to have from their tandem partner. One may want to learn more vocabulary and the other to cope with everyday situations and to learn to understand the partner’s culture better.

The partners control and evaluate their learning themselves. They both act as language models and experts in their own cultures. They help their partner by correcting mistakes and giving feedback, but neither of them needs to be a “language teacher”.

They decide how often, when and where they meet. The meeting places can vary and they can be for example a café, a home, a museum or a shopping centre.

Who can participate in FinTandem?

FinTandem suits anyone who wants to learn a language with a native speaker: people of all ages, both students and working , unemployed or retired people.

By participating in FinTandem foreigners can learn Finnish and get to know Finns and the Finnish culture. For Finnish speakers it offers an opportunity to enjoy individual teaching and get up-to-date information about the culture of the language area in question.

The partners need to have at least a basic knowledge of the tandem language in order to be able to co-operate and communicate. However, they do not have to be at the same linguistic level; for example one may want to learn the basics of the language and the other to maintain the language skills. The main thing is to be willing to work together and to take each other’s objectives and hopes into consideration so that both can benefit from the cooperation.

Remember that your partner can’t continue their studies without you!

FinTandem as a course in upper secondary schools

A FinTandem course can be accepted as a course in upper secondary schools, if there are enough meetings and a study diary is kept of every meeting. The diary will be returned to the FinTandem coordinator. Before starting FinTandem the course has to be accepted both by the tutor and the FinTandem coordinator.

How to sign up?

You can sign up by filling in a registration form in internet or in the office of Wellamo-opisto in Aikuiskoulutuskeskus in Lahti. The registration does not cost anything, and it is possible to sign up until 31.3.2012. The course fee of 17 € is to be paid if the tandem partner is found. We will inform you in September of the partners found by then.

http://www.wellamo-opisto.fi/filebank/1945-FinTandem_eng.rtf

The gatherings take place in Aikuiskoulutuskeskus, Kirkkokatu 16,

from 17.00 to18.30:

On Friday 30.9. General information and the first meeting of the tandem partners

On Friday 25.11. Hints for meetings

On Friday 20.1. Exchange of experiences

On Friday 23.3. Games

and at Multi-Culti, Päijänteenkatu 1:

on Thursday 3.5. Potluck and feedback

Contact

FinTandem -coordinators:

Coordinator, FM Anja Kivivuori