#alfa14 about assessment
TRANSCRIPT
Who benefits from adult literacy training?
- Initial assessment and literacy learners
Nordisk alfabetiseringskonferens
2014
Lähtöruutu-project
Sanna Markkanen
Procedure for 20 minutes
• Short presentation
• Set of the
assessment tasks on
the table
• Group work
• Reflection &
experiences
• Handout
Features of the Finnish Phonological System
• Large scale vowel system - 32 different variants of vowels and
vowel combinations • -> large number of vowels (8) and vowel combinations (16)
• Distinction between long and short sounds (tuli/tuuli, kipeä/kiipeää)
• Lots of vowels in words
• Distinction between long and short sounds in consonants
(kuka/kukka, mato, matto)
• Long and compound words (työvoimatoimisto,
pakastevihannespussi, menneisyydessä, juostakseen)
• Main stress placement on the first syllable of each word
• Flat or descending intonation
• -> word and sentence boundaries are difficult to distinguish
• Meaning of words in not necessarily always apparent due to
inner changes of words in their declination forms (käsi-käteen,
kuka-kukka)
• Grammatical information at the end of words, for example in
declinations (talossa, talosta taloon)
Learning to read and write in Finnish
• Complete sound to letter correspondence = shallow orthography
(13 consonants and 8 vowels)
• If the phonological system of students’ native languages varies
greatly to Finnish, often students will have difficulties in learning
sound to letter correspondence (eg. Arabic, Chinese, Farsi,
Dari, Kurdish etc.)
• -> mäki-Mäkki-mikä-Mika-Miika-mekka-mekko-mökki-maku
• Difficulties arise when students can’t hear the subtle differences
between sounds and are not able to produce them.
• Due to these features, exact reading is especially important
when learning to speak, read and write the Finnish language.
The assessment procedure
• An interview with an interpetation – about 30 min
• Reading task – about 30 min
• Dictation – short words, usually known to the applicant
• Assessment tasks in the classroom with pen and paper – about
30 min
• The example package is on the table
• The procedure & assessment principles are described in the
handout
Group work
• What kind of initial assessment you have in your context? • Is it prior to the course or included in the course?
• What criteria are used for placing students in literacy courses? What kinds of literacy
courses are available?
• How literacy students find your classes?
• How heterogeneous are literacy classes in your school?
• Who benefits from literacy training? • How much literacy training is needed/enough
• to be able to study with literate learners
• to be able to survive in the Nordic society?