Grades 1 and 2

Grades one and two make up the initial education that focuses on laying a foundation for the later years of school and acquiring various necessary skills. In school, pupils will learn responsibility for their own school supplies and schoolwork, as well as to work in different groups and independently. 

Pupils in the first and second grade work for 21 hours a week. The weekly workload in foreign-language education is 21 hours. Subjects taught in the first and second grades include the pupil’s native language and literature, mathematics, environmental studies, the A1 language, religious education or life stance education, music, visual arts, crafts, physical education, and pupil guidance and counselling. In the first and second grade, pupil guidance and counselling are fully incorporated into general teaching and other school activities. Foreign language teaching also includes an A1 language in the curriculum (German, French, and English).

In grades one and two, assessment is ongoing throughout the school year and is motivational in nature. A verbal school year report card will be issued at the end of the year. The report card measures the pupil’s performance all through the school year relative to the learning objectives set for each subject.  Apart from performance and learning, working skills and conduct are evaluated. Assessment of working skills is a part of the assessment project of a subject. Where conduct is concerned, the primary measure is ability to abide by commonly agreed rules and procedures. The objective is for each pupil to behave well and be considerate of others.

Assessment is part of the learning process and its purpose is to support learning. Therefore, pupils will practise self-assessment as well as giving and receiving peer feedback.

Once a school year, a learning assessment discussion will take place between the guardian, the pupil, and the teacher. These discussions are part of the cooperation between the home and the school.

Foreign language learned from the first grade (A1 language). The foreign language learned from the first grade (A1 language) will be chosen already during preschool education. 

City of Tampere basic education provides the ability to learn Chinese, English, French, German, Russian, Spanish, or Swedish as the A1 language. Any language class to be founded must contain at least 12 pupils. Each school’s language pathway determines the languages available. 

If it is desired to choose two foreign languages for a pupil during the initial school years, it is recommended the first foreign language they learn be a different language than English. A child’s age of language learning sensitivity encourages beginning language studies early. If another A1 language than English is selected, English learning will begin as the A2 language in the third grade. 

The language selections are binding throughout basic education. The language options and A language pathways provided by the different schools can be found in the City of Tampere languages programme as well as the school websites. 

In bilingual basic education, the language programme is different from the norm. For more information, see the schools providing bilingual basic education: Tampere International School, the German classes in Tammela school, the French classes in Wivi Lönn school. 

The choice of language learned from the first grade on will be made in Wilma in March to April. Prior to making their language choice, pupils in preschool education will be able to get to know the available languages during the Kikatus lessons. For more information about language choices and the languages offered, you may attend the city’s centralized language choice events, as well as each school’s parent events concerning language choices. Schools will inform guardians of the dates of their language choice events. 

Each school has the responsibility for informing guardians of their respective language programmes, curricula, and methods. For the best possible learning results, it is necessary to establish a good cooperative relationship between the guardians, the pupils, and the school. The best source for further information is your school’s teacher and principal. 

The A2 language, which is voluntary, will be selected during the second grade in January and February and studies will begin in the third grade. The voluntary A2 language can be any of French, German, Russian, Spanish, or Swedish. The minimum size of a teaching group in the voluntary A2 language is 16 pupils. 

Pupils who have studied a foreign language besides English from the first grade will begin studies of English as their A2 language in the third grade. 

In grades 3-7, the A2 language will be taught for two hours a week, increasing the pupil’s total weekly hours by that amount. In the eighth and ninth grade, the A2 language may count among the pupil’s electives.  These language choices are binding until the end of basic education grade 9.

The language selections will be made in the Wilma service. The application forms will be open as follows: 

• Selection of the language to be learned from the first grade: 18.3. – 12.4.2024. 
• Selection of the language to be learned from the third grade: 12.2. – 25.2.2024.

The purpose of the City of Tampere model for preschool and initial basic education integration is to build up a cohesive pathway from preschool education to basic education and support each child as they grow up as members of the school community. The City of Tampere preschool and initial education curricula will set the guidelines for the activities.

Collaboration between preschool and initial basic education is regular, planned, and goal-oriented. The model enables children to be considered as individuals, supported as appropriate, and empowered as participants.

In the course of preschool and initial education collaboration, children of various ages may participate in different learning groups in a flexible fashion.

Preschool and initial education personnel are jointly responsible for developing, planning, and carrying out collaborative activities.