Early childhood education in different languages
Learning a foreign language can be supported in early childhood education by providing children with versatile, activity-based language education. Espoo has options such as language immersion education in Swedish, bilingual early childhood education and, in private day care centres, fully foreign-language early childhood education. The most common languages for foreign-language early childhood education are Swedish and English.
Children in early childhood education are at an age where they can easily learn and adopt new languages. Early childhood is a sensitive period for learning languages, It can be used to support children's ability to learn the basics of a new language. Children are also naturally curious about new languages and cultures, which is an excellent starting point for learning a language.
Language education can also be provided as so-called language immersion education and as concise or advanced bilingual early childhood education. Private day care centres also offer early childhood education provided fully in a foreign language, usually English.
Swedish language immersion
Language immersion refers to a language-learning model where the language is acquired by using it in natural connections and sensible situations. The aim is functional bilingualism and solid skills in the immersion language.
At the moment, the Finnish early childhood education in Espoo provides Swedish language immersion in early childhood education in two municipal day care centres. In addition, Swedish language immersion education is available in some private day care centres.
Knowledge of Swedish is not required from the children beginning language immersion; they can use their own language in early childhood education until they have the sufficient ability to use Swedish. The guardians do not have to know Swedish either; their task is to maintain the mother tongue of their children.
Bilingual early childhood education
Guardians can also apply for a place in bilingual early childhood education for their child. Bilingual early childhood education is divided into an advanced and a more concise option.
In advanced bilingual early childhood education, the foreign language’s share of the teaching is at least 25%. It aims to provide the children with the skills to act in a bilingual or multilingual environment.
The Finnish early childhood education in Espoo offers advanced bilingual early childhood education in two municipal day care centres in the Finnish and English languages. Advanced bilingual early childhood education is also available in some private day care centres where the languages are mostly Finnish and English.
In the more concise bilingual early childhood education i.e. language-enriched early childhood education, no more than 25% of the teaching is provided in a foreign language. The aim is to pique the children's linguistic interest and positive attitude towards languages.
Language-enriched early childhood education is provided in both municipal and private day care centres. Day care centres can independently choose the language their units will focus on in their language-enrichment activities. You can inquire directly from the day care centre whether the day care centre offers language-enriched activities.
Fully foreign-language early childhood education
Espoo has some private day care centres where early childhood education is provided primarily in a non-native language. Most often, the language is English.
If a child attends fully foreign-language early childhood education, it is important that the child’s guardians ensure that before starting school the child has a sufficient command of the language in which the teaching will be provided. If the plan is for the child to attend bilingual or language immersion education once the child starts school, the guardians should know that in Espoo, the entrance exams of bilingual and language immersion education also assess the child’s command of the Finnish language.