[lg policy] Finland: Statement on the implementation plan of Aalto University=?windows-1252?Q?=92s_?=language policies
Harold Schiffman
hfsclpp at GMAIL.COM
Sat Dec 3 15:30:09 UTC 2011
Statement on the implementation plan of Aalto’s language policies
Julkaistu 2.12.2011 17:05
Aalto University Student Union would like to thank for the opportunity
to comment the implementation plan of Aalto’s language policies and
states the following by request:
Trilingualism everywhere
The implementation plan includes several favourable and even ambitious
objectives for improving the position of the English language, in
particular. In AYY’s opinion, it is crucial for Aalto’s success that
the university takes big steps towards trilingualism and ensures
adequate resources to implement this objective.
AYY considers, however, that the presented investment in the Swedish
language is very modest and wonders the reference concerning the fact
that the use of Swedish is still outlined separately. The clearest and
the best solution would be to take into account the position of
Swedish in all language policies from the very beginning and not
pursue the parallel use of Finnish, Swedish and English as equal
languages always when possible.
The leading idea in AYY’s own trilingualism work is that language
minorities are interested in the same material as the Finnish-speaking
students are. Therefore, only if certain information concerns for
justifiable reasons only the members of a certain language group,
translating it into three languages can be considered unnecessary. AYY
wishes that Aalto would adopt the same principle as the leading idea
of its own trilingualism.
AYY states that the best solution is to aim at providing
communications with as similar contents as possible in all three
languages. In this way, the overall management and updating is easier,
and the time-consuming routine work can be outsourced to translators.
Adequate staff resources
The plan does not define adequate translator resources. The
university’s own translator service is only mentioned in connection
with research. Several sections also suggest that persons in various
positions produce summaries and translations of their documents by
themselves.
AYY reminds that the cheapest and most effective way is to hire an
adequate number of own translators and let them routinely translate
all essential documents and let the staff focus on their actual duties
instead of writing summaries and translations. Having own translators
is also much cheaper than purchased translation services. In addition,
this enables the extensive use of Swedish, as producing three language
versions is as fast and easy as producing two language versions.
If we want to secure the participation opportunities of the members of
the international community and, on the other hand, the position of
domestic languages and their development as the languages of science,
using the various languages side by side is necessary. Making the
whole staff committed to this very demanding goal is impossible unless
commissioning translations to professional translators is made easy
enough.
It is particularly essential to appoint the persons in charge. In
addition to the aim of committing the whole Aalto community to the
objectives, a person with an adequate mandate and resources to advance
trilingualism measures and the opportunity to focus on the
coordination of the entity is needed on the higher level of Aalto.
AYY’s comments on presented measures (attachment)
The original document is attached to the statement and AYY’s comments
are added to the presented measures. The most relevant examples from
these comments:
The pervasive principle should be to adopt an approach where the
international students and staff are not isolated to their own
activities but all Aalto members work and spend their everyday lives
together. This should be the starting point in information,
decision-making organs, services, teaching arrangements, etc.
The main event language should be English if people with a
foreign language are present.
Non-Finnish members of the community should have the
opportunity to operate in Aalto’s desicion-making bodies.
A more specific measure programme is needed on the development of
training and incentives. Aalto should create an incentive system for
the whole staff to improve their language skills and provide adequate
support for the staff teaching in English. Students should also be
encouraged to interaction exceeding the language barriers by
increasing the interaction in teaching and crediting achievements that
support internationalisation as part of a degree.
”International students have the opportunity to study either
Finnish or Swedish or both languages.” This is a crucial section that
requires further attention as Finnish skills, in particular, have a
significant impact on the international student’s employment
opportunities and integration into Finnish society.
The campus area should be completely trilingual. External partners
and service providers should also be influenced.
Aalto Inside does not reach the students and therefore it is
essential to invest in other communication channels (such as Into,
Noppa, aalto.fi). Essential information should also be translated into
Swedish.
More concrete measures are needed for the implementation of the
Swedish-speaking students’ rights.
Approved by AYY Board
In Espoo, 25 Nov 2011
==
Attachment
Comments to detailed propositions in Aalto’s plan (chapter by chapter
commens to the original document):
Swedish should be a consistent part of all language policies from
the beginning instead of outlining the Swedish policies later in a
separate project.
The report of the language group regarding the position of Swedish
at Aalto (Arbetsgruppen för svenskspråkig undervisning i
Aalto-universitet, 18.6.2009) includes a number of concrete means to
strengthen the position of Swedish. AYY wishes that these means are
integrated into Aalto’s language practices.
A change in atmosphere could be promoted through active measures,
such as keeping the matter in discussion in all possible events,
training and material. A plan should be drafted on these measures.
Aalto should create an incentive system to improve the language
skills of the staff.
AYY already awards the international teacher of the year and the
international act of the year prizes. The language act of the year
prize would be partly overlapping but it would create a positive
atmosphere. Students should also be encouraged to interaction
exceeding the language barriers by increasing the interaction in
teaching and crediting achievements that support internationalisation
as part of a degree. All language teaching should be intensified
and it should support the improving of practical language skills,
speaking skills, and language skills in the student’s own field.
A more detailed programme of measures for training and incentives
is necessary.
Adequate resources are the foundation for everything.
Trilingual communications should not only be increased at Inside
but everywhere (Into, Noppa, aalto.fi, for example). Inside does not
reach the students, so it is essential to invest in other
communication channels.
Trilingualism should be reflected in all job descriptions, but
efficient coordination on the higher level is also essential.
The most important issue is to clarify objectives in various
situations. Domestic languages are of great significance especially in
terms of the universities’ third mission, implementing its social
role.
Creating family networks is one favourable measure. However, in
terms of the comfort of living, the key factor is to adopt a broader
approach where international students and staff are not isolated in
their own activities, but instead all Aalto members work and spend
their everyday life together. This should be the principle in
communications, decision-making bodies, services, teaching
arrangements, etc. Many of Aalto’s interest groups, such as AYY and
OIN, already work to facilitate the adaptation of the community’s
international members. Aalto should fully utilise opportunities to
collaborate with its interest groups.
The main language of events should be English in the presence of
people with a foreign language.
This is very important so that student representatives have equal
influencing opportunities, among other things. However, we have to
keep in mind that according to law Finnish is the university’s
administration language. This should not be interpreted to mean,
however, that Finnish is the only language of administration and other
languages are not used along with it.
The main language of events should be English in the presence of
people with a foreign language. All Swedish-speaking participants are
taken into account similarly to the Finnish participants.
The campus area should be made trilingual. External partners and
service providers (such as companies operating within the campus, HSL,
essential service points of the government) should be influenced to
take language issues into coThe most important documents and
instructions should always be provided in Swedish as well.
Inside does not reach the students and therefore documents should
be published at Into, in particular.
Inside does not reach the students and therefore documents should
be published at Into, in particular.
These are also needed in Swedish. Aalto also includes
Swedish-speaking staff.
The plan counts on the assumption that people in various positions
produce summaries and language versions by themselves. It would be
cheaper and more efficient to hire more translators and routinely
translate more texts into two languages and let communications and
administrative staff focus on their actual duties instead of writing
summaries. Having own translators is also much cheaper than purchased
translation services. If a document is translated into English, it can
often be translated into Swedish with the same effort.
Also in Swedish, see the previous
Also in Swedish, see the previous
Also in Swedish, see the previous
See the previous
Course descriptions should be translated into three languages.
Students can check the main vocabulary of their field from the
descriptions also in other than the teaching language. For bilingual
students, for example, this can be the only way to accumulate
vocabulary in the second mother tongue. nsideration. A particular
attention should be paid to represent all three languages.
The number of translators presented here is inadequate if the
language service should also cover other than researchers’ needs, such
as administration and communications. Language services are definitely
needed for their use as well.
It is essential to increase the Swedish-language education.
A very important entry.
More concrete measures are needed for the implementation of these
rights. In the current situation, students often do not receive their
exam questions in Swedish although they are entitled to use Swedish in
their answers.
The target corresponds to AYY’s policies. It is essential to
increase the Swedish-language education.
This is an extremely important entry that requires further attention:
Aalto’s own teaching of domestic languages must be improved
and resources increased.
Courses on different levels should be available in sufficient
quantities during the day and evening in order to achieve advanced
language skills along with studies in the student’s own field.
Teaching should not empasise grammar too much or be separated
from the everyday life: courses should teach how to speak and
understand spoken Finnish.
Students should be informed more about the necessity of
Finnish in the labour market in Finland as early as possible. They
should not be given a misleading picture of the employment
opportunities without Finnish skills.
National language studies should be included as compulsory in
all foreign-language Master’s programmes.
International students should be able to have their Finnish
and Swedish studies approved as part of the compulsory language
studies.
An incentive system should be created in order to develop the
language skills of the staff. The staff teaching in English should be
provided enough support, such as language training, multicultural
pedagogical training and longer teacher exchange periods.
A very important policy. Everyone teaching in English should have
adequate linguistic and cultural capabilities!
At least all static basic information, such as depictions of the
organisation, teaching and research should also be published in
Swedish on the website.
The writing of summaries is laborious. It is easier to have
translators to produce the same content in Swedish.
Press releases should be published in Finnish, Swedish and
English. What the community communicates about itself is essential
also for the community’s own members, including its non-Finnish
members.
This kind of basic material is definitely also needed in Swedish.
The main language of events should be English if people with a
foreign language are present.
http://ayy.fi/en/blog/2011/12/02/statement-on-the-implementation-plan-of-aaltos-language-policies/
--
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