Although it is aimed at those with no previous knowledge, this course is equally suitable for anyone wishing to brush up existing skills and aims to help users progress from the basics to understanding, speaking and writing Finnish with confidence. Key structures and vocabulary are introduced in 18 thematic units progressing from introducing yourself and dealing with everyday situations to talking about work and driving in Finland. The course covers all the structures required for GCSE level and beyond and the emphasis is on communication throughout with important language structures introduced through dialogues on the accompanying recording. There are plenty of exercises to practise the language as it is introduced and tips throughout to help with pronunciation and grammar. Cultural information sections give useful advice and information for anyone planning a trip to Finland. Retaining the tried and tested structure of the lessons, the course has been updated to reflect changes such as the introduction of the euro. It also now contains six tests to enable learners to check their progress and review areas of difficulty, an English-Finnish vocabulary alongside the existing Finnish-English one, and a "taking it further" section to direct reader to further sources of real Finnish.
Pronunciation; let's practise; nice to meet you; welcome; one, two,
three; straight on; have a pleasant journey; speaking on the phone; bon
appetit; what would you like?; in the sauna - more water on the stove; oh
dear oh dear; come and see us; tell us a little bit about yourself; excuse
me, do you speak Finnish?; what is the weather like outside?; beware of elks
on the road; the evening news; congratulations; with true Finnish grit; key
to exercises; Finnish-English vocabulary; English-Finnish vocabulary.
Terttu Leney is an experienced teacher, teacher trainer, translator and broadcaster of Finnish. She has taught Finnish in various firms and language schools, at Chelsea & Westminster Adult Education Institute, the University of Surrey and has been teaching Finnish at the Foreign Office in London for over twenty years. She has taught several generations of UK diplomats to Helsinki. She has also been a freelance broadcaster for the Finnish section of the BBC World Service and Examinations Administrator for Language Testing Associates, London. In 1996 she gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Current Developments in Language Training from the University of Westminster.
