Profile

Miia Karttunen
For this issue, I interviewed Miia karttunen, the language coordinator of XAMK, she talked both about Finnish language teaching and learning.

How long have you been teaching Finnish?
I have been teaching Finnish since the year 2001. But this is my 7th year here.

What is one of the most interesting things you think when you teach Finnish?
It is always very pleasant to meet new groups full of enthusiasm. And teaching this first step of Finnish is my favorite so I suppose that’s the most interesting thing. Other side is that I am very pleased to see that some of my students who stay long in my Finnish lectures, they learn Finnish so well that they can even use it in working life, so that’s very nice.

And one of the most difficult things in Finnish language teaching?
Some of the most demanding grammatical things in Finnish language, the most hardworking ones. Because I can see that some students for example don’t have the same kind of grammar in their own language have real difficulties in front of Finnish grammar which is very detailed and very hard in some points that is sometimes a little bit problematic but I suppose we have managed quite well in my groups.

Any tips for Finnish learning?
Hardworking, having Finnish-speaking friends, speaking Finnish every time when you can, working in Finland if you have a chance to work in your free time or do some things in Finnish, I mean, you go, for example as a volunteer somewhere use Finnish language with Finns, that’s important.

If you could have the ability to speak another language, which one would you choose and why?
I have studied quite many European languages but it could be very fun to learn some languages outside Europe. For example, Chinese could be very interesting to learn or Vietnamese. The language system in Europe I have already known, but I lack the knowledge of Asian languages.

A question from our former interviewee, will you spend the rest of your life in Finland if you can?
Yes, I will.

Any questions for our next interviewee?
To which country you would like to travel and why?