A linguistically responsive teacher fosters pupils with extensive language skills.
- Text Nina Venhe | Photos Niko Jouhkimainen and Eeli Gröhn
How would you explain magnetism to a primary school pupil?
You would probably use a magnet to show its poles and how one repels certain materials and the other attracts them. This way, the child would understand how magnets work, explained in everyday language. In other words, the child would learn the principles of magnetism in practice, but the related concepts would remain unclear.
The academic language of primary school textbooks already differs from the everyday language we use, and texts may feature challenging expressions. Magnetism is also associated with terms such as repulsion and attraction, permanent magnet and electromagnetic radiation. How to explain them?
“When a primary school pupil reads about physical concepts in their textbook, they are rarely directly connected to their everyday world. The academic language that is used for studying differs considerably from everyday language also in terms of structure. When reading, learning may remain very superficial and entail memorising phrases. In other words, the pupil may learn terms and the related phrases by heart but not understand the meanings at this point,” says Jenni Alisaari, Professor of Education.
This is why Alisaari likes to discuss linguistically responsive pedagogy.
“In practice, it means that the teacher verbalises and concretises the subject to the pupils during lessons. This will also support academic language proficiency by taking different ways of using language into consideration.”
In this case, the teacher could ask the pupils to work in groups and experiment with magnets. When the pupils explained how the magnet behaved in each situation in their own words, the teacher would put the phenomenon in other words using more unfamiliar terms and structures. This would introduce new language and terminology in the pupils’ everyday language.
“This would allow the pupils to learn what the abstract concepts and structures seen in the textbook actually mean. The teacher would use their speech to bridge the gap between the pupils’ experiences and the textbook,” Alisaari summarises.
Increased need for support
The concept of language awareness is not clearly defined in the core curriculum for basic education, even though instructions for linguistically responsive pedagogy influence it in the background. Alisaari says that she is well aware of how stressed today’s teachers are even without new teaching requirements. She still advocates increasing teachers’ language awareness, as this would affect many aspects of learning.
“Schools have noticed that children need more and more linguistic support. This does not affect children with an immigrant background only; many pupils seem to need support in reading comprehension and writing skills, regardless of their first languages.”
This is why Alisaari has trained many teachers in the methods of linguistically responsive pedagogy. Many teachers have admitted that learning new skills felt difficult and stressful in advance.
“Once they become familiar with the methods, their work becomes easier too. This gives pupils fairer opportunities for learning and improves learning outcomes.”
In other words, linguistically responsive pedagogy is not just about teaching grammar but about verbalisation, interaction and explaining new terms using both the academic and everyday language.
Good literacy skills prevent exclusion
If Alisaari had money and power, she would employ one mentor for linguistically responsive pedagogy in each Finnish municipality who would tour schools and support teachers’ language awareness.
“These teachers could then help their pupils overcome their linguistic challenges.”
Previous studies have shown that there is a clear link between lower language skills and a weaker sense of belonging which might lead to marginalisation.
“Fixing the problem will ultimately be more expensive for society than mentoring, for example.”
New approach to multilingualism
Linguistically responsive pedagogy is also associated with multilingualism and the attitudes towards it.
“The media and public discussion around multilingualism is often negative and contrite. Sometimes Finnish language skills alone are considered to be the key to correct learning and a good life in Finland.”
The approach of linguistically responsive pedagogy is different. Here, the teacher sees all languages as learning resources and guides the pupil to use their strongest language, for example, when seeking information.
“Ukrainian pupils, for instance, could initially learn the most difficult, abstract topics in their own language at school. Their cognitive skills would then be at their own level, and their language skills would improve gradually along the way.”
The teacher’s appreciative attitude toward different languages would also support the pupils’ identity.
“This is a rather new pedagogical method, and I understand that it scares teachers a little, as they would not always have a shared language with the pupil.”
However, this kind of pedagogy has produced good results in many schools with multilingual pupils, and different methods have been found. According to Alisaari, all schools could use them as an example.
Ukrainian pupils, for instance, could initially learn the most difficult, abstract topics in their own language at school. Their cognitive skills would then be at their own level, and their language skills would improve gradually along the way.
Jenni Alisaari
Professor
Latin American dance and skiing
“We already talk enough about our concerns. When I train teachers, I always want to emphasise the good and remind people how extensive their skills already are. Finnish teachers help their colleagues to an enviable degree and have a good community spirit at work, which can be observed in social media.”
Although Alisaari’s own research topics and background are strongly linked to not only education but also linguistics and sociology, she has also undergone class teacher training and finds teaching to be the most important to her. Teaching is always wonderful for her.
For this reason, passion for work sometimes requires something quite different – Alisaari’s other great passion is Latin dancing.
“Fortunately, you cannot think about anything but choreography in dance class. If even one step is wrong, the whole pattern is ruined. It is a good way to reset your thoughts about work!”
Alisaari will stay in Turku after being appointed professor, as her younger child still lives at home.
“I still look forward to visiting Eastern Finland, and as a skier, I am especially excited for the snowy winters in Joensuu!”
JENNI ALISAARI
Professor of Education, especially culturally and linguistically diversifying education, University of Eastern Finland from 1 August 2024 onward
- Doctor of Education, University of Turku, 2016
- Music Pedagogue / Music Therapist, Turku University of Applied Sciences, 2012
- Master of Education, Class Teacher, University of Turku, 2002
Docent in Finnish, University of Helsinki, 2021
POSITIONS HELD
- Senior Researcher, INVEST Research Flagship Centre, University of Turku, 2020–2024
- University Lecturer, Stockholm University, Finnish, 2022–2025
- University Teacher, University of Turku, Department of Teacher Education, 2013–2020
- Lecturer in Mother Tongue and Literature, Finnish as a Second Language, Turku 2007–2013
Photos of Jenni Alisaari: https://mediabank.uef.fi/A/UEF+Media+Bank/67299?encoding=UTF-8 and https://mediabank.uef.fi/A/UEF+Media+Bank/67301?encoding=UTF-8
