Easy-to-read language as a support for developing language skills in Professional Finnish Online Materials for the Health Sector
In the "Continuing Professional Education for nurses granted with a Diploma in General Nursing outside the EU/EEA" project, self-study materials for learning Finnish in the health sector were developed and published online. Background research and previous experiences from Finnish language teachers led to the use of easy-to-read language in these materials. The nursing profession involves a significant amount of spoken interaction with patients, family members, and colleagues. Therefore, conversational situations were adapted into plain language to make key content accessible for learners at the A2-B1 proficiency levels.
Easy-to-read language recommended for early-stage language learning
Easy-to-read language is a simplified form of Finnish, making it easier to understand than standard Finnish, explains easy-to-read language teacher Kukka-Maaria Raatikainen from Savonia University of Applied Sciences. Adapting text to easy-to-read language involves simplifying the content, vocabulary, and structure. Easy-to-read language is intended for people who struggle to read or understand standard Finnish.
Research shows that using easy-to-read language in teaching Finnish as a second language (S2) is beneficial, especially for learners at levels A1-B1. For example, in a master's thesis, Vasile (2021) demonstrated that easy-to-read language is particularly helpful for language learners at these levels. The Finnish Centre for Easy Language (Selkokeskus) also recommends easy-to-read language in early-stage Finnish as a second language education, based on their needs assessment (Juusola 2019).
There are many practical reasons for using easy-to-read language: "clear, well-structured, and short language helps with working memory, reduces cognitive load, and facilitates the integration of new information with prior knowledge" (Hyppönen 2018, pp. 80–81). Professor Tiina Onikki-Rantajääskö also highlighted in a recent study on the Finnish language (2024, p. 100) that easy-to-read language is especially beneficial in blended learning environments for students with work experience.
”Selkokieli onkin tärkeä portti suomen kieleen”
Tiina Onikki-Rantajääskö: Selvitys suomen kielen tilasta, 2024 169
Practical Finnish for Health Sector Scenarios in Online Courses
The Health Sector Finnish online courses, developed by Savonia, offer extensive Finnish language training at levels A2, B1, and B2, focusing on spoken dialogues relevant to nursing scenarios. Examples of these real-life healthcare situations include asking for personal information, discussing medications and pain, and communicating with colleagues, including phone interactions. These conversational situations are presented as text and as audio or video in the courses. Dialogue texts are shown in a easy-to-read language adaptation, developed by easy-to-read language expert Soilimaria Korhonen and reviewed by the Finnish Centre for Easy Language. The easy-to-read language dialogues, awarded the Selkotunnus certification, assist nurses in identifying the core content of each scenario.
Ensuring patient safety requires preparing trainees to handle various conversational situations. These situations showcase the diversity of expressions patients and others may use. The courses include phrases from the Savo dialect, influences from other languages, and slang from the Helsinki region. Nurses frequently encounter spoken numbers in conversations, such as "one," "nine," and "forty-five," which are reinforced throughout the dialogues.ykkönen, ysi, nelkytviis) tulevat dialogeissa kerratuksi moneen kertaan.
Students appreciate the use of easy-to-read language in online materials
During the "Continuing Professional Education for nurses granted with a Diploma in General Nursing outside the EU/EEA" project, feedback on the use of easy-to-read language in professional Finnish courses was collected by teachers from Savonia and Oulu Universities of Applied Sciences. Feedback came from both student discussions and anonymous written responses on course feedback forms.
In verbal feedback, students shared that although understanding conversational Finnish can be challenging, the plain language adaptations helped them comprehend it. One trainee’s comment on the online course's spoken and plain language dialogues was: "The two dialogues are the best idea of the entire course!" With 49 dialogues in total, learners were introduced to diverse patient and customer profiles, including elderly individuals with memory issues, work-oriented adults, fearful children, and individuals who speak in strong dialects.
In feedback for the A2-level course, one student said: "The easy-to-read language availability helps me understand more."
Overall, trainees who provided feedback appreciated the dialogues on the online courses, describing the stories as fun and appropriately challenging.
In addition to dialogues, course instructions, automated feedback, and other messages aim to use easy-to-read language or at least clear language. Course facilitators have noticed fewer student queries, saving time, as clear instructions reduce the need for follow-up questions.
Background:
The "Continuing Professional Education for nurses granted with a Diploma in General Nursing outside the EU/EEA" project addresses the shortage of health sector professionals in Finland. In collaboration with Valvira, the project has designed a training program allowing nurses who earned their degrees outside the EU/EEA to enter the Finnish job market quickly. Previously, such a pathway was only available to nurses qualified within the EU. The project is coordinated by Laurea University of Applied Sciences and funded by the Service Center for Continuous Learning and Employment (JOTPA).
The health professions regulatory body, Valvira, requires B1-level (YKI3) language proficiency for nursing qualifications. The Health Sector Finnish 1, 2, and 3 courses were developed at Savonia for use by all participating universities of applied sciences and will be published as open educational resources after the project. These beginner and intermediate courses (A2, B1, and B2 levels) focus on scenarios nurses will encounter in their work. Registration is available in the Savonia course catalog.
Authors:
Kukka-Maaria Raatikainen, Lecturer in Finnish Language and Communication
Essi Markoff, RDI Specialist
Merja Natunen, Part-time Nursing Instructor
Savonia University of Applied Sciences
Sources and further reading:
Hyppönen, Annikki 2018. Selkokielinen kielimuoto suomi toisena kielenä -oppikirjassa. Pro gradu. Soveltava kielitiede / Kielten laitos. Jyväskylän yliopisto. Saatavilla: https://jyx.jyu.fi/bitstream/handle/123456789/59549/URN%3aNBN%3afi%3ajyu-201809184150.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Viitattu 1.4.2024.
Juusola, M. 2019. Selkokielen tarvearvio 2019. Selkokeskus. Helsinki: Kehitysvammaliitto ry. https://selkokeskus.fi/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Tarvearvio-2019.pdf Viitattu 2.4.2024.
Laurea 2024. Sairaanhoitajaksi Suomessa -hanke. https://sairaanhoitajaksisuomessa.fi/en
Onikki-Rantajääskö, T. 2024. Suomi osallisuuden kielenä: Selvitys suomen kielen tilasta Suomessa 2020-luvun puolimaissa. Oikeusministeriön julkaisuja. Viitattu 7.10.2024 https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/165782
Raatikainen, K-M., Markoff, E., Pigg, K. & Poussu, H. 3.9.2024. Selkomukautukset terveysalan suomen oppijoiden verkkokurssilla. Selkokielen tutkijoiden Klaara-blogi. Viitattu 4.10.2024. https://blogs.helsinki.fi/klaara-network/2024/09/03/raatikainen-markoff-pigg-poussu-selkomukautukset-terveysalan-suomen-oppijoiden-verkkokurssilla/
Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulu 2024. Savonian Terveysalan suomea -verkkokurssit 1, 2 ja 3. https://www.savonia.fi/paivita-osaamistasi/muu-jatkuva-oppiminen/maahanmuuttajalle/suomen-kielen-kurssit-savoniassa/
Selkokeskus 2016. Ohjeita selkokielen käyttöön opetuksessa. Viitattu 1.4.2024. https://selkokeskus.fi/selkokieli/nain-puhut-selkokielta/selkokieli-opetuksessa/
Vasile, S. 2021. S2-aikuisopiskelijat selko- ja yleiskielisen oppikirjatekstin lukijoina. Maisterintutkielma. Suomen kielen ja suomalais-ugrilaisten kielten ja kulttuurien maisteriohjelma. Suomen kieli. Humanistinen tiedekunta. Helsingin yliopisto.