The City of Lahti is having success in expanding variety in primary school language learning.
Language teaching in primary schools starts by combining play and learning.
Image: Emilia Korpela / Yle
While many primary schools in Finland have cut back on optional language courses, schools in the southern Finnish city of Lahti have seen a burst of interest among children in courses teaching languages that are usually less common in the educational system.
The primary school syllabus includes studies of an A1 language, usually English, which starts in the first grade. A2 language studies are optional, and when available, may start in the third grade. These are most often French, German or Russian.