Keynote speakers and programme

The conference will be held in the building of the Department of Educational Sciences of the University of Helsinki
at Siltavuorenpenger 5 A, -2nd floor, Minerva plaza.
Programme

Please note that the programme is subject to change.

Thursday 22 August 2019

The main language of the day is Finnish and the target audience is teachers, education planners, teacher students and researchers interested in preparatory education. The plenary lecture on importance of the native language in learning the school language (Oppilaan kielet ja koulun kielet: kielitietoinen didaktiikka oppimisen apuna) is held by Päivi Juvonen (Linnéuniversitet, Växjö). During the conference, Meeting in the Middle project will release a package of teaching materials intended to support preparatory education teachers.

17:30– Walk to the Market Square and ferry to dinner place in Suomenlinna.

18:30– Get together dinner (at own cost) in Suomenlinna in Cafe Bar Valimo for participants of both days.

Friday 23 August 2019

The main language of the day is English and the target audience is researchers of language teaching and learning.

8:30–9:00 Registration and morning coffee

9:00–9:30 General welcome

9:30–11:00 Plenary talk, professor Susanne Prediger: Language diversity in subject-matter classrooms – empirical findings and language-responsive teaching approaches

11:00–12:00 Lunch (at own cost)

12:00–14:00 Presentations in parallel sessions

14:00–14:30 Coffee

14:30–16:10 Presentations in parallel sessios

16:30–17:00 Reflections

The organizing board is in charge of the programme: Maria Ahlholm (chairperson of the conference), Maija Jonkka, Ninni Lankinen (Meeting in the Middle project planner), Irina Piippo, Anni Ratilainen (conference secretary), Tatsiana Shestunova and Salla-Maaria Suuriniemi.

Keynote speakers

Professor Susanne Prediger (Technische Universität Dortmund)

Susanne Prediger is professor for mathematics education research in Germany. She leads a large research group on "mathematics learning under conditions of language diversity“. The research group develops teaching-learning arrangements for language learners and investigates typical learning pathways.

Professor Päivi Juvonen (Linnéuniversitet, Växjö)

Recently arrived students possess skills and knowledge of various kinds when starting school. Often, however, these are neither known to nor acknowledged by teachers within the Swedish educational system. In her talk, Päivi Juvonen addresses the question of how awareness of the students' linguistic profiles may be put into pedagogic use, as well as strengthen the students' identity and sense of belonging.