Research

The Language Centre’s core mission is to provide teaching that enhances students’ language and communication skills.

The development of teaching and related research are a natural part of the teachers’ role and the development of operations: we conduct research because we teach. The whole staff are considered part of the Centre’s research-focused work community. The Language Centre’s research is based on cooperation between different professional and language groups. The research covers the broad spectrum of Language Centre operations as well as projects for the development of teaching.

The Language Centre’s research activities

The Language Centre’s research and development projects focus on language, culture and pedagogy. Research projects relate to learning, oral and written interaction, linguistics and education as well as the development of the Language Centre’s operations.

Research results are published on various forums, including Finnish and international conferences, seminars and training sessions as well as the Language Centre’s publication series. The Language Centre encourages staff to share their research results and actively engage in development cooperation with other universities and institutions of higher education. Internal research seminars and staff training sessions geared to teaching development are organised in each teaching period. In addition, the Language Centre has established a Research Support Group. The Language Centre also cooperates with faculties, degree programmes and disciplines, and participates in researcher meetings focusing on individual languages and cultures, the content of teaching and educational themes.

The promotion and active development of the expertise of teachers and the entire work community are of central importance alongside the development of operations. The research interests of staff are supported through the reorganisation of working time and the awarding of travel grants.

Publications

The Language Centre has its own internally peer-reviewed publication series, which also includes dissertations. So far, the following titles have been published:

Kielenoppimisen kehittyvät arviointi- ja palautekäytänteet - Developing feedback and assessment practices in language learning. Jokinen, Jaana & Karjalainen, Sinikka & Mäkäläinen, Heidi toim. (2018)

Näkökulmia kielenoppimisen ohjaukseen - On advising and counselling in language learning. Lehtonen, Tuula & Vaattovaara, Johanna toim. (2016)

Papers from the 26th Communication Skills Workshop - Identity Explored: Language Centre, Language Professional, Language Teacher, Language Learner. Bradley, Fergal; Lappalainen, Pia & Braidwood, Eva toim. (2015)

Muuttuva Kielikeskus - Språkcentrum i förändring - Language Centre in change . Matilainen, Mirjami & Siddall, Roy & Vaattovaara, Johanna toim. (2013) .

Oppijoiden suomi: Koulutettujen aikuisten käsitykset ja kompetenssit. Korhonen, Seija (2012), Suomen kielen, suomalais-ugrilaisten ja pohjoismaisten kielten ja kirjallisuuksien laitos.

Out-of-classroom language learning. Pitkänen, Kari K.; Jokinen, Jaana; Karjalainen, Sinikka; Karlsson, Leena; Lehtonen, Tuula; Matilainen, Mirjami; Niedling, Christian; Siddall, Roy (2011) .

Turning the Kaleidoscope - (E)FL Experience and Inquiry as Auto/biography, Leena Karlsson (2008), University of Helsinki, Faculty of Arts, Department of English (2008).

Information on other articles and titles published by the Language Centre staff can be found on research information system TUHAT.

Examples of Other Publications

Learners’ and teachers’ voices in developing digital language learning environments: insights from a survey. Niinivaara, Janne & Vaattovaara, Johanna. (2018). Language Learning in Higher Education, 8(1), pp. 133-156.

Waiting for the customer. Multimodal analysis of waiting in service encounters. – Journal of Pragmatics. Kimmo Svinhufvud (2018, in press).

The coordinated entry into service encounters in food shops. Managing interactional space, availability, and service during openings. – Research on Language and Social Interaction. Svinhufvud, Kimmo & Harjunpää, Katariina. (2018, in press).

“You will certainly learn English much faster at work than from a textbook.” – Law students learning English beyond the language classroom. Lehtonen, Tuula. (2017). System, 68, pp. 50-59.

Unmaking History-as-Fiction: Decoupling the Two Incompatible Principles of Language in Hayden White's Linguistic Turn, 1970s–2000s. Muszynski, Lisa (2017).

Opiskelijoiden kokemuksia vertaispalautetyöskentelystä kielen ja kirjoittamisen opiskelussa”. Von Boehm, Satu & Suojala, Marja & Veikkolainen, Kirsti. Aikuiskasvatus 38 (2), 108 - 121.

Kirjoittamisen diskurssit lukion äidinkielen ja kirjallisuuden opetussuunnitelman perusteissa ja äidinkielen ylioppilaskokeen määräyksissä. Erra, Satu  & Svinhufvud, Kimmo. (2017) – Virittäjä 121: 316–354.

Normalizing the troubled student. Counselors’ responses to students’ problem descriptions. Svinhufvud, Kimmo; Voutilainen, Liisa & Weiste, Elina (2017) – Discourse Studies 19: 196–215.

Kieltenopettajien kielinäkemykset ja opetukselliset lähestymistavat kansainvälistymishaasteiden edessä. Vaattovaara, Johanna (2016). Yliopistopedagogiikka 2/2016

iPads in medical language courses at the University of Helsinki. Wallinheimo, K. & Pitkänen, K. (2016). Language Learning in Higher Education, 6(1), pp. 77‐94.

Vieraan kielen opetus ja opiskelu virtuaaliympäristössä: Kielididaktinen tapaustutkimus ruotsin kielen monimuoto-opetuksesta ja -opiskelusta Helsingin yliopiston kielikeskuksessa. Wallinheimo, Kirsi (2016) Opettajankoulutuslaitoksen tutkimuksia 381. Helsingin yliopisto. 

Stay-at-home mothers learning Finnish. Intke-Hernandez, Minna. (2015) Adult language education and migration: challenging agendas in policy and practice. Simpson, J. & Whiteside, A. (toim.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, s. 119-127 9

Socioconstructivismo y tecnologías de enseñanza en clase. Hernandez Reyes, Gonzalo. & Intke-Hernandez, Minna. (2015) Investigaciones sobre la enseñanza del español y su cultura en contextos de inmigración. Sevilla: University of Helsinki and University of Sevilla, s. 355-374

Migrant stay-at-home mothers learning to eat and live the Finnish way. Intke-Hernandez, Minna & Holm, G. (2015) Nordic Journal of Migration Research. 5, 2, s. 75-82

Asiantuntijaksi kahdella kielellä – Bli exptert på twå språk – Becoming a Bilingual Expert . Vaattovaara, Johanna & Fiilin, Ullamaija / Jokinen, Jaana & Lindström, Martta & Posti, Marjo (2014), Helsingin yliopiston hallinnon julkaisuja.

Opinnäytteen kirjoittaminen vuorovaikutuksena: Keskustelunanalyyttinen tutkimus graduseminaarien ja gradunohjaustapaamisten vuorovaikutuksesta. Svinhufvud, Kimmo (2013), University of Helsinki, Faculty of Arts, Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian and Scandinavian Studies.

The role of research in teaching-oriented institutions: a case study of university language centres in Finland. Tuomi, Ulla-Kristiina & Rontu, Heidi (2013), Language Learning in Higher Education, Vol 3, issue 2, s. 339-354.

Enhancing professionalism through teacher–administration collaboration in University Pedagogy training. Leena Evesti, Satu Kattainen & Johanna Vaattovaara.(2013), Language Learning in Higher Education Vol 3, issue 1, s. 191–206.

The linguistic landscape of international studentsin English-medium Master’s programmes at the university of Helsinki: Student perceptions on the use of English and plurilingualism. Lehtonen, Tuula & Pitkänen, Kari K. & Siddall, Roy (2013), Language Learning in Higher Education vol 2, issue 2 s. 427-440.

Learning environments in university language centres: Transferring support to learners. Sainio, Seppo (2012), Language Learning in Higher Education Vol 1, issue 2, s. 349–363.

Quality through networking – from reactive administration to proactive cooperation. Karttu, Petri & Kiilunen, Liisa & Laulajainen, Tiina (2012), Language Learning in Higher Education Vol 1, issue 2, s. 301–311.

Guidelines for task-based university language testing . Virkkunen-Fullenwider, Anu & Fischer, Johann & Chouissa, Catherine & Dugovicová, Stefania (2011), European Centre for Modern Languages/Council of Europe.

Workplace language needs and university language education: do they meet? Lehtonen, T. & Karjalainen, S. (2009) In : European journal of education : research, development and policy. 44, 3, p. 411-420 10 p.

University graduates' workplace language needs as perceived by employers. Lehtonen, T. & Karjalainen, S. (2008) In : System. 36, p. 492-503 12 p.

Että osaa ja uskaltaa kommunikoida - akateemisissa ammateissa tarvittava kielitaito työntekijöiden ja työnantajien kuvaamana. Karjalainen, Sinikka & Lehtonen, Tuula toim (2005), Helsingin yliopiston hallinnon julkaisuja 13/2005. Raportit ja selvitykset.

 

Ex­amples of Text­books Pub­lished by Lan­guage Centre Teach­ers

Palataan! Suomea aikuisille. Intke-Hernández, Minna. (2018) Opetushallitus

Español dos. Kontturi, Kimmo & Kuokkanen-Kekki, Marjaana & Palmujoki, Katri (2017). Finnlectura, Helsinki.

Kokonaisvaltainen kirjoittaminen. 3., uudistettu ja täydennetty laitos. Svinhufvud, Kimmo. (2016) Helsinki: Art House.

Конечно! Venäjän suullisen viestinnän kurssi. Mäkäläinen, Heidi (2016). Finn Lectura, Helsinki.

Gradutakuu. 3., uudistettu ja täydennetty laitos. Svinhufvud, Kimmo (2015). Helsinki: Art House.

Tohtoritakuu. Kiriakos, Carol – Svinhufvud, Kimmo (2015) Helsinki: Art House.

Suomi sujuvaksi 1 (mp3-cd). Oppikirjan äänite. Kenttälä, Marjukka (2014). Gaudeamus, Helsinki.

Po Prostu 2. Mäkäläinen, Heidi & Haba-Rantamo Malgorzata (2014). Finn Lectura, Helsinki.

Escalier 3. Ranskaa lukioon ja aikuisille. Altschuler, Jonina & Dervin, Fred & Laine, Katariina Laine & Tenhunen, Tytti & Punkkinen, Suvi (2013), Sanoma Pro Oy, Helsinki.

Español uno. Kontturi, Kimmo & Kuokkanen-Kekki, Marjaana & Palmujoki, Katri (2012). Finnlectura, Helsinki.

Virtuaaliset ympäristöt: Innostava oppiminen, tehokas koulutus. Mäkitalo, Eino & Wallinheimo, Kirsi (2012), Talentum Media Oy, Helsinki.

Po Prostu 1. Mäkäläinen, Heidi & Haba-Rantamo Malgorzata (2011), Finn Lectura, Helsinki.

Kafe Piter 1. Venäjää taitotasolle A1. Alestalo, Marjatta (2009). Finn Lectura, Helsinki.

Flexteknik: Svenska för högskolor. Husu, Hanna & Wallinheimo, Kirsi (2009), Kolmas, uudistettu painos. Otava, Helsinki.

In the mood for Grammar. Ervola, Kaija & Kjisik, Felicity (2007), Finn Lectura, Helsinki.

Varför inte! Kurs 6/ Kurs 7/ Kurs 8. Fiilin, Ullamaija & al. (2007), Finn Lectura. Helsinki.

Suomi sujuvaksi 1. Kenttälä, Marjukka (2007). Gaudeamus/Helsinki University Press, Helsinki.