A recent report suggests English and Finnish can coexist in Finland, and that the prospect of returning to a bilingual Finland is as unlikely as reverting to the era of telephone boxes. “Coexistence” by Antti Suomela. CC BY-SA 4.0. Derivative of works under public domain.

English teachers: from accomplices in linguistic erosion to agents of change

Antti Suomela

Recently, a pivotal government report on the role of English in Finland allayed concerns about linguistic erosion, underscoring the enduring prominence of Finnish. English teachers now emerge as agents of change, championing flexible multilingualism in language education. 

Language narrative reshaped: Finnish not threatened by English 

On November 3rd 2023, a collective sigh of relief emanated from English classrooms across Finland, as a certain government report was released. The report found little evidence to suggest an imminent downfall of national languages in Finland and even less implicating English as the culprit for national languages’ deterioration, as had been suggested repeatedly in recent years. The main finding was that while English holds a significant role in Finland, Finnish remains and is likely to remain the primary language. The interplay of English and Swedish, though, seems a particularly topical issue not only at the societal, but also at the individual level. 

Incidentally, the report also shows that Finns already had a solid grasp on the issue over a decadeearlier. In 2009, a comprehensive survey study showed Finns viewed English rather pragmatically and positively and did not perceive English as a threat to Finnish language or culture. Of course, that was pre- “Mall of Tripla”. 

 

The unveiling of the Mall of Tripla shopping centre’s name in 2016 left many Finns puzzled, and the controversy flared up once again in 2019 as the shopping centre opened. “Mall??” by Antti Suomela. CC BY-SA 4.0. Derivative of “Mall of Tripla” by Vadelmavene used under CC BY-SA 4.0.

 

The authors of the report have no illusions about their findings putting an end to the discussion. It is telling that they need to remind readers that the role of English in Finland should be debated in a balanced and constructive manner, in a discussion where arguments are supported by rigorous research. Outrageous headlines of previous years come to mind, as one wonders how deep the trenches have already been dug.  

English teachers as agents of change in the era of flexible multilingualism 

There’s to be no laurel-resting for English teachers. The same report that pardoned them from complicity in linguistic erosion urges the prompt adoption of joustava monikielisyys (or “flexible multilingualism”, my translation), where all linguistic competence is considered a valuable resource. Broad-minded language attitudes should be supported, linguistic awareness improved, inclusivity promoted, and transparency and clarity should permeate the linguistic landscape. Although popular discourse might suggest otherwise, this is not a volte-face. Rather, it is a reaffirmation of the previous course we had perhaps been momentarily dubious about in the wake of concerns over the changing linguistic landscape, with varying degrees of justification. 

 So, English teachers, congratulations! On November 3rd, having entered the your multilingual classroom in the morning as an accomplice in linguistic erosion, in the afternoon you emerged as an agent of change.  

Hope against hope for tangible outcomes 

The report demonstrated once again the value of diverse language skills, and highlighted the expertise involved in the work of language teachers and other language professionals. Surely funding for research is imminent as the report is debated and acted upon, and surely resources for education are equally forthcoming as language education adapts to accommodate the dynamic linguistic landscape of Finland. Right? 

The opening image: A recent report suggests English and Finnish can coexist in Finland, and that the prospect of returning to a bilingual Finland is as unlikely as reverting to the era of telephone boxes.  “Coexistence” by Antti Suomela. CC BY-SA 4.0. Derivative of works under public domain. 

Antti Suomela’s doctoral research investigates ways to further support students, teachers, and educational institutions as the three converge in English classrooms in basic education for adults institutions across Finland. The dissertation highlights the strengths of these topical and pioneering language learning contexts as important lessons applicable more widely in language classrooms.