Are you coming to a Finnish test?
Initial language assessment for the clients of the Employment services
Welcome to the Finnish level test!
Check out our video to know what the test is about.
The Finnish level test is for adult migrants. The clients are invited to the test by the Employment Services. The Finnish level tests are held in Testipiste premises in Helsinki and also in Kerava, Porvoo, Karjaa and Lohja.
At Testipiste Finnish language teachers assess what kind of Finnish language course is best suited for the client. The test is not an entrance exam. A test taker does not need to know Finnish.
The initial language assessment includes a short interview and some of the following tests:
- reading aloud task
- dictation
- more detailed literacy tests
- logic test
- mathematics
- speaking test
- writing test
- listening comprehension test
- reading comprehension test
The test will take from 30 minutes up to 4 hours to complete. It depends on the test taker’s level of Finnish.
Clients will be asked to prove their identity using a valid photo ID.
Materials for self study and other useful links:
Testipiste – language assessment centre for adult migrants
Testipiste language assessment centre began its operation in the metropolitan area on April 1st, 2010 as a project funded by the European Social Fund (ELY Centre of Uusimaa), the city of Helsinki and the educational institutes involved in the project. The operation has become established since January 1st, 2014.
Initial language assessment
The initial language assessment service is offered in cooperation by four adult education institutes in the metropolitan area. Axxell Multicultural Centre is the coordinator, and CareeriaPlus, Eira High School for Adults and Taitotalo are partners.
The initial assessment takes place in Testipiste with a uniform model developed for testing the language proficiency of adult migrants. The aim of the assessment is to produce information about the clients’ proficiency in Finnish as well as other competences, so that a training plan matching their needs can be drawn up, thus speeding up their placement in a suitable training programme and advancing their entry into the labour market.
The test appointment is booked at an Employment and Economic Development Office (TE Office). The test starts with an interview. After the interview, there are several test tasks (e.g. reading aloud task, dictation, test of structural perception and mathematics, and for those who already speak Finnish there will be tests of speaking, writing, listening and reading comprehension), that help to determine the right integration study path and course level. The test is not an entrance exam but rather it is used to find the right training option for everyone.
Standardising language assessment
A further goal of Testipiste is to standardise and develop the assessment of language proficiency by offering a proficiency tests for the Finnish studies in integration training and by offering assessment training for teachers of Finnish as a second language as well as for others working together with migrant clients.
Coming to a Finnish test? Read an interview with our 20 000th test taker
6 years and 20 000 test takers! Congratulations Testipiste and François Roux!
François, 34, is quite typical examinee in Testipiste. He comes from France but has worked in many countries and on many continents in ICT field. In 2014 François came to Finland to work – but by accident. Even during his interview on skype he thought he was to go to Stockholm, Sweden. However, François says that Helsinki wasn’t a disappointment to him: Finland is Scandinavian enough and for a change on the same continent as his family living in France and Switzerland.
After two days in Helsinki François was already working. Official language in a multinational company was English and with French partners obviously French – so there wasn’t much room for Finnish. François did start a Finnish course but very soon it came clear that combining language studies with overseas business travels was quite impossible.
When an invitation to a placement test arrived in September 2016, François thought testing to be unnecessary. If one knows nothing but some 50 words of Finnish wouldn’t one start from the first course and from the first level?
In Testipiste François soon found out that there are lots of different courses available and that the suitable course depends on student’s education, experience in language learning, study skills and future plans. As a beginner, François had only four short tests to do: reading Finnish aloud, dictation, structural reasoning and math, which all tap into study skills. François says that he found tests to be reasonable, math even easy. Background interview and different tests took about one hour.
So, what comes next? Firstly, François hopes to find a job in Finland. He’d prefer to stay in Helsinki because his home and social life are here. A language course is a good option, too. François expects his Finnish course to be practical and not just about grammar.
François appreciates all support Finnish society gives to migrants and believes that support system would be different in most of the countries. On the other hand, it’s far too easy to live in Helsinki and just speak English. This seems to be a problem many migrants face.
Finally, Testipiste wishes his 20 000th test taker all the best in his language studies and the very best of luck with his search for finding work in ICT business as well. Bonne chance, François!