Finnish educators visit UPEI

A group of 22 English teachers from Finland recently visited Prince Edward Island to meet with members of UPEI's Faculty of Education, the Webster Centre for Teaching & Learning and the Department of Modern Languages as part of a Canadian study and professional development tour.

Each year, the Association of English Teachers in Finland organizes a trip to a foreign land to learn best practices in teaching a second language. Dr. Miles Turnbull, an associate professor in the UPEI Faculty of Education and Co-Coordinator of the Bachelor of Education, French Immersion, encountered members of the group last summer in Australia, and learned that in 2010, the group was visiting Canada.

'I met Ari Peltonen, a member of the Association's board, when I was attending a conference in Sydney,' said Turnbull. 'Next thing I know, the President of the Finnish Association was emailing me with a request to come to UPEI. I said ‘yes' right away!'

While at UPEI, the group took part in a keynote address and workshop given by Dr. Turnbull entitled, ‘Open the Windows and Sweep Out the Cobwebs: Initiating dialogue on the first language in second and foreign language teaching, a Canadian perspective that challenges traditional views'. The group also had the chance to meet with various educators working in the UPEI English for Academic Preparation Program in the Webster Centre.

Peltonen, also the tour coordinator, said, 'We've really enjoyed our visit to PEI and appreciate the time we have spent with colleagues, including Doroley Coll in the language lab here at UPEI. Our own English programs are modelled after Canada's French immersion experience, so our group was really interested to meet with UPEI educators who are leading programming in this area.'

UPEI offers innovative programs through the Faculty of Education, Department of Modern Languages, Webster Centre for Teaching & Learning, and Centre for Life-Long Learning that demonstrate excellence in second-language teaching. Some examples include the B.Ed in French Immersion, the Language Lab at Robertson Library, English Academic Preparation for non-native-speaking students, and intensive summer English immersion like the 'Explore' program.