Glossary of Finnish Education Terms
Finnish education comes with its own vocabulary. This glossary explains the terms parents and educators encounter most often, in plain English, with links to fuller explanations where we have them.
- Peruskoulu means comprehensive school, Finland's single nine-year structure covering grades 1 to 9 with no streaming or repeated exams.
- Opetussuunnitelma is the Finnish word for curriculum, most often used to mean the national core curriculum set by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
- Laaja-alainen osaaminen, broad-based competence, describes the cross-subject skills such as thinking, self-care and participation that the national curriculum builds alongside academic subjects.
- Terms like ilmiöoppiminen (phenomenon-based learning) and oppimisympäristö (learning environment) describe specific teaching approaches rather than formal structures.
School structure and stages
Esiopetus is pre-primary education, typically the year before compulsory school at age six. Peruskoulu, comprehensive school, covers grades 1 to 9 as one continuous structure, informally split into alakoulu (lower grades, roughly 1 to 6) and yläkoulu (upper grades, 7 to 9). See our full explainer on what peruskoulu means for more detail.
After comprehensive school, pupils choose between lukio, general upper secondary school, and ammatillinen koulutus, vocational upper secondary education, both covered in our guide to vocational education and upper secondary in Finland.
Curriculum and teaching approach
Opetussuunnitelma is the Finnish word for curriculum, most often referring to the national core curriculum. Laaja-alainen osaaminen, broad-based or transversal competence, is the set of cross-subject skills, thinking, self-care, multiliteracy and more, woven through every subject, explained further in our piece on transversal competencies.
Ilmiöoppiminen, phenomenon-based learning, describes project-style teaching built around a real-world topic rather than a single subject, covered in what is phenomenon-based learning. A related term, monialainen oppimiskokonaisuus, multidisciplinary learning module, refers to the specific blocks of timetable set aside for this kind of work, discussed in how Finland uses multidisciplinary learning modules.
Assessment and support
Arviointi simply means assessment. In the early grades this is largely sanallinen arviointi, verbal or descriptive assessment, rather than numerical grades, as set out in our guide to the Finnish grading system.
Kolmiportainen tuki, the three-tier support model, describes how extra help is layered in for pupils who need it, covered in the three-tier support model. Oppilashuolto, student welfare services, refers to the pastoral and wellbeing team around each school, explained in student welfare teams and pastoral care.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know Finnish to understand Finnish pedagogy?
No. The concepts translate well into English, and most affiliate schools outside Finland, including those working with OPPI as described in how school affiliation with OPPI works, teach and communicate in English or the local language. The Finnish terms are useful for context, not a requirement.
What is the difference between opetussuunnitelma and curriculum?
They mean the same thing. Opetussuunnitelma is simply the Finnish word for curriculum, most commonly used to refer to the national core curriculum published by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
What does laaja-alainen osaaminen actually cover?
It covers seven areas of broad-based competence built into every subject: thinking and learning to learn, cultural competence, self-care, multiliteracy, digital competence, working life skills and participation, as detailed in our guide to transversal competencies.
Related reading
Bring Finnish pedagogy to your school
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