TOPIC: EDUCATION LEVEL B2 TEACHER´S MEDIATION EXAM TASK

Education in Finland Written Mediation

Source text length: 350 words Summary length: 125 words

MEDIATION TASK

INSTRUCTIONS: 1 - In 5 minutes, prepare your task reading the text below.

2 - Write a summary of 125 words.

As part of a class project you have been asked to look into different types of educational systems and the
reasons behind their success or lack of it. You have found the following article on the Finnish Educational
System, and you would like to include it in your project.

Write a 125-word summary keeping the essence of the article so a person who has no access to it can
understand its key ideas.

Why the Rest of the World Wants a Piece of Finland’s Education

Education is a hot issue right now, with many nations assessing their failing school systems and desperately
trying to figure out how to fix them. One country being used as an example for others to follow is Finland,
which has some of the world’s highest student performance scores and is often considered to have one of the
best education systems on the planet.

Some states think that they can improve their children’s futures by having them start school as soon as
possible. In Finland, formal education doesn’t start until children are seven years old. Before that, state-
funded day cares and preschools focus exclusively on play and letting young children learn how to socialise
with each other. The forest school model allows children to get plenty of playtime outside to enjoy Finland’s
beautiful wildlife.

The main nine-year bulk of a Finnish student’s education is considerably stress-free compared to their
neighbouring countries. Finland has no religious, single-gender, or private schools (aside from a few private
international schools), so every student is on a level playing field. This does mean that taxes are higher, but
they do at least go into preparing a new generation of skilled workers.

Finnish schools also have significantly less homework and fewer tests, so students can spend most of their
free time socialising or focusing on their extracurricular activities. While schools still start at the unreasonably
early hour of 8am, which studies have proven to be detrimental to teenagers, classes are generally done by
2pm, so students at least have the rest of the day free. These school hours also include more break times; at
least 15 minutes for every 45 minutes of classes.

This positive attitude extends to higher education, which is also free for Finnish students. Their living expenses
are paid for by social security, meaning students can enter the workforce fully trained with zero debt. Even
university living conditions are better, with students staying in small private apartments rather than shared
dormitories, and they can even bring their pets along to live with them!
Source: www.theculturetrip.com

B2 Education in Finland
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B2 Education in Finland Teacher’s Mediation Exam Guide
Mediation Strategies & Microskills

Although students are asked to primarily summarize the main ideas in the article above, to do so, they will
also need to apply other strategies and microskills, which will vary depending on the source text.

For instance, in this particular case, students may:

Streamline the text: By excluding parts of the text that do not cover key ideas, as would be the case of
supporting ideas or redundant explanations.

By expressing the same information in fewer words.

By highlighting key information.

By comparing, contrasting and drawing conclusions.

Rephrase. By wording specific sections of the source differently so they do not copy the key ideas as they are
expressed in the source text.

Synthesize. By providing original ideas and opinions that can be based on their previous knowledge on the
topic combined with information included in the text to mediate.

You can take notes here to give your students feedback.

B2 Education in Finland
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