Academic year 2023-2024

Throughout this academic year, the transcription and analysis of the collected data remained ongoing. The research team actively visited some units across different language islands to acquire updated insights into the current situation. Several teacher students accompanied these visits. Additionally, the research team has created a questionnaire for guardians, which was distributed to selected language islands in early May 2024.

Academic year 2022-2023

The data collecting in schools and centers for early childhood education began in the autumn 2022. The research team visited seven units on three different language islands to make observations of activities and linguistic landscapes in accordance with the aim of the project. The length of the visits varied from two to four days.

The data collecting in schools and centers for early childhood education continued in the spring 2023. In addition, the research interviewed 25 teachers on the selected language island schools and centers for early childhood education during the spring semester. The project group arranged two webinars for the employees on the selected language islands in May. The purpose of the webinars was to present an overview of the project and give further information about what the project will intend to do during the upcoming academic year 2023-2024. Transcribing and analyzing of the data began during the spring semester and continued also during the summer 2023.

Academic year 2021-2022

The Project Leader Tom Gullberg and The Senior University Lecturer Mårten Björkgren interviewed directors of education and other key persons on the language islands and other Finnish municipalities during autumn 2021.

In the spring of 2022 the project group visited a few of the language islands, to become acquainted with the involved parties. In June of 2022 an information session was arranged with the staff of the language islands, schools and the centers for early childhood education involved.