Käsityksiä kielestä äidinkielen opetussuunnitelmissa

Abstract

Curricula for the mother tongue contain various conceptualizations of language. As the mother tongue (and literature) as a subject is multidisciplinary, it also reflects the ways of approaching language not only through linguistics but also communication sciences, literary research and cultural studies. When comparing four curricula for mother tongue instruction, we see that the same conceptualizations of language appear repeatedly. This shows that conceptualizations of language in them have remained unchanged in this respect. However, each curriculum emphasizes certain conceptualizations. The curriculum of 1970 focuses on the use of language in various situations: the mastery of communicative situations and types of texts (genres). Language appears also as structures. In the curriculum of 1985 language appears as capital accumulated in use. Language is presented as a hierarchic system of structures in language knowledge and writing. In the curriculum of 1994, language is both a tool and an object of observation and learning, composed of situated meanings. The curriculum of 2004 also emphasizes the creation and interpretation of linguistic meanings. Language is examined as cooperation between meanings and forms. It is the result of growing up in different societies and cultural environments.