Venäjän kouluopetus muuttuvassa yhteiskunnassa

Teaching Russian in Finland The article examines the history of teaching Russian as a foreign language in Finland from the 16th century to the present day, focusing on the societal events and phenomena that have influenced it. The strengthening position of the English language since the 1950s, changes in the form of government, the school system, and language education policy, the increase in municipal decision-making power, economic factors, and general attitudes towards language learning have all played significant roles in the development of Russian language teaching. Teaching Russian has never been neutral; it has been politicized at different times for various reasons, and its study and teaching have been seen to serve multiple purposes. Using archival sources, the research sheds light on the societal debate surrounding the teaching of Russian at different times. Despite efforts by various actors to influence Russian language education, long-term changes have been minimal, and the significance of Russian as a foreign language taught in schools has steadily declined since its peak in the 1970s. The article also includes a case study on the history of Russian language teaching at Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu. (183 words)