How do I figure out my level in Finnish?

Question: 

I'm interested in your intermediate YKI course, but I'm not sure if I'm at a sufficient level. How can I figure out if I'm at the right level? 

My answer: 

The starting level for my YKI courses is the later stages of A2, sometimes referred to as A2.2 in the Finnish system. The teaching languages of my class are Finnish and English, but at this level, you should already be able to follow a class taught completely in Finnish before you start. I will be repeating things and varying my speech tempo, and will be explaining things in English as well, but it's good to know this going in! If you're not at all familiar with A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, here's the official global description of the CEFR levels in English.

Here's some material to help you gauge your current level:

1. Speaking. Think about what you can do in Finnish. At the start of the course, you should be able to at least

- introduce yourself
- talk about your past experiences
- talk about everyday topics, like the weather, where you live etc.
- express a simple opinion
- handle everyday interactions, like buying a coffee, buying a bus ticket etc

You don't have to be able to do all this elegantly, but you have to be able to manage without resorting to English. Mistakes are normal and expected at this stage!

Making more mistakes than you used to can even be sign that you're approaching B1, or are already there: as you learn more and more, you start struggling with putting it all into practice at once, which might even feel like you're going backwards. 

4. Writing. Pretty much the same as 1., speaking. So short messages in different everyday situations should feel doable for you before the course, as well as writing about the past, giving advice and expressing a simple opinion. Nothing complicated, just the likes of 

Tykkään tästä, koska...
I like this, because...

2. Listening comprehension:

Try "Tehtävä 1" on this website: 

https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2015/12/15/keskitaso-0

You don't have to understand everything or get it all right, but it should feel at least doable at the start of the course. 

3. Reading comprehension: 

You should be able to read this interview quite easily: 

https://randomfinnishlesson.blogspot.com/2019/08/artistihaastattelu-meeri-sarjasto.html?m=1

Again, you don't have to understand all of it, but you should be able to follow the main points at least without using a dictionary or translation tool. 

I hope this is helpful and I'd love to see you there!