A language-aware daily life that promotes reading
In Hämeenlinna’s early childhood and pre-primary education, we create a daily life that inspires reading and a language-aware operating culture.
A diverse linguistic environment, fairy tales, stories, nursery rhymes, songs, and shared reading moments support children’s language development, thinking, imagination, and learning. An environment that promotes reading is visible everywhere in our daily lives. Books are available to children and are read daily, both together and independently, while listening to the children’s interests. Through reading, we strengthen interaction, inclusion, and the joy of learning. In a language-aware daily life, we take into account children’s diverse linguistic backgrounds and support every child’s language development.
Reading together strengthens a child’s linguistic skills, supports well-being, and creates meaningful moments between the child and the adult. We also encourage families to read, tell stories, and discuss with the child in all the languages used by the family. The goal is for reading to find its natural place in daily life and bring joy to the whole family.
Hämeenlinna Library is our key partner in literacy work. Visits to libraries and mobile libraries, diverse and up-to-date book selections, book talks, story sessions, and guided visits offer the opportunity to explore new genres of literature and worlds of stories. In literacy work, cooperation is also carried out with cultural services, organisations, and arts education professionals. This cooperation enriches children’s experiences and offers different ways to get excited about literature and stories.
Together towards a more literate Hämeenlinna
Literacy does not happen by itself – it is born through doing, sharing, and getting excited together.
Hämeenlinna is committed to supporting the literacy of children and young people and the joy of reading as part of everyday life.
To support literacy work, each daycare centre has a reading coordinator who, together with the daycare centre director, promotes a language-aware daily life that encourages reading. The City of Hämeenlinna has drawn up its own literacy programme for 2025–2029, the aim of which is to strengthen the structures of literacy work and deepen cooperation between different sectors.
Language, Mind, and Reading project 2025–2026
In 2026, Hämeenlinna’s basic education and early childhood education are implementing the ‘Language, Mind, Reading’ literacy project. The project aims to strengthen children’s and young people’s enthusiasm for reading, motivation, and literacy skills, and to support the goals of the City of Hämeenlinna’s literacy programme (2025–2029) by developing literacy work structures and inter-sectoral cooperation. The project is funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
Educational equality and non-discrimination project for early childhood and pre-primary education 2025–2027
In Hämeenlinna’s early childhood education, an equal, non-discriminative, language-aware, and inclusive operating culture is promoted with the help of a special grant from the Ministry of Education and Culture. Language and culture teachers working in daycare centres strengthen the staff’s expertise in language awareness, cultural sensitivity, and inclusive practices, and support the Finnish language learning of multilingual children.
Multiliteracy and digital competence
In early childhood and pre-primary education, children practice multiliteracy and digital competence in an age-appropriate, playful way together with an adult. Digital competence helps the child to become familiar with various digital tools and practices in a safe and appropriate manner. Multiliteracy means the ability to interpret, understand, and produce various messages, images, stories, sounds, and media content.
Children practice, for example, searching for information, taking photos, producing stories, discussing media, and the creative use of digital tools. At the same time, they learn safe practices, critical thinking, emotional skills, and responsible media use.
Multiliteracy and digital competence support children’s learning, inclusion, and well-being. The goal is for the child to learn to act safely, in a balanced way, and with curiosity in different learning environments, and to use technology as a tool for learning, interaction, and creative expression.