The article focuses on the Finnish basic education curriculum reform between the years 2012 and 2016 and the role of multi-literacy in it. It helps readers understand the main reasons and aims of the reform as well as the collaborative working approach in the reform process. It describes the endeavor towards a holistic educational approach including an integration of school subjects which is more extensive than before. The aim is to promote pupils’ ability to understand the relationships between various phenomena, to connect knowledge and skills gathered from different school subjects and to utilise them in exploring different phenomena and topics. The main tools in this approach are the seven cross-curricular, transversal competences (Halinen, 2015) described in the national core curriculum as well as the so-called multidisciplinary learning modules to be formed at the local and school level. The concept of transversal competence refers to an entity consisting of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and will. Multi-literacy is one of the seven transversal competences. The article analyses the importance and objectives of multi-literacy in a world of change. The role of literacy has been changing rapidly, parallel to the development of other means of communication. More and more information is mediated in visual, numerical, audio, kinaesthetic and digital form, and through combinations of these. Multi-literacy is needed for interpreting, producing and assessing various kinds and forms of text. At school, multi-literacy is developed through studies in all school subjects and with the help of their specific language. The objectives of multi-literacy at different levels of pre-primary and basic education are examined and examples of multi-literacy in different school subjects (Finnish National Board of Education, 2014) are given in the article. The need for multi-literacy is connected to the paradigm shift concerning language teaching and learning as well as the role of languages and language awareness in learning, in school community an in a culturally diverse society.

FNBE, 2014. Perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteet. [National Core Curriculum for Basic Education]. Opetushallitus. Halinen, I. (2015). What is going on in Finland? – Curriculum Reform 2016. Retrieved from http://www.oph.fi/english/current_issues/101/0/what_is_going_on_in_finland_curriculum_reform_2016