Introduction. Within the framework of this article, the author made an attempt to consider some features of teaching a foreign language in Finland at school and in institutions of secondary vocational education, which allow the Finns to speak a foreign language at a fairly good level. Theoretical analysis. Consideration of the reasons for these results made it possible to reveal the fact that in recent years a system of early learning of a foreign language has been introduced in Finnish education. Much attention is paid to the formation of communication and interaction skills. The study of a foreign language in the secondary school is aimed at familiarizing the student with the culture of the language being studied. When teaching a foreign language to students of secondary vocational education institutions, there is an active integration of general education and vocational training. Conclusion. When studying their native language, students consider general linguistic concepts that are also inherent in other languages and contribute to a common understanding of the language structure. Finnish teachers in their professional activities rely on the teachings of L. S. Vygotsky about the zone of proximal development. Language learning is seen as a lifelong process that aims to develop multilingual competence.