One of the objectives of the study is to discuss the influence of the European Union’s enlargement of 2004 on the linguistic landscape of Poland. The EU’s policy on languages recognises all languages as equal, hence minority languages are legally protected. After admission of Poland to the European Union, the catalogue of such languages has significantly increased in our country to 16 indigenous minority languages. On the other hand, with respect to the Polish system of education, the number of taught languages is significantly limited to Belorussian, Lithuanian, German, Hebrew, Slovak and Ukrainian.
The overriding aim of the present investigation will pertain to such areas as: levels of education (primary and secondary), curricula and learning materials with reference to the instruction in the minority languages. The paper summarises part of the results obtained through the longitudinal study conducted in six Polish schools where the minority languages were implemented in the past ten years. There was one primary and five secondary schools involved in the study and each of them introduced one of the six aforementioned minority languages as a medium of instruction. Geographically speaking, the selected schools are located in different corners of Poland which are significantly diverse in terms of cultural and religious beliefs. The collected findings are based on the surveys administered among teachers. The collected data reveals that although the languages are defended, there exist several issues concerning their implementation into the system affecting the curricula and learning materials. In addition, certain implications have been indicated on how the process of enactment should be finalised so that the quality of learning and teaching is enhanced.
References:
Komorowska, H. (2014) Analyzing Linguistic Landscapes. A Diachronic Study of Multilingualism in Poland. In: A. Otwinowska-Kasztelanic, G. de Angelis (eds.) Teaching and Learning in Multilingual Contexts. Sociolinguistic and Educational Perspectives. Multilingual Matters
Moskal, M. (2004) Language minorities in Poland at the moment of accession to the EU. Noves SL: Revista de sociolinguistica
Pisarek, W. (2011) The relationship between official and minority languages in Poland. In: G. Stickel (ed.) National, Regional and Minority Languages in Europe. Peter Lang Verlag.
