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- List of schools
- Bilingual schools - what does the Polish education law say?
- Bilingual vs. international schools
- Advantages of bilingual private schools in Poland
- How are bilingual classes run in Poland?
- Our Kids recommends
Bilingualism is the ability to use two languages equally in speech and writing. It’s assumed that the number of multilingual people in the world is higher than the number of people who only speak one language
In the wide range of of private schools there are different types of bilingual schools: primary schools and high schools which offer a bilingual education.
Bilingual schools - what does the Polish education law say?
The Education Act of 14 December 2016 states that "bilingual classes may be established in public and private schools, except for art schools. In the case of primary schools, bilingual classes may be created starting from Grade 7."
The Ministry of National Education states that a bilingual class should be understood as a class where teaching is conducted in two languages: Polish and a modern foreign language, the second language of instruction. The following must be taught bilingually:
• at least two subjects, with the exception of the Polish language, Polish history and Polish geography,
• including at least one of the following subjects: biology, chemistry, physics, world geography, world history or mathematics.
Bilingual vs. international schools
In addition to bilingual schools, there are also international schools attended by students from many countries around the world. It gives kids the opportunity to make friends with peers from different cultures, learn about their habits; this is undoubtedly an advantage that cannot be overestimated.
Often parents do not know exactly what the difference between the terms "bilingual school" and "international school" is. It is worth explaining what to expect in both of these types of facilities.
The difference between bilingual and international schools seems to be small, because both are attended by children from different countries, including Poland, and their names include the word “international,” but their curricula are different.
Bilingual schools use the Polish core curriculum, usually supplemented by elements of programs from other countries and learning—as the name suggests—is conducted in two languages, while in international schools or international classes, teaching is conducted in a foreign language (usually English) according to the selected foreign curriculum. For this reason, an international school would be a better fit for kids who don’t speak Polish, although they will learn it anyway—at least at the primary school level.
A characteristic feature of international schools is that they can teach only in a foreign language and in accordance with the curriculum of a foreign educational institution, while in a bilingual school teaching is done in a foreign language and in Polish.
Moreover, these schools may also use their own grading system. The exception is when Polish children attend an international school or class—then the school is obliged to provide them with Polish-language lessons and elements of Polish history and geography in Polish.
International schools are also required to teach Polish to foreign children. It should also be remembered that the authorization to establish an international class in a primary school may be granted if the curriculum established by a foreign educational institution implemented in this class enables students to gain knowledge and skills necessary for them to take the eighth-grade examination.
In practice, private international schools use mixed systems and apart from foreign education systems, such as British, American, French, or German, as well as the International Baccalaureate (IB) (read about the IB Diploma Programme and IB schools in Poland), they also use the Polish curriculum. For this reason, they often operate as bilingual schools (whose rules of operation are described in Polish regulations slightly differently), with international classes.
Both international and bilingual schools educate students from all over the world, including Poland, creating a wonderful international school environment. Studying in international schools fosters the development of linguistic, communicative, and social competences of children.
Advantages of bilingual private schools in Poland
There are many of them. In a bilingual school, barriers to communicating in a foreign language disappear from the earliest stage of education. Pupils study foreign language through mutual communication and speaking with teachers.
In Poland, the most popular foreign languages taught in bilingual private schools are English, French, and German. Individual private schools decide what subjects will be taught in a foreign language. It’s worth mentioning that in some countries bilateral agreements are in force, thanks to which a student who ends up in this type of school has an open admission to foreign universities without taking a foreign language examination.
Learning a foreign language in a private bilingual school is not only a way to master the skills of communication. It also provides a large dose of knowledge about the cultures surrounding the language.
Knowledge of two languages brings multiple benefits, including those that boost one’s cognitive abilities. It has been scientifically proven that people who know two languages are more aware of other languages, and that learning a new language comes more easily.
Foreign language in such schools is treated equally with the mother tongue. It’s treated as a tool for mutual communication, not another school subject. Learning in bilingual schools from an early age is also a factor that can lead to more high-level, abstract thinking. Students are more often looking for their own solutions and are more developed intellectually.
However, this is not all. Bilingual language schools in Poland teach the principles of tolerance, mutual support, and everyday interaction with people from different cultures.
Knowledge of a foreign language from a very young age is a very valuable skill. Thanks to it, the student has the opportunity to communicate with more people on a daily basis than a monolingual student.
Two health benefits also derive from bilingualism: Canadian scholars have proven that bilingualism has an effect on delaying the processes of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
How are bilingual classes run in Poland?
Students have more English language hours than in regular programs. In addition, other subjects, such as biology, mathematics and geography, are taught in a bilingual manner, i.e. lessons are conducted partly in Polish and partly in a second language. This gives learners the opportunity to have their language skills significantly expanded, including a rich vocabulary from various fields. In all bilingual classes, teachers use both Polish materials and sources in a foreign language.
CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) method of teaching is often used in bilingual education. CLIL strives to use both languages freely in speech and writing by students: the mother tongue and the foreign language at the same level. The innovatove CLIL method is recommended by the European Commission to promote language learning and linguistic diversity.
In bilingual schools, learning often takes place on the basis of innovative programs created by the teachers themselves.
Students can also participate in a number of additional classes in which they learn about the culture and geography of the relevant country. Very often, schools of this type also allow to students to prepare for the certifying language examinations. They organize conversations with native speakers, as well as additional classes with researchers, for example, in English philology.
Bilingual schools in Poland are often international institutions, attended by students from many countries around the world. It gives them the opportunity to make friends with people from different cultures, to learn about their customs and way of life. Some also offer trips and camps related to language learning.
Non-public bilingual schools are very well equipped with modern multimedia devices and other educational resources. They may have libraries with foreign-language magazines, as well as more specialized, bilingual and monolingual dictionaries, and literature in a foreign language. Very often, bilingual private language schools are supported by respected institutions, such as the Goethe Institute or the British Council.
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