A foreigner in the Polish world. The creation of a textbook protagonist in the context of developing intercultural awareness. A close look at the Start series Cover Image

Cudzoziemiec w polskim świecie. Kreacja podręcznikowego bohatera w kontekście kształcenia świadomości interkulturowej–na przykładzie serii Start
A foreigner in the Polish world. The creation of a textbook protagonist in the context of developing intercultural awareness. A close look at the Start series

Author(s): Ewa Badyda
Subject(s): Foreign languages learning, Language acquisition, Sociology of Culture, Pedagogy
Published by: Uniwersytet Adama Mickiewicza
Keywords: teaching Polish as a foreign language; textbooks; intercultural awareness; ethnocentrism; ethnorelativism;

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the image of a foreigner, a recurring protagonist in Start, which is a series of contemporary textbooks for teaching Polish as a foreign language for levels A0-A2. The analysis aims to reveal the extent to which his native cultural background, reflected in the social behaviour, habits, preferences and interests, expressed views and emotions, self-awareness of identity, values and reaction to the encounter with Polish culture, is taken into account in the way he is shown, and to what degree this character has been culturally “Polonized”. The author concludes that the resource presents a rather ethnocentric point of view and, as such, might undermine the teachers’ efforts to develop intercultural awareness among students.

  • Issue Year: 60/2023
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 74-87
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Polish