On Bilingualism in a (Monolingual?) English Classroom Environment – The Challenges for Polish-English Bilingual Children, their Parents and Schools
On Bilingualism in a (Monolingual?) English Classroom Environment – The Challenges for Polish-English Bilingual Children, their Parents and Schools

Summary/Abstract: Poland is one of the biggest countries among the accession states, and between 2004 and 2008, Poles constituted the largest migrant group, and currently, Polish is the second most widely spoken language in England and Wales, with more than half a million people speaking Polish as their first language. It is predicted that the number of Polish-English bilingual children in the UK will continue growing; therefore, the needs of these children need to be studied and addressed. This article will provide some background information on the nature of Polish migration and its key features, as this knowledge may facilitate better understanding of the Polish-English bilingual pupils within the English system of education. It will consider some of the challenges for Polish parents, their bilingual children and the teachers of these children within English monolingual curriculum and assessment which seems to be largely outdated and inappropriate for an increasingly diverse population. Three in-depth cases studies will be presented to illuminate specific issues and challenges, highlighting how myths about bilingualism are still alive and at play and how they can impact on the children psycho-social development and behaviour as well as put strain on the relationship between schools and parents. Some tentative recommendations will be made and future research directions will be discussed.

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