Bilingualism Course 81

„Bilingualism in Practice”

Funded by the Chancellery of the Senate of the Republic of Poland under the “Senate–Polonia 2025” programme.

Project co-ordinator: dr Dorota Hrycak-Krzyżanowska

“Bilingualism in Practice” was a 43-hour online course delivered by the Department of Polish Language and Culture Teaching at the Polish University Abroad in London. It was designed for people living and working in the United Kingdom who support children growing up bilingually: teachers and educators, including those working in Polish supplementary schools and Polish community settings; specialists such as speech and language therapists and psychologists; as well as parents and carers of bilingual children.

The programme responded to participants’ practical needs. It covered the foundations of bilingualism, speech and pronunciation development, psychological aspects of growing up between two cultures, teaching Polish as a heritage language, differences between Polish and English, reading and text-based activities, as well as the use of new technologies and digital storytelling in language education. The course combined group sessions, individual consultations and learning with subject specialists.

The course brought together 81 participants. Its impact was confirmed through an evaluation survey: of the 42 respondents, 88.1% stated that they would use the knowledge gained in their own practice, while the remaining 11.9% selected “maybe”. No negative responses

The project’s lasting outcomes include strengthened participant competences, a set of tested approaches for working with bilingual children, educational materials and course-completion certificates. The course also raised awareness of the role of the Polish language in building the identity of children and young people growing up outside Poland, while supporting cooperation between families, schools and specialists.