Open borders and the ability to travel frequently and cheaply mean that many people choose to work and live abroad.
This also applies to families with children.
Regular travel or periodic living in another country makes it easier to learn the language, get to know other cultures and sensitize to the needs of others.
Many Polish families choose to return from emigration to their homeland.
Younger children who were not born in the country may have difficulty communicating freely in Polish.
The difficult geopolitical situation has recently caused Poland to be inhabited by an increasing number of refugees, including those from Ukraine.
Their children are beginning their education in Polish kindergartens and schools. Can lack of Polish language skills be an obstacle to a child’s education and development?
The child does not find his way in the kindergarten – what to do?
The problem of finding their way in a new environment affects many children starting preschool education.
For children unfamiliar with the Polish language, staying in a preschool group may seem more difficult.
The beginnings are not always easy, especially when there is anxiety in the child.
When deciding to enroll a child in a kindergarten, it is worth checking in advance whether the kindergarten offers adaptation classes and integration classes, the purpose of which is to make it easier for children to learn in the kindergarten and interact in a group of peers.
It is a good idea to start teaching Polish to foreign-speaking children as early as possible.
Classes adapted to the child’s age bring good results, but it is worth knowing that it is even more effective to learn through regular stay and activity in a group with children who speak Polish.
In this way, the child has a chance to learn the language in practice, through speaking, or learning new words and phrases.
This is a very important skill that textbooks or readings will not provide.
Of course, a very important role is also played by proper integration in the kindergarten.
This one is possible thanks to the work of teachers and educators with relevant experience.
Foreign language child in kindergarten – integration and adaptation
Integration and adaptation are two concepts that are particularly important in kindergarten activities.
They define the processes that allow children to get along more easily and acclimate more quickly to a new, unfamiliar environment. A child who does not speak Polish on a daily basis is likely to integrate quickly into a peer group. By integrating in a group, if only through play, team games or physical activity, foreign-speaking children also get a chance to learn the Polish language faster.
This type of experience will certainly bear fruit in the future.
Kindergarten adaptation is also a good idea. Starting kindergarten education is sometimes stressful especially for children who do not speak Polish. Kindergarten Motylek 3 meets the needs of different children and their parents. The rich offer of classes is also adapted to foreign language children.
A child just starting in a Polish kindergarten can take advantage of adaptation classes.
They take place twice a week for several hours each.
Children come with a caregiver, so they don’t have to experience separation, get to know the teacher and other peers, and participate in regular activities with the whole group.
As a result, after the adaptation process is over, it will definitely be easier for them to find their way in the group and stay in the kindergarten for a longer, full-day stay. Adaptation classes usually last a few weeks, most often two to four.
Their length depends on the individual characteristics or needs of the child.
Adaptation in kindergarten
The process of adaptation of a foreign-language child at Motylek 3 Kindergarten is made easier also thanks to the qualified and professional teaching staff – educators with many years of experience used in practice work here.
Such experience allows teachers to work effectively with children, enabling them to develop their individual talents and meet their needs.
Education itself takes place in a child-friendly atmosphere. Kindergarten groups are small, numbering about fifteen, which further facilitates the integration of children and promotes the learning of the Polish language.
The opportunity to learn about new cultures is a great value that we should take advantage of as often as possible.
Nowadays, in an era of easily accessible Internet and open borders, both learning languages and meeting people from other countries are much easier than they were just a dozen years ago.
Especially open-minded and tolerant are children who meet their peers from different countries in kindergarten. Lack of knowledge of the Polish language is not an obstacle to full integration and adaptation of the child in new conditions. This is helped by adaptation classes or integration games.
Learning the customs of other countries or foreign languages develops the brain, increases creativity, and at the same time allows easier and more effective adaptation in the environment.
