Grammar education at the turn of the millennium. The case of Poland

Abstract

Models for L1 teaching in schools were under discussion in many countries at the turn of the millennium. The very aim of teaching language was also one of the lively discussions. A debate about the role of grammar in L1 teaching was also pursued. In Poland, the political transformation in 1989 was a natural moment for educational changes. The syllabus reform was presented in the Core Curriculum in 1999. This document has been repeatedly supplemented and modified in recent years, and it has made space for original programs and textbooks. The aim of the article is to theorize, analyse and discuss today's grammar education in the Polish context, focusing on empirical examples from textbooks. It starts with an outline of international debates on grammar in L1 education. Afterwards, it connects these specifically to the Polish situation. In the next section, the methodological clarification of the research which the paper reports on, are outlined. The main body of the paper presents a typology of approaches to grammar instruction which has been conceived in Polish L1 research. This typology makes a distinction between systemic, communicative and functional approaches; the latter is further subdivided into 'linguocentric' and 'textocentric' approaches. The models distinguished are illustrated by grammatical tasks from textbooks. In its concluding considerations, the paper argues that reforming teacher education and amplifying empirical research are the main challenges which must be met in the future.

Sound form signalization in L1 Polish, Czech and Slovak textbooks: In search of best practices

“…Core curriculum (CC) for teaching Polish as a mother tongue encouraged the integration of the content of education (language, literature, culture and communication), functionalization of grammar, and maintaining a balance between the cognitive and practical approaches (Awramiuk & Szymańska, 2019). Pupils in Grades 4-6 should understand the terms: voice, letter, syllable, accent; they should also be in possession of knowledge of the rules for accenting words and applying correct intonation according to the purpose of the speech act (CC 2017, p. 63).…”