Kalbų vartojimas ir kalbinės nuostatos: mokyklų lenkų mokomąja kalba atvejis
Language use and Linguistic Attitudes: The Case Study of Schools with the Polish Language of Instruction

Summary/Abstract: The article presents the results of a questionnaire-based study of the most commonly used home language, the choice of language in relation to other languages in different communicative situations and linguistic attitudes towards Polish, Lithuanian and English languages based on the survey analyzing responses of student groups of grades 3–8 in two schools with the Polish language of instruction. Research data in relation to the age groups was analyzed regarding aspects such as the dominant language in communication with family and friends, the choice of language preference over other languages, i.e. in which language students choose to watch movies, search for information on the Internet, read books, write SMS and communicate on social networks. Students’ language attitudes were studied in terms of language learning motivation, social value and personal relationship with the language. In some aspects, the research results were compared with the data of the study of students’ linguistic attitudes and language dominance in everyday use conducted a few years ago in schools with the Lithuanian language of instruction focused on the same age groups. Research data on language dominance show that the majority of students communicate in Polish at home, although for some of them Polish is not the only language used in the family. Out of all the students who participated in the study, 42% indicated that they speak Polish at home, more than a third of students specified that they usually communicate in several languages in the family, out of which the largest part (25%) speak in Polish and Russian and 26% of students indicated that they communicate in Russian at home. Less than a tenth of students, in addition to Polish and Russian, noted that they often use Lithuanian in their home environment. Research data on the choice of language in relation to other languages in different communicative situations revealed that two languages – Polish and Russian – predominate, and Russian is especially strongly used when searching for information on the Internet and watching movies. Reading is the type of activity where Polish and Lithuanian languages prevail. The results of the research demonstrate the high status of the Lithuanian language’s social value, as students believe that it is important to know the Lithuanian language in order to achieve both social and professional life objectives. The results of the study show a statistically significant positive correlation between motivation to learn the Lithuanian language and liking Lithuanian lessons (Pearson coefficient 0,729). English is considered a prestigious language and the results show the highest motivation to learn it, in comparison to Polish and Lithuanian languages. The results of the study revealed that students feel a strong connection with the Polish language of instruction as part of their identity. A third of the students consider Lithuanian their own language and approximately the same number do not have an opinion or disagree. The conducted exploratory research covers several municipal schools and, therefore, does not make general conclusions about the linguistic preferences and language dominance of students in the majority of schools with the Polish language of instruction. The study shows trends regarding language choice, valuation of Polish, Lithuanian and English languages and learning motivation.

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