„Język polski” jako przedmiot nauczania w opinii uczniów szkół gimnazjalnych i podstawowych
“Polish language” as a school subject in the opinion of lower secondary and primary school students

Summary/Abstract: The authors of the article analyze questionnaires in which students commented on the role of their mother tongue. More than 900 students from selected primary and lower secondaryschools in Kraków took part in the study. The students prefer to gain pragmatic knowledge – skills which help them obtain good grades on tests. As a result, these skills are seen as a ticket to a better school and then a successful life (in most cases this means a well-paid job). In the students’ answers concerning the “usefulness” of the Polish language in terms of the individual development of children and young people, the didactic aspect of literary, linguistic and cultural content turned out to be of marginal significance. The students do not appreciate the value of learning the native language as a means of self-exploration in terms of axiology. They do, however, realize the usefulness of linguistic learning in the developmentof communicative skills (in most cases it is related to one’s ability to communicate with other people). Opinions of the primary and lower secondary school students constitute a crucialanalytic material for contemporary debates on strengthening the role of the native language in the school education system. The opinions and assessments derived from educational experiences show the lack of a deeper agreement between the discourse of Polish studies didactics and school practice aimed at accomplishing educational targets.

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