The study focused on accessibility and quality of language learning facilities for children across 67 Polish cities.
The results showed smaller cities taking the lead, with the capital Warsaw, trailing behind, in 18th position.
The northern city of Koszalin, despite its population not exceeding 300,000, has been hailed for its remarkable educational infrastructure supporting language learning. The city excels with 35 bilingual schools per 10,000 children.
Following Koszalin, Leszno and Radom were ranked second and third respectively, due to a robust presence of bilingual schools and a burgeoning multilingual community.
Nearly half of Poland's populace aged between 25 and 64 speaks at least one foreign language, and over 19 percent are bilingual. The country's general linguistic landscape is also diversifying, with a rising number of foreigners.
Sylvia Johnson, a language and intercultural skills expert at Preply, observed: “This ranking might surprise those who believed that larger urban conurbations offered the greatest development opportunities for the youngest. Smaller cities, for a long time now, not only have a broader offer of language schools per total number of children but also boast the best bilingual institutions.”
Warsaw’s lower ranking is attributed to a limited number of multilingual or international schools relative to the number of students, with only six institutions per 10,000 children.
Despite a strong appetite for language learning among Warsaw’s residents, as evidenced, for example, by the high number of online searches for foreign language learning, the city’s educational offerings seem misaligned with the public’s interests.
The report also highlighted shifting societal trends in language preferences. While English remains a dominant choice, a regional variation in language interests has been observed, with cities such as Łódź and Warsaw leaning towards Spanish, and others like Lublin, Opole, and Szczecin showing a predilection for German.
The research, grounded in comprehensive criteria including the presence of bilingual/international schools, demand for foreign language learning, and multilingual community sizes, paints a nuanced picture of Poland's linguistic education, setting the stage for a broader understanding of societal inclinations towards multilingualism in a changing world.
(rt/gs)
Source: pap-mediaroom.pl
