In focus: Poland

• 5 Stars

With around one in seven children in UK primaries speaking English as a second language, finding ways to engage EAL children is a consideration for many teachers. Taking a cross-curricular look at countries such as Poland is a great way to do this. As well as offering all children the chance to learn about the traditions of another country, EAL children can be called on as ‘experts’ and asked to provide first-hand evidence of life in their home country.

The following activities are centred around some of the most well-known Polish customs and encompass learning in subjects including D&T, geography, literacy and art. If you do not have any Polish children in your class (or even if you do), you could link up with a school abroad to help consolidate learning. Despite a turbulent history and communist past, the strength and unity of Poland’s people and stubborn resistance by the Catholic Church have ensured that many customs continue to flourish. Many are linked to important religious festivals, like Easter and Christmas. Others, including the tradition of name day parties, take place throughout the year.

Activities