Language courses
Summer witnessed the beginning of further activities organized under the project. In June, we launched the first group learning basic Polish, which finishes its classes at the end of August. The project includes courses for three such 50-hour groups at two levels of advancement. Each group is going to learn for about 3-4 months.
The course program focuses not only on the practical use of the Polish language (also in terms of professional employment), but also includes elements related to the Polish culture, cultural differences, the nature of the region and various institutions. The participants can use educational materials and attend classes taught by tutors experienced in teaching Polish as the second language.
The activities, which focus on improving the language proficiency of the settlement country, are always essential for integration. The ability to communicate in such a language is necessary not only to handle of administrative, technical and logistics matters after arriving in the new country, but also allows for initiating social contacts, which support adaptation in a new environment both in functional (obtaining and maintaining employment) and psychological spheres. Let’s not forget about the fact that researchers of integration and practitioners of this process agree that speaking in the language of the settlement country at a relevant level is the most important indicator of integration. More and more frequently, migrant countries point to the obligation of the so-called lingual pre-integration based on the requirement to document language fluency before arrival (for instance, by passing an exam at a consular office in the residence country).