Ecological issues in selected textbooks for teaching Polish as a foreign language

Abstract

The article attempts to shed light on the extent to which ecological issues have been incorporated into selected general textbooks for learning Polish as a foreign language at levels A1–B2. In this regard, a review of these textbooks, published both before and after the introduction of the Polish as a foreign language certification system, is conducted, and the potential ways in which ecological topics, in the broad sense of the term, may be presented in them are discussed. The analysis carried out suggests that ecological topics are more broadly discussed in the teaching materials studied after 2003, which coincides with the introduction of the Examination Requirements Standards, developed by the State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language and issued by the Ministry of National Education and Sport in 2003. It appears that whole separate lessons are devoted to this topic, which provides an opportunity to choose a stance towards pro-environmental activities. It is also worth noting that there is a growing tendency for attitudes towards these activities to be imposed from above.