O (nie)pełnieniu przez nauczyciela klas początkowych roli polonisty

The article presents the results of an opinion poll carried out amongst native Polish language teachers practicing early education across Europe. Examples of teacher incompetence reported in an all-Poland inquiry into the effects of Polish language teaching in the early stages of education were compared with the attainments of Polish teachers that practice abroad. The research material shows that native Polish language teachers, by bringing together aspects of both mother tongue and foreign language teaching in Polish language education, produce diverse and individualized teaching methods. Such teachers also play the role of Polish promoters, cultural experts and/or animators. In addition to this, their achievements and experience brought from such a diverse cultural environment could be used to enrich the theory and practice of Polish language education, especially towards returning emigrant children and foreigners.