Europe
Online English lessons for children in Poland: letters, little words and more time to talk
Quick answer
In Poland, a foreign language, most often English, is compulsory from the first school year, and 1-to-1 online lessons add speaking time. CurioKids teaches children aged 4 to 12 in live, 1-to-1, 25-minute online lessons with a real teacher. If lessons for families in Poland haven't opened yet, our Poland page has a waitlist.
In Poland, a modern foreign language is compulsory from the first year of primary school, and that language is most often English, so many children start early. What a class can rarely offer is plenty of speaking time for each child. Live 1-to-1 lessons online add that time at home. This guide looks at school English in Poland, the letters, sounds and grammar Polish speakers find tricky in English, and how to choose and support lessons.
- By CurioKids teamHow we write our guides
- Published
- Updated
- 8 min read
Key takeaways
- A modern foreign language, most often English, is compulsory in Poland from the first year of primary school.
- Several Polish letters stand for different sounds in English, such as w, j and c, so English spelling needs its own rules.
- Polish has no words for a and the, so these small words take regular practice in speaking and writing.
- A short weekly lesson where your child does most of the talking adds what a busy class rarely can: speaking time.
On this page
When do children in Poland start English at school?
Most children in Poland start English in their first year of primary school. A modern foreign language is compulsory from that year, and it is most often English. Your child's school is the best source for what their class covers this year and how many English lessons a week it has.
With young children, English usually begins with listening, songs, simple greetings and everyday words such as colours, animals and food. That is a good start. The part a classroom finds hardest to give is speaking practice, because one teacher has a whole group to look after and each child gets only a few turns. Extra lessons help most when they fill that gap.
Which Polish letters stand for different sounds in English?
Polish and English use many of the same letters, which is a head start, but several letters and letter pairs are read differently. Children naturally expect each letter to make the sound it makes at home. English does not work that way, and knowing where the two systems part ways makes the first months of reading much smoother.
| Spelling | In Polish | In English |
|---|---|---|
| w | a v sound | a w sound, as in wet and window |
| j | a y sound | the sound at the start of jam and jump |
| c | a ts sound | a k sound in cat, an s sound in city |
| sz | a sh sound | not used; English writes sh, as in ship |
| cz | a ch sound | not used; English writes ch, as in chip |
The result is that a Polish reader may say wet as vet, or read jam as yam, simply by applying the rules they already know. That is a sign your child needs English letter sounds taught directly, which is what phonics does.
Which English sounds take Polish speakers longer to master?
Two areas come up again and again. First, Polish has no th sounds, so think may come out closer to tink or sink, and this closer to dis. Showing your child where the tongue goes, just between the teeth, and making a game of it usually helps more than correcting every word.
Second, in Polish the last consonant of a word is often said without voice, so a final b, d or g sounds like p, t or k. In English that ending can change the meaning: bag and back, dog and dock, bed and bet are different words. Pairs like these make a good listening game. Say one word and let your child point to the right picture.
Why do a and the need extra practice?
Polish has no articles. A Polish speaker says the equivalent of I have dog or Where is book? and the meaning is perfectly clear. English needs a or the in front of most nouns, and the choice between them depends on whether the listener already knows which thing you mean. Children pick this up by hearing it many times, not by learning rules.
Do not worry if your child leaves these words out for a long time. It is a very normal pattern for children whose home language has no articles, and it fades with plenty of listening and speaking. A teacher can model the right form by repeating your child's sentence back with the missing word, which keeps the conversation going without turning every answer into a correction.
What do good English lessons look like from age 4 to 12?
Children aged 4 to 12 can all enjoy English lessons, but a good lesson for a four-year-old looks nothing like a good lesson for an eleven-year-old.
- Ages 4 to 6. Play comes first: songs with actions, picture cards, puppets and listening games. The aim is to make English sounds familiar and fun. English for 4-year-olds has ideas for this stage.
- Ages 6 to 8. Your child is learning to read Polish at school, and this is a good time to add English letter sounds, so the two spelling systems stay separate in their mind. See English at 6 and 7.
- Ages 8 to 12. Older children can chat about their hobbies, read short stories and write a few sentences, with lessons that follow their interests.
How can I help with English at home if my own English is rusty?
You do not need to speak English well to make a difference. What matters most is that English feels normal and friendly at home, a little and often.
- Put on English songs your child likes and sing along together, even if you only know the chorus.
- Read picture books in English with lots of pictures, and keep reading in Polish too. A child who loves stories in one language brings that love to the other.
- Ask your child to be the teacher and show you what they learned in their last lesson.
- Play a quick sound game at the table: find something that starts with a w sound, then something that starts with a v sound.
What should parents in Poland check before choosing online lessons?
- A real teacher who talks with your child live, rather than videos or an app on its own.
- One-to-one time, so your child speaks for most of the lesson.
- Short lessons with games and movement for younger children.
- A clear level at the start, so you can see how far your child has come.
- Regular feedback that tells you what your child practised and what is next.
- Firm safety rules, including checked teachers and lessons that stay on the provider's own platform.
A 25-minute lesson once or twice a week fits around school and other activities without becoming a burden. Before you decide, our guide to choosing a safe online tutor lists the safety questions worth asking, and how it works explains how our lessons are set up.
How would CurioKids lessons work for a family in Poland?
CurioKids gives children aged 4 to 12 live, 1-to-1 online English lessons with a real teacher, 25 minutes each, in the CurioKids online classroom with video, an interactive whiteboard, lesson slides and games. Most children start with Phonics Starter; a child who already reads can be placed straight into a CEFR-based level after the free first lesson. Phonics Starter is our 52-lesson reading course, from letter sounds to reading sentences. Teachers can't teach until our team has confirmed a background check and they have signed our teaching agreement. Lessons happen only inside the CurioKids classroom, and your child's teacher gives feedback after lessons. See our levels and safety pages for more.
For a Polish-speaking child, the early lessons of Phonics Starter give time to the letters that sound different in English, such as w, j and c, so your child learns to read English words the English way.
Visit our Poland page to see how lessons work, what your child will learn and how we keep children safe. If lessons for families in Poland haven't opened yet, the page has a waitlist: leave your details and we'll let you know when you can book your child's free first lesson. Plans for families in Poland are priced in Polish złoty: see the prices for Poland.
Frequently asked questions
Is English compulsory at primary school in Poland?
A modern foreign language is compulsory from the first year of primary school, and it is most often English. Your child's school can tell you how many English lessons their class has each week.
Why does my child say vet when they mean wet?
In Polish the letter w makes a v sound, so your child is reading the English word with Polish rules. Practising English letter sounds through phonics sorts this out over time.
My child keeps leaving out a and the. Should I worry?
No. Polish has no articles, so this is a very normal pattern for Polish-speaking children. It improves with lots of listening and speaking, not with long grammar explanations.
Can a child aged 4 learn English online?
Yes, if the lesson is short, lively and built around songs, pictures and games. A parent nearby for the first few lessons helps a young child settle in front of the screen.