Support for Students with Experience of Migration in Polish Schools

Abstract

In Poland, children with migration experience do not formally have any difficulties in accessing mainstream education. They can benefit from it on the same terms as children of Polish citizens. However, their educational successes and school integration largely depend on the systemic solutions of Polish education, the preparation of teachers to work with students from other cultures and the support received from peers. This text is of a review and synthesizing nature. Its aim is to organize and discuss selected threads present in the literature on the subject, and in Polish law, regarding support for students with migration experience in the education system. We indicate formal solutions, issues related to teacher preparation and support provided by peers, so-called peer mentoring. We supplement the theoretical aspects with the results of research conducted in this area by various institutions and propose some practical ideas that can be implemented in the school environment on the basis of peer-mentoring programme Better Together.