Case Study

In the four years the Szymanski family have been in Scotland, the children have outpaced their parents in picking up their second language.

In the four years the Szymanski family have been in Scotland, the children have outpaced their parents in picking up their second language.

But the adults are catching up, in part due to the proficiency of their children's English.

While some mothers' language may suffer when staying at home looking after very young children, Ewa, 33, has benefited from her 11-year-old daughter Paulina's ability to speak both English and Polish.

Although Paulina, whose bilingual skills, including a broadening Scots accent, are a boost to the whole family, Mrs Szymanski said she is "still learning" and leaves the talking to Paulina.

Paulina also helped her brother Piotre, seven, with a grounding in their new language before he went to nursery and then school.

Paulina said she has enjoyed learning since arriving in Edinburgh and she is now "fine, and school is good. I've been learning English for four years".

She said she is happy to be able to speak two languages, but she has taken English in her stride and is still unaware of the potential benefits.

Her father, Andrew, who works at the Hilton Hotel at Edinburgh Airport, said: "My daughter has been speaking English since she was seven and my son also learned in nursery.

"The schools did everything for my daughter and I am very happy.

"Her English is better than mine, but she has always had help at school. My daughter and my son are very happy at school and living here. It is good they speak two languages."

Izabella Brodzinska of the Scottish Polish Cultural Association said about 70% of Poles in this country speak good English and are improving as they integrate in the community. She said: "It is mothers who stay at home with small babies who have no real chance of learning English."