Why the Summer Break Matters for Language
During the school year, children at international schools in Warsaw are immersed in their school language for six or seven hours a day. That immersion is one of the most powerful drivers of language acquisition. When it stops abruptly for eight weeks, the brain naturally prioritises the language it hears most, which is usually the language spoken at home.
This does not mean the second language disappears. It means it needs a little extra attention to stay accessible. Think of it like a muscle. It does not take much to maintain it through summer, but it does require at least some activity.
Build Language Into Daily Life
The most effective approach is to make the second language part of everyday life rather than a separate activity with its own schedule. Films and series in the school language work well. For younger children, animated content they already know in translation is an especially attractive option. For older ones, something they are interested in watching is more effective than something educational but unappealing.
A podcast on a car journey. A book from the library chosen freely. A regular video call with a classmate from school. One day a week where the school language is used as much as possible at home. The goal is to normalise the language as part of family life, not to replicate a school day in the middle of July.
For Polish Families at an International School in Warsaw
For Polish families whose children attend an English-language international school, summer often provides a natural and significant reset for the home language. Time with grandparents, cousins, and the wider Polish-speaking community does more for Polish language development than almost any structured activity could.
This is something to embrace rather than compensate for. The summer immersion in Polish builds the linguistic foundation that makes real multilingualism sustainable over years, not just terms. When September arrives and the school year resumes at TBS Warsaw, children return with their home language refreshed. The school language can be revived quickly with a little intentional effort in the final two weeks of August.
For Expat Families in Warsaw
For expat families living in Warsaw, the dynamic is often reversed. English, the language of instruction at TBS Warsaw, may be the stronger language, while the home language risks fading during a school year conducted almost entirely in English. Summer, particularly if the family travels home, is an important opportunity to invest in the home language.
Plan time with extended family who speak your language. Find books, films, and podcasts in your language. If your family is spending weeks in your home country, encourage your child to engage with that language environment rather than retreating into their phone. The home language is not a problem to manage. It is an asset to build.
The Final Two Weeks of Summer
Whatever the language balance over the holiday, the final two weeks before school resumes are the most important for preparation. This is the time to gently reactivate the school language before full immersion begins again. Evening reading in English. A film or a series. Conversations about what is coming in September, new subjects, new teachers, new challenges, held in the school language.
The goal is not to cram in as much English as possible. It is to warm up the brain's access to the language so that the first day back at an international school in Warsaw feels like a gentle step in rather than a cold plunge.
A Note for Younger Learners
For children in Early Years and lower primary who are still in the early stages of acquiring their school language, everything above applies but with extra gentleness. Pressure and anxiety actively inhibit language acquisition. Keep it playful, keep it positive, and trust that children at this age are remarkably good at picking languages back up when they return to an immersive environment.
The first week back at TBS Warsaw will do more for your child's language development than any amount of anxious preparation. Your job over summer is simply to keep the door open.
For practical ideas on keeping your child engaged and learning through the Warsaw summer more broadly, read our guide to keeping children learning over the summer holidays.
Bibliography:
1. Byers-Heinlein, K. & Lew-Williams, C. (2013). Bilingualism in the Early Years: What the Science Says. LEARNing Landscapes, 7(1), 95–112. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6168212/.
