A language expert or a person that communicates? On the structure of linguistic and communicative competence of the 4th to 6th grade pupil in primary school as deescribed in the 2017 core curriculum

Abstract

The article aims to answer two questions: how the language instruction framework was inscribed into the 2017/2018 Polish language curriculum and what image of the linguistic and communicative competence results from this document. The research method is based on the assumption that these two questions can be answered by analysing the cognitive operators used in the description of specific requirements. The article analyses the operators found in the ‘language instruction’ section of the curriculum. Within the linguistic and communicative competence, the document distinguishes among metalinguistic, analytical, linguistic (including normative and grammar-lexical competences) and communicative competences. Each competence has been ascribed with a group of operational verbs. Quantitative data presenting the distribution of specific requirements among these categories has also been included. The resulting image of a 6th grade graduate is one of a language expert, with functional and cognitive knowledge of language, able to analyse the language on various levels of its structure and use it correctly in speech and writing - these three competences account for 80% of all specific requirements. The remaining part is more or less linked to language use. Since the analysis encompasses only grades 4 to 6 of primary school, its conclusions are considered as research hypotheses.