AbSTrAcTS

AnnA AbrAmczyk, SuzAnne JurkowSki

Cooperative Learning in Diverse Classes

The article presents selected methods of cooperative learning and indicate some mechanisms justifying their effectiveness. Not only does cooperative learning enable implementation of cognitive goals and facilitates skill development, but – what is even more important - it builds social competences among students. The authors consider methods described effective and attractive to students, thus invite teachers to try and apply them in their everyday educational practice.

wiolettA HAJduk-GAwron

Students with Migration Experience at Polish and Irish Schools

The aim of the article is to compare how students with the migration experience perform in two different educational systems: Poland and Ireland. First, the author describes Polish students’ experiences, then presents the ethos of schools run under the patronage of Educate Together association in Ireland and discusses the conclusions of the research carried out in two Irish schools. Other education systems’ experiences with studentsmigrants may inspire Polish language learning in constructing a new education model based on inclusive education, as opposed to monocultural didactics.

HAnnA komorowSkA

Multilingualism inside and outside the Education System

The article gives an overview of problems related to individual and societal multilingualism, looking at the growth of the phenomenon, its causes and consequences for the society at large. Special attention is given to border regions which, due to the functioning of national and ethnic minorities there, can be considered laboratories of practice for both community life and educational systems. Models and tendencies noticed in those regions are then discussed and implications sought for the organization of language teaching as well as the day-to-day functioning of schools.

dorotA kondrAt

Creative Second Language Teacher. Engaging, Motivating and Encouraging Self-reliance in Students Aged 6-10

Creative teaching influences students in many ways and is the best way for the teacher to feel passion. The goal is to shift energy from the teacher to the student. There are seven tips that make teaching more creative and effective: using a teaser to draw attention; surprise, use humour and be unconventional; use space and movement on a daily basis; raise curiosity in the world; make students have a lot of associations; show students how to rely on their talents and effort and, last but not least, promote cooperation not competition.

krzySztof kotułA

Implementation of Audio-Visual Projects in a Language Classroom

Even if language teachers regularly rely on audio-visual resources in their classroom practice, film making and editing is still considered an avant-garde teaching approach. However, in recent years, we have witnessed a proliferation of various tools that can be used to render work in a language classroom much more interesting. Also, the new generation of pupils is growing up with new technologies, and this fact is changing their expectations and demands on education. Filmmaking allows the role of the student to shift from reflective viewer to knowledgeable content producer. We will try to reflect on the potential advantages of such activities, and determine why they are considered stimulating and effective by language learners at different levels of language proficiency.

mAłGorzAtA PAmułA-beHrenS, mArtA SzymAńSkA

JES-PL Method – Teaching Language of Children with Migrant Background

Increasing immigration has significant implications for Polish schools. Current policy places migrant students in mainstream classes or in separate classes for newly-arrived students. This situation can create important challenges for teachers. JES-PL Method is original method created for the purpose of teaching language of schooling (academic language) students with lack or low level of polish language proficiency working in regular classes with Polish native speakers. The JES-PL Method has been used to create the original materials for children from 1-3 grade “W polskiej szkole” [In Polish School]. They are available online in open access.

Piotr romAnowSki

On Translanguaging and its Significance in Bi-/Multilingual Education

The history of translanguaging is firmly grounded in the field of bilingual education. The term itself was first coined in Welsh as trawsieithu by bilingual education researcher Cen Williams, who observed Welsh-English bilingual secondary school learners’ language practices (1996). Hence, Baker (2006) also affirms that the notion refers to a communicative function of receiving input in one language and providing output in another. The aim of the article is to depict how translanguaging pedagogy works in an international school in Poland where students engage in multiple discursive practices in which they try to make sense of their multilingual worlds.

micHAlinA rittner

On the Difficulties Related to the Acquisition of Specialist Vocabulary by Foreigners

The article presents the different types of language difficulties (such as reading comprehension, problems with learning borrowings, interference errors) that arise when teaching specialist vocabulary to advanced and intermediate learners. These difficulties are illustrated by examples of architectural vocabulary and vocabulary from the history of art which are courses obligatory for foreigners as a part of an annual course preparing students to study in Poland. A description of the difficulties is accompanied by a short attempt to identify teaching methods/techniques useful for overcoming them.

AGnieSzkA ryPel

Not Only Spelling: Problems of Written Language Guidance in Teaching Children with Migration Experience

The aim of the article is to provide an answer to the question whether it is possible to find common points that will enable the usage of the same or similar methods of teaching writing in Polish language classes, with reference to both native speakers and those for whom Polish is a foreign or inherited language. According to preliminary comparative studies, students regardless of their ethnic origin, adopt the same text-writing strategies, which should be taken into consideration when designing the new didactic approach. These strategies indicate the impact of the same global trends that are the consequence of the dominance of image culture and new literacy.

mAGdAlenA SowA

Methodological and Linguistic Challenges of Data Collecting for LSP Courses

The aim of the article is to discuss selected issues related to data collecting for Language for Special Purposes courses. This key stage of course design is understandable and clear to most LSP teachers. However, its practical implementation can cause certain doubts or questions. The paper attempts to analyse such problematic aspects of data collecting and its didactic exploitation, like unavailability of data, the context, time and space in data registration and data typologies.

kryStynA SzymAnkiewicz

Faces of Change in the Work and Development of Foreign Language Teachers

In light of the education system reform and the new core curriculum introduction, it is worth taking a closer look at the phenomenon of change in its psychological dimension and think about the meaning of this change for the work and development of foreign language teachers. The reflection proposed in the article concerns two types of changes: a top-down change (a change from outside) and a change inititated by a teacher aimed at professional self-development (a change from within), and connections between these two. The article refers to the results of a research and presents examples of reflective techniques that can help teachers to develop their own style of functioning and development in a situation of change.

mAGdAlenA ŚlAwSkA

FLT in a Mixed-Ability Classes

One of the biggest challenges for an ESL teacher is to work with mixed-ability groups. Although widely discussed, the subject seems to be neglected by the authorities. The article explains origins of mixed-ability classes in Polish schools, depicts problems it may cause to students, teachers and the school itself. It also offers advice on how to deal with students in such groups. The reader will learn how to create a cooperation strategy, how to take advantage of peer tutoring, how to adapt materials, what pace of work is proper and how to motivate students.

dorotA tomczuk

Development of Audio-Visual Competences in Language and Cultural Education of Foreigners

Teaching Polish (and foreign languages, for that matter) to foreigners should now be intercultural, work as a platform of communication about language and culture and shape specific attitudes and skills. is the article focuses on the development of audiovisual competences of foreign students by using Polish films in the teaching process of their language and cultural studies. Film may work as a successful educational tool that modernizes the teaching process, at the same time preparing young people for critical media reception in the reality of the 21. century.

elżbietA zAwAdowSkA-kittel

Global Scale of English

The aim of the article is to present the Global Scale of English (GSE) as a granular scale measuring English language proficiency designed to motivate learners by accurately demonstrating step-by-step progress. The Global Scale of English extends the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and its learning objectives have been developed by Pearson English over the years in collaboration with teachers, testers, ELT authors and linguists from all over the world. In the paper GSE is compared to CEFR to show the differences between learning objectives and “can do” statements included in both systems. The author’s intention is to show educational potential of GSE that can be applied by teachers, testers and authors of tests.