Fully qualified teacher of Polish language, master degree & andragog 21 years of experience as a Polish language teacher 13 years of experience in preparing students for GCSE POLISH & A-Level

Find out more about Agnieszka

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I speak Polish fluently because I was born in Poland, and it's my heritage language.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  One of the iconic figures associated with the culture of the Polish language is Wislawa Szymborska, winner of the Nobel Prize in literature. Her poetry is highly regarded for its depth, subtle wisdom and reflections on the human experience.
  
  Szymborska is considered one of the most outstanding Polish poets. In the context of an emblematic figure for the culture of the Polish language, I see Wisława Szymborska as a person who significantly symbolizes and represents the richness of the Polish language, literature and culture.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behavior in the language that you particularly like?

  There are many elements of Polish culture that both I and people really like. One typical expression that is popular is "Na zdrowie!"- during a toast while drinking in a group. In addition, Polish cuisine, especially: pierogi, barszcz or bigos, is often
  appreciated. Traditions related to the celebration of Christmas and Easter are also very rich and attract attention with their variety of rituals and dishes. Folklore, including regional folk costumes and dances, are also an important part of Polish culture and are admired by Poles and foreigners alike.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Speaking Polish is important to me for many reasons.
  
  First, the Polish language is part of my national and cultural identity.
  
  For me, using my native language is a crucial way to express myself and identify with my own nation and cultural heritage.
  
  The Polish language connects me with people and enables me to communicate freely with my family, friends and community.
  In addition, knowing Polish opens the door for me to Polish history, literature and culture. It allows me to more fully understand the traditions, values and cultural heritage of my country. In addition, the ability to speak my native language is also crucial in my case in maintaining family and cultural ties due to the fact that I live abroad.
  
  For me, Polish is a key tool for work, study or personal development. Using Polish makes it easier for me to communicate in my daily professional life, and also allows me to enjoy the wealth of literature, films or other artistic works created in Polish.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  For foreigners, learning Polish can be difficult because of the grammar and especially the complexity of the cases.
  
  However, my excellent pedagogical preparation and glottodidactic background, as well as many years of experience, using appropriate tools, methods and working techniques, significantly facilitate the process of mastering grammar, and make learning Polish a skill that can be mastered easily and pleasantly for foreigners.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Traveling to the UK, Spain, or Germany was not only a great cultural experience for me, but also an effective way to improve my language skills through practice and immersion in the environment where the language is spoken on a daily basis.
  
  It's a great way to improve my speech skills through daily application of the language, interactions with locals, visiting historical sites, reading in the original language made me practice experiential learning with excellent results.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  For me, being a SUPERPROFESSOR in the field of my language is a process of continuous learning and improving my skills to best support the language development of my students.
  
  It is empathy and understanding, passion and commitment combined with creativity in teaching Polish. It is also excellent organization and clarity combined with openness to feedback.
  
  I am highly motivated by the excellent results of my work, especially the sensational results in my students' GCSE Polish and A-Level Polish certified exams.