Job Discussion Forums

Grrrmachine · Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Posts: 265 Location: Warsaw, Poland

Is there anyone out there in the Warsaw area who can either:
a) teach Polish
b) recommend a decent Polish teacher or school?

I'm going to be staying here for a while so I figure it's time to learn the language properly (my girlfriend doesn't have the patience!)

Alex Shulgin · Joined: 20 Jul 2003 Posts: 553

http://www.iko.com.pl has a pretty good reputation but it isn't exactly cheap. I think the 66 class course costs about 1500zl.

You could try getting a private teacher but that will cost you 60+zl per 45 minutes. Try posting at the New Warsaw Express forum (www.nwe.com.pl/forum) for suggestions and phone numbers. Or ask at your school, they probably know somebody and might even cover part of the cost.

Grrrmachine · Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Posts: 265 Location: Warsaw, Poland

IKO offer a 10% discount to teachers (so its 1350zł for that course), but, having observed one of the classes it seems a bit excessive for the materials they provide.

I had a few classes from natives for much less than 60zł, but their knowledge of English wasn't so great. I think I'll ask around at my schools and see if I can get a recommendation there.

XXX · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 11:12 am Post subject:

The school I was teaching for gave them as part of the contract.

owenm · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 1

I am just curious about the learning environment in poland. I am considering going to live there for 6 months or so just to learn polish, but i am worried that most people's english level will be so much better than my polish that i will never get any authentic communication opportunities. Is this a valid concern? Perhaps the thing to do is stay away from the big cities? Are poles generally patient with language learners?
I appreciate any advice on the matter.

cezarek · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 149

Be careful of exchanging English lessons for Polish lessons. It sometimes works but not often.

A school called 'Resource' are good. www.resource.com.pl Not cheap (but cheaper than the one you mentioned) and I found them brilliant AND they wrote the standard textbook for business Polish. Their Polish teachers use English in the lessons only if agreed with the student first.

Also Warsaw University has an excellent reputation for teaching Polish to foreigners, and friends who went there liked it. It's dear though.

cezarek · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 149

I just checked on the 'Resource' website (to check I'd got the details right) and noticed that they only mentioned in-company Polish lessons. But in fact they are running classes since I've just signed up for them again. If you're an English teacher you might find they clash with your own lessons though. Wink

And by the way, they run a daytime "Survival Polish" course specifically aimed at people who are in Poland for less than a year or who don't want to go beyond the essentials.

Pozdrawiam

cezarek · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 149

Sorry. Pressed the Send button twice. Smile