140 teachers from Ukraine will take part in a training organised by the Faculty of Philology of the University of Gdańsk. The aim of the course is to teach refugees the Polish language at B1 level, taking into account pedagogical aspects. The project was prepared by the WF and won nearly PLN 800,000 in a tender organised by the Teacher Education Centre.  

The offer on the part of the University of Gdańsk was prepared by the Dean of the Faculty of Philology, dr hab. Urszula Patocka-Sigłowy, prof. UG, and the Deputy Dean for Education and Cooperation with the Environment, dr hab. Joanna Jereczek-Lipińska, prof. UG. The substantive programme of the training was developed by prof. dr hab. Aneta Lewińska. 

For many years, the Faculty of Philology has been cooperating with the Teacher Training Centre in Gdańsk, providing training for teachers conducting classes in multicultural and multilingual classes within the framework of CEN tenders. - 'When on May 31, this year the Teacher Education Centre announced a tender for a language training with pedagogical elements for teachers from Ukraine, we were able to use our extensive experience,' - says prof. Aneta Lewińska.

The training is aimed at refugees who arrived in Poland after February 23rd. Between July 1 and October 31, seven groups of 20 teachers each will attend a 374-hour course in Polish with pedagogical elements. - 'The tender was awarded on June 10, so we had little time to prepare. We have formed a team of 22 lecturers with many years of experience in teaching Polish as a foreign language and training teachers.' - says prof. Aneta Lewińska.  

The lecturers include eight employees of the Institute of Polish Philology, two doctoral students of prof. Aneta Lewinska, but also lecturers from CJO, ACJPiKP and graduates of the teaching specialisation Polish as a foreign language in Polish philology and postgraduate studies of Polish as a foreign language - active teachers. 

Most classes will be held remotely during 18 weekends in 12- or 13-hour blocks. There will also be a congress from August 29 to September 2, with 32 hours of classes for each group. The participants and their children will be provided with accommodation and food. 

Apart from learning the language, the scope of the course also includes classes on teaching methodology (among others: goals, teaching methods, pedagogical instructions, syllabuses - lecturer prof. Aneta Lewińska) and selected aspects of intercultural psychology (among others: social cognition; the influence of cultural factors on human behaviour; the influence of cultural differences on learning, achievements and motivation of students - lecturer dr hab. Ewa Czaplewska, prof. UG). 

The first organisational meeting, attended by all 140 teachers, has already taken place. - 'We got to know the enormous power and motivation of our students,' - says prof. Aneta Lewińska - 'In such a short period of time during such an intensive course, preparing teachers from Ukraine to work in the Polish educational system starting from this school year is a huge challenge for us, but we believe that we will manage to do it.'