Hi! I’m Franek. I have a very Polish name and surname but I was born and raised in the South East of England. Usually, when someone asks me where I’m from and I say Slough, they shrug and retort: „Well, someone’s got to be!”
I grew up bilingual and added German and Russian to my portfolio of languages. At the moment of finishing my studies at the University of Leeds, I’d argue I was a specialist and more or less fluent in those languages, but I sadly don’t use them very often at all. It takes me only a few days in German or Russian-speaking company to regain my confidence and get me speaking again, but it would take a good few weeks or maybe longer to get back that fluency.
As a teacher, I adapt to my students’ needs. In the context of Polish learners, I have learnt to prioritise speaking & listening. Perhaps my greatest accomplishment lay in being able to encourage Polish learners to speak and to speak without fear of making mistakes. I do this by ensuring that the activities and language are as relevant to them as possible. I take into consideration how much scaffolding my students need and how to structure their progress to reach that point. I’m also very calm and amicable; I prefer to give my students supportive and constructive feedback they can act upon.
I’ve become quite used to adapting my spoken language in order to be better understood by non-native speakers. However, teaching you, English language specialists, will be a whole new kettle of fish. I’ll speak with you how I speak with my siblings and friends back in Old Blighty.
I love languages: reading, writing, discussing, making corny language jokes. It makes sense that my wife is a linguist, translator and teacher. We enjoy being nerds together! We have two dogs and two cats, all of whom love being the centre of attention. One of my passions is designing things, from 2D and 3D art to forms, spreadsheets and programs. There’s just something about writing a good, complex formula and seeing everything come together. Formulas and coding are languages, too, right? Right?
I’ve become quite used to adapting my spoken language in order to be better understood by non-native speakers. However, teaching you, English language specialists, will be a whole new kettle of fish. I’ll speak with you how I speak with my siblings and friends back in Old Blighty.
I love languages: reading, writing, discussing, making corny language jokes. It makes sense that my wife is a linguist, translator and teacher. We enjoy being nerds together! We have two dogs and two cats, all of whom love being the centre of attention. One of my passions is designing things, from 2D and 3D art to forms, spreadsheets and programs. There’s just something about writing a good, complex formula and seeing everything come together. Formulas and coding are languages, too, right? Right?