Learning a foreign language in the school system in Poland and other European countries

The activities of the Department of Applied Linguistics and Translation Studies regarding these issues go in two directions – scientific and didactic. The main area of ​​interest of the members of the Department is research on the processes of learning foreign languages, as well as on the organization and course of language education in kindergarten, primary school, and high school, as well as in language schools and professional contexts. Along with the publication of numerous books and articles on these topics and the organization of national and international conferences on these issues, the members of the Department offer numerous courses for undergraduate and graduate students.

These courses concern the methodology of teaching English to different age groups and at different levels of language proficiency. They are also associated with the teaching of so-called general language and specialized languages, with a focus on the professional needs of individual learners. Other topics covered by the courses are the design and evaluation of a foreign language curriculum, teaching methods and techniques in different types of schools and at different levels of language proficiency, interaction and ways of maintaining discipline in the classroom, assessment of teaching materials, and developing learners' linguistic and intercultural competences. All these courses present the latest trends in foreign language teaching, such as, for example, Content and Language Integrated Learning or Task-Based Learning and Teaching. The members of the Department also research European language education policies and the approaches to teacher training in European Union countries.

These studies, as well as the participation of the Department's members in the work of the Council of Europe and the associated European Centre for Modern Languages in Graz, result not only in publications but also in the compliance of the teaching offer with principle European documents, such as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Teaching, Learning, Assessment, which determines the levels of language proficiency from A1 to C2, the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages, which supports the development of teaching skills, or the Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters, which enables the development of intercultural competence. As a result, courses offered to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students are at the highest quality level. Students can also choose from a range of courses that are needed to obtain the necessary qualifications to teach English according to the standards formulated by the Ministry of Education and Science.