Author of the article
Yaroslav Lanetsky
Citizens of Ukraine and other countries permanently or temporarily residing in Poland must know Polish. This is a prerequisite for studying, employment, and socialization. The demand for Polish has grown significantly over the past few years. After all, Ukrainians fleeing the war and obtaining temporary protection status in Poland and intending to enter higher education institutions or work in this country must learn Polish.
There are two main ways to learn Polish: online and offline. Each of them, of course, has its advantages and disadvantages, but online learning is more accessible and convenient. Therefore, you should not abandon this format because of the stereotypes that have emerged around it, as this creates certain barriers to learning and prevents you from taking advantage of all the opportunities. Moreover, these stereotypes have no basis in fact.
5 popular myths about learning Polish online
Most stereotypes about online learning are based on a lack of understanding of this format or insufficient information about the Polish language.
Doubts about the quality of learning materials and teachers’ qualifications, and the lack of direct contact create the false impression that online learning of Polish does not produce the same results as traditional learning, does not involve focus on the learning process, and is generally not serious. However, distance learning is flexible and allows you to use maximum opportunities to quickly achieve your goal.
People are used to the traditional form of education, where the teacher controls the entire process, including the student’s behavior, and the student can ask the teacher for help at any time. But this method does not guarantee results. In addition, lack of knowledge of new methods and fear of change lead to stereotypes about online learning. Let’s take a look at the most common ones and explain why the reality is quite different.
Myth 1: Online learning is not as effective as offline learning
Many people believe that learning Polish online is not effective. However, this method allows you to get excellent results if you are motivated. By the way, the success of offline learning also depends on motivation. Therefore, the effectiveness of classes is not so much influenced by the method as by the desire to learn the language, the quality of the teaching materials, and the availability of clear explanations. If you find an experienced teacher who not only knows Polish very well, but also knows how to present it in an interesting way and explain the material clearly, you will quickly master a new language even online.
Often, online lessons offer interactive exercises, videos, songs, and readings and analyzes of a poem by a famous author. This approach makes the learning process more interesting and improves learning.
Also, online learning allows you to learn Polish at your own pace – pay more attention to complex issues and pass easier ones faster. Thanks to this, you can control the duration of classes and the time required to master a particular topic.
Distance learning provides free access to materials, so you can use them at any time to improve your language skills. And if the lessons are individual, the teacher will focus on you and your progress, which allows you to quickly get answers to all your questions and feedback on the correctness of the task or mistakes. All this makes the process of learning Polish personalized and effective.
With more than 15 years of experience working at the European University of Kiev and Krakow language schools “Polonista Centre”, “Lingua Nova” and “Lingualand”, as well as participating in the UA4UA project, Kateryna helps foreigners to learn Polish and adapt to life in Poland.
Myth 2. It is impossible to practice speaking well online
Online learning is often associated with isolation. But such lessons do not mean that you will not interact with other people. On the contrary, you will always be in touch with your teacher, which improves your communication skills, and in the case of group lessons, you will be able to discuss topics with other students.
While learning Polish, you can additionally join a language club, as well as participate in video conferences and forums with native speakers, which allows you to practice your spoken language once again.
Through video lessons, students receive instant feedback on pronunciation and word stress, lexical and grammatical errors. This helps to correct speech and improve conversational skills.
Thanks to interactive tasks, you can also simulate various real-life situations, create dialogues, answer questions, and even give voice commands.
So, learning Polish online involves not only practical lessons and grammar exercises, but also practicing your spoken language.
Myth 3. Online learning is only for independent and very organized people
Many people are convinced that without fixed hours and teacher’s control in the classroom, it is difficult to focus on learning and force yourself to learn a language at home. However, online lessons also take place at a clearly defined time, and the teacher controls the process only remotely. He or she organizes discussions on the topic, provides support and advice, and helps to find answers to questions so that students keep up with the program and reach the B1-B2 level required for admission to higher education, employment, or obtaining a Polish Card.
Also, the courses have structured programs and tasks with deadlines, which makes students be disciplined and do everything on time.
In addition, depending on the needs and employment of a particular student, the online program can be made more intensive or, on the contrary, longer.
Learning Polish on your own can take a long time if you are not motivated. If a student has a goal and realizes why they need to learn the language, they will be able to organize themselves and find time for classes.
Myth 4. Online teachers are not as qualified as offline teachers
Online teachers have the same qualifications as offline teachers. Often they are the same people. That is, a teacher who conducts courses in training centers may well teach students remotely.
Teachers of online language courses have experience working in academic institutions, as well as diplomas and certificates that confirm their qualifications. They also regularly attend trainings to keep abreast of the latest developments and the latest teaching methods, and to master various modern technologies. This is necessary to diversify classes and communicate effectively with students, as distance teaching requires knowledge of digital platforms and skills in creating interactive materials.
Therefore, online teachers are constantly using various interactive tools and platforms to personalize learning, organize video conferences and multimedia materials, and adjust the learning process to make learning Polish more fun and effective.
Myth 5. Online learning is all about watching videos and completing boring tasks
Online programs involve a variety of tasks, from regular grammar exercises to interactive tests, gamification, live discussions, and listening to songs. Teachers use not only videos, but also animated graphs, illustrations, presentations, and AI to present the material in a clear and interesting way, adding relevance and dynamism. Students are also given creative assignments, such as writing an essay, composing a short poem, or translating a passage from their favorite novel. All this allows not only to listen to lectures and complete assignments, but also to actively interact with the material, apply new knowledge in practice and perceive information in an easy game form, and memorize the rules faster.
In addition, thanks to modern technologies, teachers create a system of points and rewards to increase student motivation.
All students can choose the online learning format, regardless of their level of knowledge. There are programs for learning Polish for beginners, as well as specialized courses for those who want to deepen their knowledge and improve their conversational skills.
There are also many myths about the difficulty of learning Polish for Ukrainians. Many people think that due to the unusual pronunciation of words, complex grammar, and specific sounds such as ł, ś, ż, dż, ą, sz, Polish will take a long time to learn. In fact, it has a lot in common with Ukrainian, so you can master the basics in just a few months of intensive practice.
At the same time, you don’t have to live in Poland to learn the language. Of course, being in the language environment makes the process easier and faster, but thanks to various online courses, mobile applications, special platforms, and interactive materials, you can learn Polish remotely.
This format is a great alternative to traditional learning. It is accessible and convenient, and provides new opportunities for developing and improving knowledge. And the learning process itself is interesting and effective.
Benefits of learning Polish online
The Polish language belongs to the Slavic language group and has many similarities with Ukrainian, including noun declension, phonetic structure, and vocabulary. Therefore, it will be easy for native Ukrainian speakers to learn Polish online. Thanks to modern technologies, students have quick access to learning materials, can diversify their tasks, practice more and learn Polish without any extra costs and hassle, regardless of their level. Online learning always means flexibility and the ability to schedule classes according to your schedule. You can learn the language anywhere in the world and choose different lesson formats. Why you should choose online Polish language learning:- Your own pace of learning – you don’t need to adjust to the classroom or language center schedule and try to catch up with the group, as you choose the best time and intensity of the program for yourself;
- availability of various materials – you can use video lessons, interactive resources and tests, illustrations, audio, etc;
- personalized learning – you choose the teacher you like and create an individual program with him or her, taking into account your employment, needs, and the complexity of a particular topic for you personally;
- Saving time and money – online classes can be cheaper than offline lessons and allow you to save on travel;
- constant practice – you can complete tasks anytime and anywhere, even outside the program, to master the language faster;
- fast feedback – during distance learning, your teacher will be focused on you, so you will receive instant responses to questions, answers and comments.
Tips for successful online learning of Polish
To learn Polish, you need to set a goal and be patient. It is important to understand that this is an individual process and each person needs different time to reach a certain language level. You also need to practice more often and not be afraid to make mistakes, because this is a normal part of learning. The more you practice, the faster you will master the language and make fewer mistakes. 7 tips on how to learn Polish quickly:- Start with the basics. First, learn the alphabet and learn how to pronounce all the sounds correctly. This way you will create a foundation for learning vocabulary and improve your pronunciation.
- Spend time practicing every day. Learning Polish online requires regular practice, so find at least 15-30 minutes a day to expand your vocabulary or do grammar exercises.
- Read books in Polish. You can start with simple works – fairy tales, poems, children’s stories. And when you reach a certain level and start to understand the language better, pick up a book in Polish that you have already read in your native language.
- Listen more. Listen to Polish songs, watch movies, TV series or TV shows in Polish. You can choose a movie with subtitles. This will allow you to hear how sounds and words are pronounced correctly, including in a certain context, and will help you increase your vocabulary and improve your pronunciation.
- Communicate with native speakers. Speaking practice is one of the best ways to learn Polish.
- Write down new words and expressions. Constantly expand your vocabulary. Set yourself the task of learning 10 new words and phrases in a week, for example. Write these words down and repeat them from time to time so you don’t forget them.
- Use mobile apps. Install additional apps that will help you improve your Polish language skills.