Page 3 - GP_102012_dodatekENG
P. 3
earch you and I have done to identify might come to me. In the case of arti- in several buildings. What are
typical errors of Polish speakers writing in cles, for example, I used a PowerPoint your impressions concerning
English. The attached chart was the basis that illustrated how challenging articles our teaching environment? Have
of these workshops, as I focused on those can be, even for someone who has a lot you observed any changes since
issues that create the most difficulty (e.g., of experience writing in English. English your first visit? How would you
word order, coherence and connectives, has enough inconsistencies and varia- compare your university with
it vs. this, articles, active and passive tions that there is NO rule that can gov- ours?
voice, use of semicolons, etc.) ern all situations! My native speaker’s
ear makes articles easy for me; they will DB: The new classrooms are a joy to
LAJ: Which of those worked never be as easy for someone learning teach in; I very much like architecture
the best? English as an adult. that uses wood and glass to create
a light and natural environment. The
DB: Given the wide range of partici- LAJ: We’ve identified typical one thing I wasn’t accustomed to was
pants, I’m guessing what was most use- pattern errors Polish writers make having to bring a laptop to every class-
ful varied from one person to the next. and created a template. You’ve room. I usually teach in classrooms that
People enjoyed getting answers to their come across writing texts of have instructor podiums with comput-
personal questions. other nationalities. Can you find a ers and projection systems built right in.
common area which most nations Fortunately, Henryk Szymanski and the
LAJ: Which of the themes of the are likely to struggle with? technology people made sure I had what
workshop worked out the best? I needed.
DB: Linguists and psychologists have
DB: What was most useful, I think, found that when we are children, we LAJ: And the last question: What is
was to help participants recognize that are capable of learning any language; one piece of advice that you give
writing is not about following a set of during adolescence, however, our brain Polish writers of scientific English?
rules. Writing begins with having some- begins to discard those language fea-
thing valuable to say. It builds from tures we no longer use. Thus writers DB: Get feedback on your writing and
a dialogue between our conscious and from any language who learn another learn to know yourself as a writer. Don’t
subconscious mind. As this dialogue language after adolescence are likely to worry about errors with early drafts; just
continues, we clarify what message we struggle with those aspects of the new give your ideas time to develop. Then
wish to communicate and we get ideas language that are most different from identify your strengths as well as your
down on paper. As our content devel- their native tongue. Their first language pattern errors when you edit; that will
ops, we revise the way we express our will cause interference with the new enable you to approach errors more sys-
ideas: adding, deleting, rearranging, re- language, and they will “write with an tematically. And don’t worry too much
wording. When we have said what we accent.” A native speaker is likely to rec- about writing with an accent – nearly
wished to say, we then begin to revise ognize immediately that this other per- all of us do so when we cross language
our language to make it more effective. son’s writing has something “different” boundaries. If you care about your writ-
Strong writers know their “pattern er- about it, but may not know how or why ing and have something valuable to say,
rors,” the errors they are most likely to those differences exist. Once second it’s likely that your reader will pay more
make, and develop strategies to address language writers begin to identify and attention to your ideas than to an oc-
them. “Rules” will vary according to the recognize the error patterns, they can casional error. Communication is what
type of publication, the purpose, the develop their personal radar to pay at- matters – not technical perfection!
audience: sometimes passive voice will tention to those aspects when writing.
be appropriate -- at other times it will LAJ: Thank you very much for
create wordy and awkward construc- LAJ: Did you get any feedback sharing with us your methods and
tions; in most instances in American from the participants? observations. We hope to see you
English, contractions are completely ap- in the future again.
propriate – but in British English more DB: People are always very kind! They
formality is expected. So effective writ- expressed appreciation for the fact that
ing is shaped by our rhetorical situation: I helped them see “the larger picture”
our audience, our purpose, our context. of professional writing, rather than just
drilling them on rules. I have also given
LAJ: What was the most online feedback to several participants
difficult/toughest element since the workshops, so the dialogue
of the workshop for you? continues.
DB: The biggest challenge was to be LAJ: This workshop was held
ready to answer any questions that on Piotrowo campus premises
EDUCATION IN ENGLISH AT PUT 3
typical errors of Polish speakers writing in cles, for example, I used a PowerPoint your impressions concerning
English. The attached chart was the basis that illustrated how challenging articles our teaching environment? Have
of these workshops, as I focused on those can be, even for someone who has a lot you observed any changes since
issues that create the most difficulty (e.g., of experience writing in English. English your first visit? How would you
word order, coherence and connectives, has enough inconsistencies and varia- compare your university with
it vs. this, articles, active and passive tions that there is NO rule that can gov- ours?
voice, use of semicolons, etc.) ern all situations! My native speaker’s
ear makes articles easy for me; they will DB: The new classrooms are a joy to
LAJ: Which of those worked never be as easy for someone learning teach in; I very much like architecture
the best? English as an adult. that uses wood and glass to create
a light and natural environment. The
DB: Given the wide range of partici- LAJ: We’ve identified typical one thing I wasn’t accustomed to was
pants, I’m guessing what was most use- pattern errors Polish writers make having to bring a laptop to every class-
ful varied from one person to the next. and created a template. You’ve room. I usually teach in classrooms that
People enjoyed getting answers to their come across writing texts of have instructor podiums with comput-
personal questions. other nationalities. Can you find a ers and projection systems built right in.
common area which most nations Fortunately, Henryk Szymanski and the
LAJ: Which of the themes of the are likely to struggle with? technology people made sure I had what
workshop worked out the best? I needed.
DB: Linguists and psychologists have
DB: What was most useful, I think, found that when we are children, we LAJ: And the last question: What is
was to help participants recognize that are capable of learning any language; one piece of advice that you give
writing is not about following a set of during adolescence, however, our brain Polish writers of scientific English?
rules. Writing begins with having some- begins to discard those language fea-
thing valuable to say. It builds from tures we no longer use. Thus writers DB: Get feedback on your writing and
a dialogue between our conscious and from any language who learn another learn to know yourself as a writer. Don’t
subconscious mind. As this dialogue language after adolescence are likely to worry about errors with early drafts; just
continues, we clarify what message we struggle with those aspects of the new give your ideas time to develop. Then
wish to communicate and we get ideas language that are most different from identify your strengths as well as your
down on paper. As our content devel- their native tongue. Their first language pattern errors when you edit; that will
ops, we revise the way we express our will cause interference with the new enable you to approach errors more sys-
ideas: adding, deleting, rearranging, re- language, and they will “write with an tematically. And don’t worry too much
wording. When we have said what we accent.” A native speaker is likely to rec- about writing with an accent – nearly
wished to say, we then begin to revise ognize immediately that this other per- all of us do so when we cross language
our language to make it more effective. son’s writing has something “different” boundaries. If you care about your writ-
Strong writers know their “pattern er- about it, but may not know how or why ing and have something valuable to say,
rors,” the errors they are most likely to those differences exist. Once second it’s likely that your reader will pay more
make, and develop strategies to address language writers begin to identify and attention to your ideas than to an oc-
them. “Rules” will vary according to the recognize the error patterns, they can casional error. Communication is what
type of publication, the purpose, the develop their personal radar to pay at- matters – not technical perfection!
audience: sometimes passive voice will tention to those aspects when writing.
be appropriate -- at other times it will LAJ: Thank you very much for
create wordy and awkward construc- LAJ: Did you get any feedback sharing with us your methods and
tions; in most instances in American from the participants? observations. We hope to see you
English, contractions are completely ap- in the future again.
propriate – but in British English more DB: People are always very kind! They
formality is expected. So effective writ- expressed appreciation for the fact that
ing is shaped by our rhetorical situation: I helped them see “the larger picture”
our audience, our purpose, our context. of professional writing, rather than just
drilling them on rules. I have also given
LAJ: What was the most online feedback to several participants
difficult/toughest element since the workshops, so the dialogue
of the workshop for you? continues.
DB: The biggest challenge was to be LAJ: This workshop was held
ready to answer any questions that on Piotrowo campus premises
EDUCATION IN ENGLISH AT PUT 3
