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Posts by nuncle  

Joined: 11 Mar 2009 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: -
Threads: Total: 2 / In This Archive: 2
Posts: Total: 10 / In This Archive: 9 		From: Australia
Speaks Polish?: I am learning

Displayed posts: 11
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nuncle   
11 Mar 2009
Work / Availability of teaching positions in Kraków [30]

Hi everyone,

After living in Kraków for a few months last year, I've decided to return and acquire a CELTA qualification (at IH Kraków) so that I can teach and live there.

I have created this thread to ask whether anyone knows if private English schools in Kraków (in general) might be hiring or have a need to hire from mid-May onwards. Is it a bad time to apply? It seems like most schools are always open to the possibility of hiring, regardless of semester.

I suppose I can always try some private lessons until I find a job in a school.

I've read quite a few threads on here about working in a school, what to expect, what I should know etc. I don't want to spend all this money on a flight, education and then not be able to find a job! So what are your thoughts?
nuncle   
11 Mar 2009
Work / Availability of teaching positions in Kraków [30]

Thanks a lot, I was worried about this.

Do you think it would be possible to survive post-CELTA as a private teacher only for a few months or are most students likely to be more interested in other things during this time? Also, I thought some schools ran intensives before and around summer?
nuncle   
11 Mar 2009
Work / Availability of teaching positions in Kraków [30]

Anything is possible but it is just unlikely that a teacher, such as yourself, with no experience of teaching will do so well. I would recommend holding off until the end of summer. Are you in a rush? have you family or friends here?

Yeah, I am in a hurry because there aren't really any job opportunities where I live, so getting out of here sooner rather than later is important PLUS I love Poland and need to get back there :D

SeanBM, do you think it would be easier to find a job during this time in a smaller city or even in Warsaw, maybe there will be something I could do for a short while?
nuncle   
11 Mar 2009
Work / Availability of teaching positions in Kraków [30]

Thanks for the link ukpolska but I actually have European citizenship as well.

I just spoke to a DOS from a large school in Krakow and he has suggested that I stay in Australia, get my CELTA, do some teaching here and then try and come to KRK in late August. He is saying the same thing you guys are saying, class sizes shrink, people go away and with the economic crisis now people aren't taking so many courses.

It's disappointing, but what can you do. I really love Poland, I guess I might just have to wait.
nuncle   
13 Mar 2009
Work / Availability of teaching positions in Kraków [30]

1500 - 2000zl a week for new teachers! That's terrible! I can earn more than that on welfare in Australia (almost). I thought you got paid about 4000zl a month.

I suppose I would have to supplement my income by teaching privately.
nuncle   
13 Mar 2009
Work / Availability of teaching positions in Kraków [30]

Yeh, tis true. When I was in Poland at the end of last year I found it easy to get students in Poznan, but a bit harder in Krakow, although I wasn't qualified at the time.

So if beginners make 1500-2000zl a month how much do the pros make?
nuncle   
13 Mar 2009
Work / Availability of teaching positions in Kraków [30]

Well, after this thread and speaking to a number of DOS' in Krakow I've decided that I won't come to Krakow until later. I will probably do my CELTA in June, finish it in July and then start looking for a position. Even if the pay sux it will still be a good experience, the fact is I love Poland and want to live there, atleast for a while. If the pay isn't enough after a semester or so I can always move on.

Thanks for the advice everybody.
nuncle   
21 Apr 2009
Study / Celta - Application Form [24]

I recently completed the application and was accepted, to which school are you applying?

I agree with Dazza, it seems like the application is a way to get you thinking about the language in a way you might not have had to before. If you make an effort (surely they don't expect you to be a master of teaching English before you've even done the course), then you'll be fine. Downloading a grammar book or too helps though.

They will be teasing out your answers in a phone interview, so be prepared for that.

You can PM me if you are still stuck and maybe I can nudge you in the right direction.
nuncle   
21 Apr 2009
Study / Studying Polish with a view to becoming a Translator or Interpreter [4]

Hi,

I'm looking for a University level course that could take me from my woeful level of Polish comprehension to fullblown fluency, even if it takes a few years. Does such a course exist or am I on my own? I know there are hundreds of private schools all over Poland, but what I'm looking for is something formal that will eventually give me the credentials and confidence to become a translator or interpreter (English<->Polish).

I don't want to take a lot of little Polish courses. The course at Jagiellonski (KrK) is a year, but it's not enough, I suppose after the year you could take a course there again at a higher level. What I'm looking for is a course that starts at the beginning and ends at fluency.

If there was a course that had a translating/interpreting year at the end of it, that would be great!

So Joe, what do you know?
nuncle   
28 May 2009
Language / Changes in the Polish Language [11]

Merged: The Polish language - from the sixties to today

Hey,

I have recently found a very old book on Polish in my friends University library, it was made during the sixties (closer to the beginning of the seventies). I would like to know if there is any point me using this book to teach myself Polish, it seems to be quite good, I am just worried that it may be a little out of date.

Do I need to worry? Has the core grammar changed that much? What subtle changes should I look out for?

Thanks