Poland - Reports on Workshops for Geography Teachers

Report on workshops for bilingual geography teachers

Oct 2007

Ola Zaparucha sent in this report on CLIL Geography in Poland

Sorry for not keeping you informed on what is going on in CLIL in Poland. There is so much going on there is no time for reflection. In August we held workshops for bilingual geography teachers. 

The National Centre for Further Training of Geography Teachers, which works at the Association of Polish Adult Educators (SOP), has organised the methodological workshop for geography teachers who teach their subjects through English in bilingual classes:

Bilingual Geography - aims, methods and challenges.

The event took place in Toruń between 20th and 23rd August 2007.  The workshop was conducted by Olivier Mentz - Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg and Daniela Schmeinck - Pädagogische Hochschule Karlsruhe, who both specialise in bilingual education.

The aim of the workshop was to exchange teaching experience, present available materials and integrate those involved in teaching geography through English.  The participant completed the questionnairies which will enable to see the position of bilingual education in Poland. Moreover, all the papers presented during the meeting willl be published in the book of proceedings. Moreover, there is an initiative to set up a working platform and forum to exchange ideas and educational materials connected with teaching geography in English. It is still in preparation. The workshop is going to be organised on a regular basis. The next meeting is being planned for October 2008.

During the workshop a new publication was presented - the geography workbook, part one, for middle school, which has been translated into English. Other initiatives in terms of translated materials include the books on HISTORY (volume two for high schools has been finished and is waiting for printing) and the third part of the GEOGRAPHY textbook for high schools.

More information is available from the SOP website:  http://www.sop.torun.pl/. Inquiries regarding the publications are to be directed to  sop@sop.torun.pl

As soon as the new publications are available I will let you know. 

Best regards 

Ola Zaparucha, olazap@wp.pl