Announcements (Archive)

Episode 5 of the Kuchnia Metodyczna podcast

Is Assessment Help or Pressure?
In the latest, fifth episode of the Kuchnia Metodyczna podcast, we talk about grading—it’s the end of the semester, so the topic is especially timely.

We explore how to assess wisely and supportively, how to avoid common mistakes, and why grading is a bit like… Italian cooking.

Tune in:
“Grading al dente – How Not to Overcook a Student’s Potential?”
https://youtu.be/7zL6GsYneaE

Warm regards,
Justyna and Magda

May 8 – Day of Mourning at the University of Warsaw

In accordance with the decision of Professor Alojzy Z. Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw, May 8 has been declared a Day of Mourning, during which no classes will be held and no work will be performed at the University. The university community is deeply shaken by the brutal murder that occurred on the Main Campus of the University of Warsaw. Let this Day of Mourning be a time for reflection on the acts of violence and aggression emerging within the academic environment.

https://www.uw.edu.pl/%e2%80%8bdzien-zaloby-na-uw/

Theatre Workshops. 10-Minute Plays Festival Project

Intensive preparations are underway at the University of Warsaw’s Centre for Foreign Language Teaching (CNJO) for the first 10-Minute Plays Festival in Poland. On the last weekend of April, theatre workshops were held at the Konopacki Palace (Praga Cultural Centre) and the CNJO building for project participants, including the authors of the plays submitted to the competition for writing a 10-minute play titled “We, People, Do This.” The workshop session was officially opened by CNJO Director Dr. Andrzej Dąbrowski.

The workshops were led by Krzysztof Wnuk and Joanna Banasik, actors from the Witkacy Theatre, who have collaborated with CNJO for many years on the course “10-Minute Plays: Second Act – Escape the Everyday.” During three days of intensive creative work, we prepared stage adaptations of six original 10-minute plays awarded in the writing competition. The plays will be performed in both Polish and English.

We warmly invite you to our Festival on May 16 at the Konopacki Palace (Praga Cultural Centre) from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. In the meantime, we invite you to view the photo gallery from the workshops (photos by Grażyna Jakubowska).

Event Organizer: University of Warsaw, Centre for Foreign Language Teaching
Event Sponsor: Canal+ Poland
Partners: Witkacy Theatre in Zakopane, Radio Kampus

10-Minute Plays Festival

Dear fans of 10-minute plays,

Today, we’re excited to invite you to the very first 10-Minute Plays Festival in Poland! During the event, we will showcase the plays awarded in the literary competition My, ludzie, tak robimy.

The plays will be staged during theater workshops led by Joanna Banasik and Krzysztof Wnuk, actors from the St. I. Witkiewicz Theatre in Zakopane, a partner of the Festival. The workshops and the event are sponsored by Canal+, with additional support from Radio Kampus.

We’ll see you on May 16 at the Konopacki Palace in Praga. Event details coming soon—stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated as preparations unfold!

Podcast ‘Kuchnia Metodyczna’

Dear Listener,

We are excited to invite you to our new podcast, ‘Kuchnia Metodyczna’, a space where we combine our passion for foreign language teaching, our knowledge of methodology, and our experience gained from many years of teaching.

Once a month, we plan to release an episode where we will:

  • Discuss effective methods of teaching foreign languages,
  • Share tips on how to learn languages effectively,
  • Present interesting facts and challenges related to various languages,
  • Discuss the role of psychology in the educational process,
  • Discover how languages connect people and cultures,
  • Try to inspire you to develop your teaching skills.

The podcast is our way of sharing experiences, brainstorming, and motivating each other in teaching (and learning!). We imagine it will not only be a broadcast but also a space for conversation – so we are waiting for your opinions, questions, and suggestions!

Each episode will also feature a culinary theme – the title obliges!

The first episode is being released today – January 14, 2025, and its title is: “What does a teacher have in common with a tightrope walker, or how to find a balance between the modern and traditional, effective and impressive in a foreign language lesson?”

You can find our podcast on:

See you there!

Authors of the ‘Kuchnia Metodyczna’ podcast

Justyna Deczewska and Magda Ziółek-Wojnar

Ten-Minute Play Competition

The University of Warsaw’s Center for Foreign Language Teaching cordially invites you to participate in the Ten-Minute Play Competition.

A ten-minute play is a short dramatic form that originates from the one-act play tradition. This genre made its official debut in 1977 at the Humana Festival of New American Plays, organized by the Actors Theatre of Louisville. It has since become a mainstay on English-speaking stages, representing a phenomenon in contemporary theater.

Today, the ten-minute play is a fully recognized genre embraced by many English-speaking theater creators. Festivals dedicated to ten-minute plays are held around the world, attracting young artists—playwrights, directors, and actors alike. Audiences and readers appreciate the thematic and formal richness of these works. It’s worth bringing this dramatic form to Polish audiences and enriching our theatrical repertoire.

Perhaps this can happen thanks to you—we invite you to join us in an event that aims to promote this form of artistic expression.

Competition participants are asked to review the rules and submit signed consents and declarations in scanned form.

Please send your competition entry along with signed declarations by January 6, 2025, to: 10mpfestival@gmail.com

You can find the competition rules and necessary consents here: