Polish seems chaotic to many people coming in contact with it for the first time. You can easily lose your initial enthusiasm in the thick of endings and alternations. The impression of chaos may result from the fact that Polish is often taught without respecting its specific character. The communicative approach, which proves a success while teaching western languages, requires considerable modifications to be useful for learners of Polish. In every language grammatical structures is a condition for successful communication; in Polish the connection between grammar and meaning is particularly visible as it determines the shape of words. In Polish the position of words in the sentence plays a relatively small role, there are no articles. Words themselves carry grammatical functions; thus ignoring grammar rules can hinder effective communication. Knowledge of the basic forms from the dictionary is not enough to be able to make comprehensible sentences as endings often affect both the function of a word in a sentence and the shape of the word itself.

Various teaching methods can be used in this situation. For instance, certain communication structures can be practiced in some situational contexts. This method brings a lot of satisfaction, especially at the beginning. It allows of relatively fast mastering vocabulary necessary to react adequately in communicative situations e.g. at the restaurant, bank, etc. The problem is, however, that isolated situations selected for the mere communicative use do not show the full picture of the Polish language system. This in turn evokes the impression of chaos in the learner, blocks creative use of language and encloses with frames of some chosen communicative conventions.

Our method is a successful attempt to overcome the limitations of the above-mentioned approach although its objective is not to teach Polish grammar just for its sake. We teach language as a tool for obtaining information and communicating. That is why our method should not be perceived as negation of the communicative approach. In the course of the training we use vocabulary useful in everyday situations. Selected communicative situations are discussed and culturally adequate language behaviour practised as well. However, we do not confine ourselves to it. The structures used are selected so that they could be an example of general, formal grammatical structures. The lexical material of a given communicative problem is always referred to the whole of the language system and situated in its context. We realize that it requires an extra amount of labour both on the side of the teacher and the student; we want though to aim our offer at people who thanks to their creative effort are ready to go beyond formulaic repetitions of usual phrases and to master the structures quite fast, which will allow them to move efficiently in any area of the Polish language. To achieve this, understanding the mechanisms of grammar is crucial. Contrary to all appearances, these mechanisms can be systematized. Complicated as some of the Polish grammar issues are, they are also logical. During our courses we try to highlight this rational dimension of the language as getting to know about it enables to take control over the apparently chaotic mechanisms of the Polish language. In order to do so, we have prepared our own teaching program, which is the basis of the course. It covers both the necessary grammar structures and vocabulary, and contains a lot of communicative exercises as well. We put it into a clear, logical form so as the lexical material did not curtain the rational order of grammatical structure. On the other hand, the grammatical material is presented by means of thematic vocabulary useful in the communication process which could be the basis for communicative exercises.

During the courses we pay special attention to pronunciation exercises. A myth has grown up about Polish pronunciation. Difficult as it is, it is also very regular, and the knowledge of the basic rules together with systematic exercises helps to break the ice. We guarantee surprisingly fast progress in this area.

Our clients are usually very busy people; that is why we are not only their teachers, but above all – their assistants. We organize their training so as to save time and minimize effort. If the course takes place on a regular basis and is intensive enough, our clients do not need to study on their own. The time spent with the teacher, who will assign relevant exercises, should be sufficient not only to understand, but also to acquire the language material introduced during the lesson.

The specific character of our method is highly demanding as far as our teachers are concerned. Apart from excellent knowledge of the subject they have to be ready to give information and explanations in foreign languages (English, German). Admittedly, during the lesson we try to speak Polish as much as possible, but often a comment in another language is necessary in order to explain a particularly difficult problem to a beginner who has just started studying. Moreover, we put emphasis on individual relation of the teacher with the client. Our clients’ questions are an inherent element of the teaching / learning process. Thanks to such questions we can understand our clients’ needs in detail, and thus be more precise in meeting them.

To sum up, our method is a blend of the communicative approach and the grammar method. While introducing the language material necessary in communicative situations, emphasis is laid on understanding grammar structures in order to show the logical structure of the Polish language. In other words, we do not confine ourselves to presenting and practising the basic vocabulary and phrases. We want something more, namely, we would like our trainees to understand how Polish works, which will ensure the possibility of further all-round development of their language competence: reading, listening, speaking and writing skills.