COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH IN PRACTICE: THE CASE OF THE UKRAINIAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW, POLAND

Abstract

The growth of international market, business and travel around the world has resulted in English being an integral part of university curricula. Teaching English in the way that is not only motivating but also corresponding to the needs of the global market university graduates are about to face has become mandatory for higher education institutions. This paper aims at presenting a modern approach to teaching foreign languages to students studying at the Department of the Ukrainian Studies at the University of Warsaw, Poland. The specifics of the didactic work of lecturers teaching English and Ukrainian languages are presented with a view to a cultural diversity in groups. The Department offers students a rich program that gives them a thorough education both in Ukrainian and English languages. The authors show how they deal with various problems resulting from language interference, heterogeneous groups and cultural differences in their teaching practice. Motivating students to learn English with a view to a cultural context is of special importance since it results not only in interesting lessons, but also in students willing to deepen their knowledge of the English-speaking countries. A special attention is given to the Communicative Approach which has proved to be beneficial both for teachers and students. Moreover, the authors give practical solutions how to motivate students to learn foreign languages effectively.