Sounds Polish

The course was created as part of the project "MOOC@PB-Nowoczesne technologie w procesie kształcenia"; agreement ID POWR.03.01.00-00-W040/18-00.

Course description

This is not a standard language course, e.g. you will not learn any Polish words in it, for a simple reason that it is all conducted in English, and will include very few words of Polish. You will, however, gain an opportunity to start (or continue) learning Polish equipped with the essential skill to any foreign language learner: the ability to hear and produce the sounds the language.

Linguistic research shows that one of the main difficulties that learners face when taking up a foreign language is the inability to hear and produce some of its sounds which blocks later development of both passive (listening) and active (speaking) skills. The course is designed to address this problem.

Course aims

Main aim: to enable you to learn Polish as a foreign language more effectively through enhancing your perception and production of Polish sounds;

Specific aims:

• to familiarize you with the sounds of Polish
• to enhance your perception and production of the sounds of Polish
• to set your articulatory setting for Polish
• to increase your awareness in the field of foreign language learning

Course learning outcomes (what your benefits will be)

After completing this course you will:

• know the organs of speech and how they work
• know the basic terminology in the field of phonetics and phonology
• know the phonological system of Polish (all the sounds of Polish)
• be able to control your speech organs in a more conscious way
• be able to perceive Polish sounds better
• be able to produce Polish sounds better
• understand the value of becoming familiar with the sounds of a language when learning the language

Syllabus (what you will learn)

Module 1: Making speech sounds (about 4 hours)

• Lesson 1: Which organs do we use to make speech sounds?
• Lesson 2: Which organs do we move to make speech sounds and how do we do it?
• Lesson 3: What speech sounds are there?

Module 2: Making Polish sounds (vowels) (about 5 hours)

• Lesson 1: Which are the Polish close vowels and how do we make them?
• Lesson 2: Which are the Polish open-mid and open vowels and how do we make them?
• Lesson 3: Which are the Polish nasal vowels and how do we make them?

Module 3: Making Polish noises (consonants) (about 6 hours)

• Lesson 1: Which are the Polish plosive consonants?
• Lesson 2: Which are the Polish fricative consonants?
• Lesson 3: Which are the Polish affricate consonants?
• Lesson 4: Which are the remaining Polish consonants?

Revising (final test) 

Course materials

Course materials consist of instruction videos and animations, followed by exercises which are designed as a practical self-study tool and progress tasks which check what you have learnt.

Course grading

Individual learning outcomes are checked on an ongoing basis with a short 1-3 test tasks carried out after each lesson; the course ends with a final test encompassing the whole covered material. You need to score over 51% to pass the course.

Prerequisites

No requirements.

Time commitments

This course takes you three weeks to complete.  You are expected to spend 4-6 hours a week working through the course material.

Discussion Forums

Feel free to post questions, suggestions and engage in discussions. 

Staff of the course

Course instructor: Michał Citko is a teacher of Polish as a foreign language with over 5 years of teaching experience employed in the Foreign Language Center of the Bialystok University of Technology. He is also a PhD student of the Faculty of Philology at the University of Bialystok currently working on a PhD thesis devoted to the subject of sound awareness in the learning of Polish as a foreign language. Contact: m.citko@pb.edu.pl

Course design and implementation: Tomasz Nosal

Animations and  video production: Jarosław Kuptel, Daniel Dochód

References

Benni T. (1959): Fonetyka opisowa języka polskiego, Wrocław: Zakład Narodowy Imienia Ossolińskich.

Karaś, M., Madejowa, M. (1977, red.) Słownik wymowy polskiej, Warszawa, Kraków, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe.

Maciołek, M., Tambor, J. (2018). Głoski polskie, Katowice: Wydawnictwo Gnome.

Ostaszewska, D., Tambor, J. (2000). Fonetyka i fonologia współczesnego języka polskiego. Warszawa: PWN.

Underhill, A. (2005). Sound Foundations, Oxford: Macmillan.

Wierzchowska, B. (1971). Wymowa polska, wyd. II zm. i rozszerz. Warszawa: Państwowe Zakłady Wydawnictw Szkolnych.