Reading in schools

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Every week, I go to the kindergarten of the town.
Every week, I see the same children sitting on the rug of the classroom, eagerly waiting for my story.
Every week, I read a new story in English, for them.
I read a page in English, then the teacher translates in Polish. The kids don’t understand everything I say, of course, but at the end of the story we repeat the main vocabulary together, and they remember quite a lot!



Twice a month, I go to a different class in the primary school of the town.
Twice a month, I see the same children sitting on the rug of the classroom, eagerly waiting for my story, shouting “Bonjour!” as I arrive!
Twice a month, I read a new story, for them.
The teachers don’t translate everything, but it doesn’t matter, the kids know the story and they have the illustrations to understand what happens.
Then we repeat the main vocabulary in English, and they try to teach it to me in Polish…
As they are older than in the kindergarten, they are more able to ask me questions in English (very simple ones), and they want to know more about me and my native country. How do you say “hello” in French? Do you have siblings? Do you have a dog? How do you say my name in French? And in English? Do you remember my name? How are you?

I think the children and me are all quite frustrated not to understand each other without the teachers: I don’t understand their questions in Polish, I’m not yet able to answer in Polish when I understand, and they don’t understand my answers in English… 

So here is my motivation to seriously make progress in Polish: being able to talk with the kids!
Because twice a month, I leave the school amazed how willing and enthusiast they are to learn a new language and a new culture!

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