NAUCZANIE POLSKIEGO JĘZYKA MIGOWEGO NA WYDZIALE POLONISTYKI UNIWERSYTETU WARSZAWSKIEGO
Teaching Polish Sign Language at the Faculty of Polish Studies at Warsaw University

Summary/Abstract: This article is a presentation of the Polish Sign Language (PJM) courses conducted at the Faculty of Polish Studies at Warsaw University since 1998. According to the author' knowledge, these were the first such courses in Poland. In the 8 years of their existence, more than 1000 students from several schools and departments have attended them. The article discusses some methodological and technical problems involved in teaching PJM to hearing people: slow rate of progress, shrinking groups, lack of a sign writing system (which makes learning at home difficult), problematical status of the manual alphabet (a non-systemic element of PJM), the problem of "stiff" faces of most hearing people. The authors also consider the difference between the students' expectations (sign learning as a form of intellectually stimulating entertainment) and the social needs that such a course could satisfy (educating future teachers and interpreters).

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