How much is AI changing teachers' work? Is artificial intelligence an opportunity or a threat? These are some of the topics among 50 workshops attended by nearly 300 English teachers from rural schools across Poland in the first days of the summer vacation.
The meeting was held in Stare Jabłonki in early July 2025.
The topics of lectures and workshops, as usual very broad, hit the most diverse tastes and needs. Invariably for years, very popular were classes on teaching methodology, the use of technology in teaching English, or workshops providing almost “ready-made” ideas for unique and interesting language classes.
Among the lecturers and trainers of this year’s edition of the conference there was no shortage of experienced presenters, each year gathering a full room – such as Professor Jacek Pyżalski, Professor Alicja Gałązka, or Jolanta Okuniewska.
The inaugural lecture was given by Professor Dariusz Jemielniak, who led an exceptionally interesting discussion around the question “Will machines replace teachers?”. Among the lectures and workshops that made a particularly strong impression on the participants were those given by Jen MacArthur – representing the US Embassy (The Power of Place in English Language Teaching), or Marta Frączkowska (Living (with) Passion).
The workshop and training offer of the conference was enriched by numerous and eagerly visited by the participants stands of publishers and distributors of materials supporting English language teaching – books, periodicals, games or teaching aids. Equally popular were the stands of non-governmental organizations, scholarship and grant programs, the use of which was encouraged by their representatives.
For over 20 years, the nationwide educational meetings – “English Teaching Market” – for English teachers from villages and small towns, and representatives of interested institutions, organizations, schools and publishing houses, have served to develop cooperation networks. To date, a total of more than 9,000 people have participated in them. They are an important element of the PAFF’s “English Teaching” program managed by the “NIDA” Nidzica Development Foundation.