Making the First Minute Count with Monika Ziębakowska
What inspired your presentation topic, and why do you think it's important for English language teachers today?
What inspired me was observing how quickly teens decide whether a lesson is “worth their attention.” In the age of short-form content and constant stimulation, the first minute often determines the success of the entire lesson. For English teachers, especially those preparing students for exams, this moment is crucial — engagement isn’t a bonus anymore, it’s a prerequisite for learning.
Can you share a key takeaway from your session that teachers can immediately apply in their classrooms?
Plan the first minute as carefully as you plan the lesson itself. Start with curiosity, emotion, or challenge — not explanations. If you win students’ attention in the first 60 seconds, everything that follows becomes easier and more effective.
Monika is a graduate of Didactics of Foreign Languages at the Aleksander Gieysztor Academy of Humanities in Pułtusk and completed postgraduate studies in Oligophrenopedagogy, focusing on the education and rehabilitation of people with intellectual disabilities, at the Higher School of Pedagogy in Łódź. She has been working as an English teacher for 30 years.
She currently works at the English College private language school, where she holds the position of Director of Studies. Recently, she has become an accredited and certified neurolanguage coach.
In her daily life, she is passionate about photography, music, literature, and ornithology. She enjoys travelling and exploring the world around her.
