Two former UCplus students now teach Danish themselves
Polish Barbara Malgorzata Gluzek-Kret and Ukrainian Tanja Barabanova are both former students at the UCplus Language Centre in Ringkøbing.
They have gone all the way from sitting in the classrooms on Vasevej, where they struggled with both Danish grammar and pronunciation when they were learning Danish themselves, to today, where they step into the same classrooms—but now as the ones teaching others.
We spoke with them about what this language journey has meant for them.
Barbara and Tanja both came to Denmark without knowing a word of Danish, but they worked hard to learn the language at UCplus in Ringkøbing. They became so proficient that they took the next step and now teach at the Language Centre themselves.
Barbara knows what the students need
Barbara Malgorzata Gluzek-Kret has lived in Denmark for 15 years. She moved to Ringkøbing from Poland because her husband got a job as a paramedic with Falck. She came with a master’s degree in linguistics from the University of Warsaw and experience as a German teacher, and she was very motivated to learn Danish.
“I didn’t know what type of job I could get, but I wanted to continue teaching, and I knew that it was going to be important that I got to learn Danish,” says Barbara.
Barbara completed the Danish Education Program DU3 in just 2.5 years and then got a job as a primary school teacher in the subjects of mathematics and German. After five years, she felt the need to try something new, so she applied for a job as a language consultant at UCplus’ Language Centre in Ringkøbing. She says it was a really good decision because in this job, even more than before, she can draw on her knowledge of linguistics and her own experiences with learning Danish:
“I remember what I missed and found difficult when I was learning Danish, and therefore I know what the students need. Many of them feel reassured because they know that I have also gone through the process of learning Danish.”
Tanja helped Ukrainian refugees settle in Ringkøbing
Tanja Barabanova moved to Denmark from Kyiv in 2019 when she married her Ukrainian husband. Her husband had lived in Ringkøbing for 2 years before they got married, and he had a job. Tanja also hoped to get a job quickly, but first, she had to learn Danish. She started the Danish Education Program in 2020, and things progressed quickly. She worked hard in the classes and passed the PD3 test in November 2021.
In the spring of 2022, many refugees from Ukraine began arriving, and the language Centre was looking for a teacher who could also understand Ukrainian. One of UCplus’ teachers encouraged Tanja to apply for the position. She didn’t believe she could get the job, but she did, and it has opened many new doors for her.
“I am so glad I got the job. Teaching is going well, and now I’ve started helping with all kinds of tasks, from placement assessments to translation assignments. And for the Ukrainian students, I’m someone who can help with all sorts of things. I really enjoy having so many different tasks because it means every day brings new challenges and experiences.”
Learn Danish at UCplus and open the door to new opportunities
Barbara and Tanja’s motivation to learn Danish and their willingness to keep taking on new challenges have opened many doors for them.
You can also give yourself a good start in Denmark, and UCplus will help you on your way.
We offer the three official Danish Education Programs, and you will start at the level that matches your years of schooling and qualifications.