News
Prizewinner Kazimiera enjoys first trip to London
14 July 2010
Kazimiera Herok, 44-year-old mother of three, has just visited London for the first time after winning the 2010 Six Book Challenge prize. "At first when I heard that I had won I was very surprised, because I have never won anything in my life before!" she laughs.
Kazimiera came to Manchester three years ago from Poland with her three children, following her husband and their father, who was already working here. She began taking ESOL English lessons at Stockport College in order to improve her spoken and written English.
"It was my ESOL lecturer Joanne Shepherd, who is a great teacher, who encouraged us to read books," she explains. "Then the librarian Lynsey Smith told my class about the Six Book Challenge," says Kazimiera. "I thought it was a good idea, but I was a bit nervous, because I had read books before in English, but only elementary ones. I thought that I must start reading books at a more intermediate level. It was good for me, it motivated me."
"The first book was not easy," admits Kazimiera. "I had to keep looking new words up in an English dictionary. But bit by bit my grammar improved. When I am reading I want to relax. I read books that I thought I would enjoy, all romance books! My favourite book which I read for the Six Book Challenge was a romance book set in the Lake District -- this is an area that is very beautiful and I would love to visit it on holiday."
Kazimiera successfully completed the Six Book Challenge just before taking her English exams in June. "I was happy, but I have still continued to read books, because I like
reading," she says. "I am now more confident, and my English is improving. Doing the Six Book Challenge was really good preparation for the English reading and writing exams I have just taken. I think it was a really important exercise for everyone who did it."
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