Identify a common error made by English speakers learning Polish regarding grammatical gender, and explain how to help students effectively address that error.

A common error made by English speakers learning Polish regarding grammatical gender is incorrectly assigning gender to nouns based on semantic assumptions or English equivalents, instead of memorizing the gender of each noun. Grammatical gender in Polish (masculine, feminine, neuter) is often arbitrary and doesn't necessarily align with the natural gender of the object. For instance, the word 'stół' (table) is masculine, even though a table has no inherent gender. To help students address this error, several strategies can be employed. Firstly, emphasize the importance of learning the gender of each noun when it is first encountered, treating the gender as an integral part of the word's definition. Secondly, use color-coding or visual aids to associate different genders with different colors, making it easier to remember. For example, masculine nouns could be highlighted in blue, feminine nouns in pink, and neuter nouns in green. Thirdly, provide ample opportunities for practice through interactive exercises, such as matching nouns with their correct gender or completing sentences with the correct adjective or pronoun forms. Fourthly, explicitly teach common gender markers, such as the typical endings for each gender (e.g., masculine nouns often end in a consonant, feminine nouns often end in '-a', and neuter nouns often end in '-o'), but also emphasize that there are exceptions to these rules. Regular quizzes and error correction can also help students to internalize the correct gender assignments. By combining explicit instruction, visual aids, and consistent practice, students can gradually overcome this common challenge and develop a more accurate understanding of Polish grammatical gender.