Project work as a method to arrange students’ autonomuos work when teaching foreign language for special purposes in technical higher schools

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Belarusian State Technological University

Project work as a method to arrange students' autonomuos work when teaching foreign language for special purposes in technical higher schools

Nikishova A.V. PhD (Philology), associate professor, associate professor

Kryvonosova E.V. senior lecturer

Summary

The project technology as a way of managing students' autonomous work when teaching ESP is introduced. It expands professional horizons and improves teaching skills. The model of managing autonomous work, its stages and constituents is presented and analyzed. Imitation or rigid, semi -rigid and flexible levels of autonomous management are defined. The main features of the project technique are described in detail.

Keywords: project work, project technology, reproductive, creative, autonomous activity, simulation, imitation, rigid, flexible management, intermediate transitional projects.

Аннотация

Никишова Алла Васильевна, доцент, кандидат филологических наук, доцент кафедры межкультурных коммуникаций и технического перевода, Белорусский государственный технологический университет

Кривоносова Елена Валерьевна старший преподаватель кафедры межкультурных коммуникаций и технического перевода, Белорусский государственный технологический университет

ПРОЕКТНАЯ РАБОТА КАК ТЕХНОЛОГИЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ САМОСТОЯТЕЛЬНОЙ РАБОТЫ СТУДЕНТОВ НЕЯЗЫКОВЫХ СПЕЦИАЛЬНОСТЕЙ ПРИ ИЗУЧЕНИИ ИНОСТРАННОГО ЯЗЫКА ДЛЯ СПЕЦИАЛЬНЫХ ЦЕЛЕЙ

В данной работе предлагается описание процесса внедрения проектной технологии как способа управления самостоятельной работой студентов. Рассматривается поэтапное внедрение технологии. Выделяются разные уровни управления самостоятельной работой. Использование проекта расширяет профессиональный кругозор студентов и повышает мастерство преподавателя.

Ключевые слова: проектная работа, проектная технология, имитационный (воспроизводящий), творческий уровень самостоятельности, жесткое, гибкое управление самостоятельной работой, уровень самостоятельности, промежуточные переходные проекты.

Introduction

Literature survey. At the end of 19th century and at the beginning of 20th century the pragmatic philosophy originated in the USA, its principles influenced education. Kratochvilova says that pragmatic pedagogy understands education as the tool for solving problems which people encounter in their everyday lives [1, p. 25]. The main representatives of pragmatic pedagogy are J. Dewey and W. H. Kilpatrick.

Legutke and Thomas say that Dewey and Kilpatrick had already laid the theoretical and practical foundations of learning by and through experience. The educational project as a purposeful activity was seen as a new way of bringing up a more democratic society [2, p. 37]. The educational project took place in a social environment. It had a significant impact in Kilpatrick's essay “The Project Method” that had spelled out the consequences of Dewey's pragmatic study “Democracy and Education”. He pointed out that a learning process not only made young people to be responsible citizens, but mirrored in its very forms of operation an experimental society of cooperating individuals [2, p. 157]. Kratochvilova underlines that in this conception of curriculum there are roots of project work - solving a problem, looking for the sense of activities and leading to acquired experiences and the realization of purposeful work [1, p. 27].

We agree with and follow Dewey and Kilpatrick's education principles and consider them as very important in education process mainly from the view of student' motivation to learn.

Main task set up. After 2000, new reformation movement started to enforce the necessity of changes in education. The process to abandon the methods based on the amount of knowledge without practise and experience for learners has been started. The project work has become popular in educational process and we hardly find an educational institution where teachers and their students have not conducted any projects yet. According to our pedagogical experience, the teachers usually prepare and organize the whole conception of the projects which takes them a lot of time and work and they usually give a little space for students' imagination, activity and experience. Being teachers, we would not follow it. Inspired by the thoughts and ideas of great scientists and researchers, we try to innovate the project work in our classes by using new and modern technologies to capture students' attention.

Project work in the language classroom is the opportunity for learners to develop their language skills, it encourages learners to use a foreign language and motivates them. Moreover, it develops the learners' social skills, the ability to cooperate together, because they often work in groups on their project, and their sense for responsibility for their work.

Haines states that in the context of language learning, projects are multi-skill activities focusing on topics or themes rather than on specific language targets [3, p. 77]. The author continues that because specific language aims are not prescribed, the learners concentrate on reaching the targets with opportunities to recycle known language and skills in a relatively natural context [3, p. 78].

Fried-Booth says that most organized language learning takes place in the classroom. What is taught in the classroom may in theory be useful, but usefulness does not always extend to practice. Often, there is a gap between the language the students are taught and the language they in fact require. It is this gap that project work can help to bridge [4, p. 15].

We agree with both Haines and Fried-Booth, the students can use and develop all language skills especially in those projects that enable practical usage of the aim language, the exchange of personal letters, emails etc., communication “face to face” and other activities to find the reason why they should learn a foreign language. We are confident that it is important to persuade students that they can improve their language knowledge not only by travelling abroad, but also at university by implementing such activities like projects.

Fried-Booth differentiates between full-scale projects and bringing and motivating activities [5, p. 7]. She says that they are, of course, closely linked, since the motivating activites are a form of preparation for full-scale projects. The main difference between them that motivating activities are restricted to the classroom, while project work is extended beyond the classroom [5, p. 8].

The projects are considered by learners as more enjoyable way of learning and these are common advantages of using project work in the lessons: to motivate students to learning, to be responsible for own learning and the possibility of using a taught language in a real life.

Fried-Booth says that by encouraging students to move out of the classroom and into the world, project work helps to bridge the gap between language study and language use. She continues that it is, therefore, a valuable means of extending the communicative skills acquired in the classroom [5, p. 9].

Fried-Booth argues two ways of language learning: language learning which is based on tasks given by the teacher when the teacher defines language and students practise language. The other task is language learning in project work in which students become responsible for their own learning. They select and devise project, with the teacher acting as co-ordinator. They deal with the task and language requirements emerge from the task.

Fried-Booth also claims that the motivation lies in the project itself because the learner if offered the opportunity of using the language skills in a new situation experiences a real challenge [5, p. 9]. The project work offers not only groovy and expectable events but also uknown and unexpectable situations and thereby it creates the place for development.

Haines says that project work captures better than any other activity the two principal elements of a communicative approach [3, p. 55] and he argues: a concern for motivation, that is how learners relate to the task; a concern for relevance, that is how learners relate to the language. Haines says that positive motivation is the key to successful language learning, and project work is particularly useful as a means of generating this [3, p. 57]. Project work is very motivating because: it is very personal - students are writing about themselves, their lives, their town, their dreams and fantasies, their own research into topics that interest them [3, p. 57]. He continues that because

the project is very personal experience for the learners, its meaning and presentation are very important for them and that is why they put a lot of effort into doing it right; they are “learning through doing”; they are not just receiving and producing words, they are also collecting information, drawing pictures, cutting out pictures, arranging texts, colouring, carring out interviewing and surveys, etc. Project work gives the sense of achievement and it enables to produce the worthwhile product. It also enables to work on the own level and achieve the goals. Better students can express what they know and slower students can be successful by using more photos and pictures.

Haines argues that a foreign language can be unreal for the students because they do not usually need it in their own lives. It could be a negative motivation, but if they become real language users, they do not have to use it only for talking about English or American things and they can talk about their own lives and interests. That means: a) project work helps to integrate the foreign language into the learner's own world, encourages the use of communicative skills and provides the opportunities to write about things which are important; b) it enables to make the language more relevant to the students' needs: c) it enables the relationship between the language and the culture, while learning a foreing language, they learn about other cultures.

We agree with the advantages of project work mentioned by Haines. Fried-Booth suggests similar benefits and says that in project work the skills are not treated in isolation, but combined and the students use them simultaneously [5, p. 9].

State-of- the-art ideas about methods of teaching a foreign language dictate the need to review the student autonomous activity while choosing the contents, strategies, means and methods of teaching. As a result, the student develops the responsibility for the progress of mastering a foreign language. Implementing the ability to learn autonomously increases the learning effeciency. In foreign methodological literature, such technologies are called “learner-centered approach” and “autonomous learning”. Autonomous language learning is a kind of alternative to traditional learning.

F. Fitzpatrick defines the conditions that are necessary to arrange autonomous learning: a) psychological ease, positive attitude, and learner's willingness to take on a certain share of responsibility for developing the processes of mastering a foreign language; b) the ability of a teacher to create the natural environment and direct the activities of students; c) the ability of learners to develop their social skills, to be motivated by their goals and project output [4, p. 14].

Research

The elements of autonomy are normally introduced through several stages. The autonomy degree of each student depends on a particular personality, and this must be taken into account by the student and the teacher as well.

The management of independent work implies a gradual transition from managing the student activities to their self-government, that is, autonomy. The interaction between the teacher and studentsis is based on the following components: a) the management process covers both controlled and independent activities of students in the educational process; b) the management process is successful if rigid and flexible management techniques are successfully combined by the teacher; c) the management process is most effective if the targeted selection of the language and speech material, specific means and adequate objectives are provided.

The management model reflects the sequence and gradual development of independence throughout level gradation. It is possible to distinguish the stages of the autonomic activity. student teaching autonomous

At the first stage, management is rigid, the level of autonomous work is reproductive. The students perform algorithmic paused audio recordings with exercises, linear computer programs, specific instructions, univariant models, and simulation projects. At this stage the teacher is a compulsory supervisor, who is responsible for the successful project development and output. Regarding the students' activities, the following features can be noted: a) the sequence of actions is directed from the outside and is strictly regulated by the teacher or educational program; b) there are rigid task patterns; c) during the implementation of the simulation project, independent autonomous work skills are formed; d) the proposed problem situation or a problem-cognitive task based on “the problem -- decision process -- conclusion” algorithm is studied and analyzed.

At the next stage, i.e. semi-rigid management, the level is semi-creative and self-confident; selfmanagement tools include branched computer programs, instructions for performing transformation and substitution exercises, multiple choice models and assignments, supporting schemes, instructions, supporting questions, intermediate transitional projects. At this stage, the teacher acts as an assistant, providing indirect guidance. Responsibility for the successful project development and result is shared by the teacher and students. The students' activity is characterized by the following features: a) the sequence of actions is determined by the students themselves; they use various schemes, plans, questions, memos, supporting patterns, hints; b) several options for performing tasks are provided; c) some independent working techniques are employed; the tasks are performed in an intuitive way; d) there are attempts to solve readymade problem situations or problem-cognitive tasks automonously.

At the final stage, management is flexible, the level of autonomy is creative. Self-management tools are represented by multimedia computer programs, requiring non-standard solutions, role plays performed in a foreign language, problem situations, problem- cognitive tasks, creative communication tasks, autonomous creative projects. The teacher acts as a consultant, expert, partner, observer, customizer of the project. Characteristic features of the students' activities are considered: a) the students determine independently the sequence of actions, draw up a plan, a scheme of work, if necessary, ask a teacher for advice; b) demonstrate the sample implementation; c) creative use of mastered techniques of independent work; d) independent search, formulation and solution of problem situations.

In our opinion, the presented model of autonomous activity reflects properly the stages of learning a foreign language in non-linguistic media. The considered model also has its particular features, namely: a) determined interaction between the stages; exclusion of any stage violates its integrity; b) continuity; i.e. the objectives and content of each stage account for the activities performed at the previous stage; c) mobility and flexibility; provided it is justified, it is possible to return to the previous stage; d) mobility of borders between stages, their interpenetration. Such procedure is explained by a connection between the stages and conventionality of their rigid theoretical distinction.

When offering a model of managing independent work via implementation of a system of projects, we rely on some research; it is possible to achieve maximum autonomy in teaching foreign language communication by gradually removing “implementation pillars” (E.I. Passov, P.G. Gurvich, E.V. Borzeva), since maximum independence implies independence from any support as an aid to express one's thoughts.

To manage students' independent work via project work, it is possible to develop a typology of projects based on certain parameters that take into account the specifics of training in a technical university. These parameters (according to Polat E.S.) comprise: compliance extent confirming to the stages of the assimilation process; duration of the project; nature of cognitive activity; theme thoroughness; location (classroom or extracurricular work) of the project; diversity of information sources; integrity of different speech activity; project arrangement; leadership or participation degree of the teacher in the project; the final product, the result of the project, and its possible practical application [6, p. 43].

In this typology, the main criterion seems to be that of compliance extent of projects with the stages of the assimilation process. Based on the above mentioned parameters, it is necessary to distinguish between imitation, intermediate (transitional) and completely autonomus projects.

When carrying out imitation or simulation projects, the management of students' independent work in foreign language learning is determined and rigid. In the project, all the roles are clearly defined: the teacher is a project manager, and the students are responsible executives. Tasks of the project are stated mainly in writing, their proper execution is monitored, and the result is planned in advance and predetermined. The teacher registers all the mistakes made by the students during the work over the projects, analyzes and systematizes them, develops additional exercises or guidelines for the project, and provides feedback.

In intermediate (transitional) projects, the management of students is of a semi-rigid nature; there are opportunities for the development of the project that are predicted and anticipated by the teacher. Compared to the simulation projects, the number of instructions in this case is considerably reduced.

Autonomous projects are active, creative, independent. Management of the students' work on the implementation of the project is quite flexible, in some cases it is possible to percieve its absence. If students do not cope with the tasks to a certain extent, there is always an opportunity to return to intermediate projects.

It seems necessary to elaborate the coordination of projects and provide external evaluation and asess- ment. The teacher should have special knowledge, skills in introducing project technologies, understanding the principles of the project work and the features of the implementation in the course of teaching. The task of the teacher is to think up, develop, estimate the project, and offer the students the implementation of simulation projects. An alternative way to implement the project is to implement a ready-made project and keep up strictly with the proposed instructions. Carrying out the intermediate (transitional) projects, the teacher fulfills the following tasks: helps the students finalize the project problem under study and derive its goals, tasks, and the way to solution. At the same time, the teacher has his own version of implementing the project, which he offers if there are difficulties with the students making their own independent decisions.

As a rule, project work involves a series of classes or a certain amount of time during a series of classes. To do this successfully it is compulsory to track the activities of each project participant at all stages of the work, using elements of self-control and mutual control, you can keep a diary, an online journal, blog, etc., where there are positive and negative changes in behavior, psychological microclimate, the level of knowledge and skills integrated into a foreign language learning and mastering knowledge. The students can keep own diaries, evaluating their role in the project, their knowledge, skills, abilities, ability for individual and team work [5, p. 24].

A specific feature of a higher technical school is the mandatory inclusion of terminological glossary in a foreign language program. The share of terms and specialized texts is about 75%, which determines the nature of the projects.

Conclusion

In educational context, the project work should be learner-centred activity, not a teacher- centred one. The students have to understand why they make a project and how it is useful for them. The best way is when they can choose the topic of the project themselves. They usually work in groups and they develop their social skills to cooperate and communicate together. They choose the way of work, distribute tasks and agree on the output of the project. As one of the most important rules of the project work it is considered that they are responsible for their work on their project and for their results. At the end the participants present the result of their project and the teacher evalutes not only the project itself but also the work of each team member of the project and the cooperation among the students in their groups.

The stage of the project allows conducting assessment at different stages. It is not necessary to rate it, it can be a verbal encouragement or a comment, feedback, etc.

The success of the implementation of the project work is largely determined by the positive assessment of the teacher's professional and personal qualities and trusting relationship between students and a teacher. An integral component of this technology is growth of professional skills of the teacher. Applying the project methodology, the teacher and the student become partners in introducing new teaching methods.

References

1. Kratochvilova J. Theory and practice of project work. / J. Kratochvilova//Masaryk University, Pedagogical faculty. - Brno, 2009. - 49 p.

2. Legutke M., Thomas H., Candlin C. N. Process and experience in the language classroom. / M. Legutke, H. Thomas, C. N. Candlin//Longman Group UK Limited. - 1991. - 350 p.

3. Haines S. Projects for the EFL classroom. / S. Haines//Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd. - 1989. - Resource material for teachers. - 108 p.

4. Fitzpatric F. Observation and Feedback. / F. Fitzpatric//In: Teacher Trainer. -Vol. 9, № 2. - 1992. - P. 14-16.

5. Fried-Booth D. L. Project Work. Resource books for teachers. / D. L. Fried-Booth //Oxford University Press. - 1990. - 136 p.

6. Polat E. S. Modern pedagogical and information technologies in the education system. / E. S. Polat//M., Academy. - 2008. - 272 p.

Размещено на Allbest.ru