Development of professionally oriented reading skills

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Development of professionally oriented reading skills

Svetlana Makukhina,

Senior Lecturer at the Department of Tourism, Hotel and Restaurant Business and Foreign Languages

Kherson State Agrarian and Economic University (Kherson, Ukraine)

The article discusses the features of professionally oriented teaching of reading for students non-linguistic higher educational institutions. The educational potential of students of agricultural and economic specialties is directly dependent on the knowledge of a foreign language and the ability to receive original information in this language, actively use authentic resources of the Internet and other sources. Extraction of foreign language authentic information is the foundation on which the further professional activity of a specialist will be built. The paper notes that the essence of professionally-oriented teaching of a foreign language at the present stage also lies in its interdisciplinary integration with special disciplines in order to obtain additional professional knowledge and form professionally significant personality traits. This process includes both information retrieval and cognitive-linguistic activities. The expansion of international contacts makes it necessary to pay special attention to students ' ability to get acquainted with new information in English, perceive it in detail, summarize and annotate. When compiling training materials and manuals for professionally oriented reading, taking into account the specifics of the language being studied in order to implement a differentiated approach in a non-linguistic university, three models for organizing text materials are proposed: a complex of authentic texts, a complex of didactically processed (semi-authentic) texts, a complex of texts modeled according to the “plateau” type. The article presents typology of professionally oriented reading tasks aimed at meeting the information needs, which is necessary for solving professional and communicative informational problems. Attention is focused on the fact that when choosing texts for professionally oriented reading, one should take into account the capabilities of students, their lexical and grammatical level of knowledge of a foreign language.

Key words: foreign language, professional oriented reading, authentic texts, introductory reading, differentiated approach.

Світлана МАКУХІНА,

старший викладач кафедри готельно-ресторанного та туристичного бізнесу й іноземних мов

Херонського державного аграрно-економічного університету (Херсон, Україна)

РОЗВИТОК НАВИЧОК ПРОФЕСІЙНО-ОРІЄНТОВАНОГО ЧИТАННЯ foreign language professional oriented reading

У даній статті розглядається питання щодо особливостей професійно-орієнтованого читання англійською мовою для подальшої професійної підготовки студентів немовних закладів вищої освіти. Освітній потенціал студентів аграрно-економічних спеціальностей знаходиться у прямій залежності від знання іноземної мови та вміння отримувати оригінальну інформацію цією мовою, активно використовувати автентичні ресурси мережі Інтернет та інші джерела. Вилучення іншомовної достовірної інформації є основою, на якій буде будуватися подальша професійна діяльність фахівця. В роботі наголошується на тому, що сутність професійно-орієнтованого навчання іноземної мови на сучасному етапі полягає також в його міжпредметній інтеграції зі спеціальними дисциплінами з метою отримання додаткових професійних знань і формування професійно-значущих якостей особистості. Цей процес включає як інформаційно-пошукову, так і когнітивно-лінгвістичну діяльність. Розширення міжнародних контактів зумовлює необхідність звернути особливу увагу на вміння студентів знайомитися з новою інформацією англійською мовою, сприймати її детально, узагальнювати та коментувати. При складанні навчально-методичних матеріалів і посібників для професійно орієнтованого читання з урахуванням специфіки мови, що вивчається, з метою реалізації диференційованого підходу в нелінгвістичному закладі вищої освіти запропоновано три моделі організації текстових матеріалів: комплекс автентичних текстів, комплекс дидактично оброблених (напівавтентичних) текстів та комплекс текстів, змодельованих за типом «плато». У статті подано типологію завдань професійно орієнтованого читання, спрямованих на задоволення інформаційних потреб, необхідних для вирішення професійно-комунікативних інформаційних завдань. Акцентовано увагу на тому, що добираючи тексти для професійно орієнтованого читання, слід враховувати можливості учнів, їх лексико-граматичний рівень володіння іноземною мовою.

Ключові слова: іноземна мова, професійно-орієнтоване читання, автентичні тексти, ознайомлююче читання, диференційний підхід.

Problem setting

Teaching professionally oriented reading in a foreign language in a non-linguistic university is an important moment in the preparation of students, since foreign-language scientific and technical texts are the main source of information for a modern specialist. One of the main tasks at the non-linguistic faculties of universities is to prepare students for the use of knowledge of a foreign language in their future professional activities, namely, teaching the future specialist to read and understand (without a dictionary) the content of texts in their specialty. It should be noted that in the system of professionally oriented teaching of a foreign language to students of non-linguistic faculties of universities, a special the place is occupied by training in information retrieval and reading of scientific and technical texts on certain branch of knowledge.

Proficiency in reading in a foreign language allows you to realize such aspects professional activities, as timely acquaintance with new discoveries and trends in the development of science and technology, the study of modern technologies, and thereby improve professional qualifications. As a result, it is becoming increasingly important issues of developing effective methods of teaching professionally oriented reading in a non-linguistic university.

Analysis of recent researches and publications

The study of problem associated with teaching professionally oriented reading was carried out by such scientists as A. Balakhonov, H. Barabanova, S. Zhukova, T. Klepikova, E. Krylova, I. Osipova, E. Panina, T. Serova, E. Tarasova, O. Tarnopolskyi, H. Widdoswon and others.

M. Shilovskaya notes that mastering the skill of academic reading seems to be one of the goals of teaching students of non-linguistic universities. On one side, in modern society, reading is one of the most important means of obtaining information, a channel for adequate inclusion in global information field. On the other side, the course “English for Special Purposes” involves the study of a large number of original non-adapted literature, the study of highly specialized and scientific vocabulary.

Yu. Kucherenko notes that the importance of using authentic sources in teaching reading. Work on authentic texts not only positively affects the emotional sphere of the student's personality, but also leads to activation and enrichment of the vocabulary of students, expands the socio-cultural component of their foreign language speech competence.

The purpose of the study is to identify typical causes of difficulties when teaching students to read professionally-oriented English texts, as well as searching and suggesting effective ways to overcoming.

Presentation of the main material

Professionally oriented reading is a complex speech activity, which is conditioned by the informative needs of students, aimed at the perception and understanding of the text on foreign language. This type of cutting activity occupies a leading place in its importance and accessibility, as it gives opportunities for a future specialist to receive knowledge in the field of scientific and technological progress. Reading in a foreign language gives you the opportunity to see ways of expressing things that are different from your native language. thoughts, other connections between form and meaning, which allows a deeper understanding of certain phenomena in the native language. Thus, apart from practical knowledge of the language, in the process of learning the personality of the student himself, his thinking, memory develops and forms, auditory, visual and motor skills are improved sensations. The student needs to learn how to work independently with texts. The teacher supervises the independent activity of the student, achieving the formation of skills and abilities necessary for reading. The teacher's task is to remove lexical and grammatical difficulties that may arise in the process life of a professionally oriented text. Students who know how to read literature on specialties and extracting the necessary information from various sources in a foreign language, as a rule, become highly qualified specialists and competitive in the labor market. Speaking about the process of teaching professionally oriented reading in non-linguistic university, the teacher must understand that reading texts in the specialty can be complicated by ignorance or misunderstanding of language phenomena inherent in a foreign language (Барабанова, 2005: 120).

Practice shows that students entering the technical universities have, as a rule, different levels of training in a foreign language. Under these conditions, the traditional, undifferentiated, approach to teaching professionally oriented reading is presented insufficiently effective. Focus on leveling the student's preparation, ensuring a certain general level of reading proficiency does not allow for full to the extent to actualize the individual abilities of

the student, to realize personal potential of each, provide opportunities for individual development. Considering that the basic requirement for the selection of reading materials in modern methods of teaching a foreign language is their authenticity, a differentiated approach to teaching reading involves allowing objective contradiction between the requirement of authenticity and accessibility texts for the reader. The resolution of this contradiction in line with differentiated learning to read is possible through the use of different text types.

From the point of view of authenticity in linguo-didactic research, two main types of text are distinguished: authentic and didactic processed (semi-authentic). Authentic materials mean texts that native speakers produce for native speakers, i.e. actually original texts created for real conditions, and not for educational situations. Semi-authentic texts are authentic texts adapted by reductions and compilations for educational purposes.

In order to ensure the availability of texts for students with a low level knowledge of a foreign language, in particular English, is possible highlight one more type of texts - texts modeled according to the “plateau” type.

Thus, for the purpose of differentiated training, professional oriented reading is offered the following typology of texts: a) actually authentic, b) didactically processed (semi-authentic), c) texts modeled on the “plateau” type. Authentic texts are created by native speakers for native speakers for consumption in a native environment. Semi-authentic texts are created by native and/or non-native speaker, based on original language materials, but adapted to fit curricular needs.

Plateau texts are defined as “retold” (abstracted by a specialist and a teacher of foreign language) original texts with the preservation of the main features of authenticity. The simulated texts are accompanied by a reference apparatus as a support for understanding at the semantic and conceptual-evaluative levels of the text. It is important to emphasize that the modeling of texts according to the “plateau” type is not intended to create artificial reading conditions (eliminate difficulties) rather ensure accessibility text, the feeling of success in the reader. Saving in the text features of authenticity allows us to talk about the natural nature of the reading process.

Didactic processing of the characteristics of the language level implies: at the grammatical level, the division of a complex sentence, containing several grammatical phenomena into several components; on lexical level, the replacement of polysemantic terms by unambiguous ones in a given context, adding background information; replacement of commonly used terms equivalents in accordance with the context; replacement of special terms, abbreviations, neoplasms not registered in dictionaries description in the help desk; accompaniment of non-equivalent vocabulary help desk.

Compilation of texts according to the “plateau” type (modeling) is summarizing while maintaining the conceptual and content model of the text and basic properties of authenticity. Modeling means recreating educational text of the main characteristics of the original text, related both to its structural and semantic organization, and to the linguistic side (Гришкова, 2007: 150). Thus, when compiling training materials and manuals for professionally oriented reading, taking into account the specifics of the language being studied in order to implement a differentiated approach in a non-linguistic university, you can offer three models for organizing text materials:

1) a complex of authentic texts with a consistent increase in volume, complexity of content, problematic;

2) a set of didactically processed (semi-authentic) texts with a consistent increase in volume, complexity of content, problematic;

3) a complex of texts modeled according to the «plateau» type, with consistent transition to semi-authentic texts. Each set of reading materials accompanied by a system of tasks that provide guided practice in reading.

Thus, we get a system of work that combines controlled practice in reading (external differentiation) and the organization of an autonomous educational student activities (internal differentiation). Guided practice in reading is organized on the basis of differentiated complexes of texts and an invariant system of tasks in each complex, which includes: lexical and grammatical block aimed at creating a base receptive language means, the development of compensatory skills and the development learning skills; mastering the ways of carrying out activities, which includes basic skills of semantic processing of information, mastery of compensatory skills of orientation in the text and learning tasks by types of reading (introductory and studying), which involves the solution of professional and communicative information tasks that determine a differentiated use of these types of reading (Тарнопольський, 2011: 245). When developing them, it is important to rely on typology of professionally oriented reading tasks for a specialist (engineer) aimed at meeting the information needs:

1) search for actual data with a set goal and a known method actions;

2) determination of the method of action for the set goal;

3) development of new information based on a comparison of existing information explicitly;

4) satisfaction of interest in new / delayed use.

In this block, the following types of tasks can be distinguished, focused on independent decisionmaking: problem-search and tasks aimed at on the development of new information, a method of action, the argumentation of a personal position.

We can suggest some assignments for introductory reading:

Problem-search tasks:

1. Highlight information that reflects a modern approach to the problem.

2. Make a list of the most significant problems for you that are covered in text.

3. Based on the read article, suggest a topic / problem for group discussions.

Tasks aimed at arguing a personal position:

1. Compare the information of 2 articles, determine the match / mismatch authors' positions.

2. Think over the possible end of the article and your position on the problem.

3. Decide which of the following descriptions best describes main technical characteristics

4. List the facts on the basis of which the author builds his conclusions; In your opinion, do these facts give grounds for such conclusions? Do you agree with the author's position regarding certain facts described in the text?

The following tasks can be examples for learning reading.

Problem-search tasks:

1. Choose the most illustrative examples, make a classification scheme.

2. Give a brief comment on the content of the article.

3. Evaluate the stated facts in terms of reliability, evidence information.

Differentiated complexes of materials and tasks for controlled reading practices within the framework of the proposed models make it possible to provide a consistent increase in the level of reading proficiency in a foreign language from weak to strong. When meeting program requirements a differentiated approach allows stronger students to reach the level exceeding program requirements, and for weaker students to provide the quality of the program (Widdowson, 1990: 118). Conditions for autonomous learning activities are recommended to be created on basis of the interdisciplinary context of professional student training using contextual learning technologies.

Conclusions

Students should be able to read scientific, publicistic and business texts in their specialty. Therefore, one of the tasks of teaching English in non-linguistic university is the formation of students' skills to work with the original English- language literature in the specialty. Thus, for purposeful teaching of reading in the specialty a systematic approach to the selection of texts for reading should be provided. This will naturally lead not only to the acquisition of reading skills and level of English proficiency, but also to strengthening the professional orientation with teaching foreign languages in a higher educational institution.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Барабанова Г. В. Методика навчання професійно-орієнтованого читання в немовному ВНЗ : монографія. Київ : Фірма «Інкос», 2005. 315 с.

2. Гришкова, Р О. Міжпредметна координація у навчанні професійно спрямованої англійської мови та фахових дисциплін. Наукові праці Миколаївського державного гуманітарного університету ім. Петра Могили. 2007. Т. 71. Вип. 58. С. 149-154.

3. Тарнопольський О. Б., Корнєва З. М. Аспектний підхід до навчання англійської мови для спеціальних цілей у немовних ВНЗ. Вісник ХНУ ім. В.Н. Каразіна. 2011. Вип. 18. С. 231-239.

4. Widdowson, H. G. Aspects of Language Teaching. Oxford : Oxford University Press. 1990. 213 p.

REFERENCES

1. Barabanova H. V. Metodyka navchannia profesiino-oriientovanoho chytannia v nemovnomu VNZ [Methodology of Teaching Professionally-oriented Foreign Reading to the Students of Non-Linguistic Tertiary Schools] : monohrafiia. Kyiv : Firma “Inkos”, 2005. 315 p. [in Ukrainian].

2. Hryshkova, R. O. Mizhpredmetna koordynatsiia u navchanni profesiino spriamovanoi anhliiskoi movy ta fakhovykh dystsyplin. [Interdisciplinary coordination in the ESP and major discipline teaching] : Naukovi pratsi Mykolaivskoho derzhavnoho humanitarnoho universytetu im. Petra Mohyly. 2007. T. 71. Vyp. 58. pp. 149-154. [in Ukrainian].

3. Tarnopolskyi O. B., Kornieva Z. M. Aspektnyi pidkhid do navchannia anhliiskoi movy dlia spetsialnykh tsilei u nemovnykh VNZ [Aspect approach to learning English for special purposes in non-linguistic universities] : Visnyk KhNU im. V.N. Karazina. 2011. Vyp. 18. pp. 231-239. [in Ukrainian].

4. Widdowson, H. G. Aspects of Language Teaching. Oxford : Oxford University Press. 1990. 213 p.

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