Theory of constructivism and a communicative coursebook as a prerequisite for organizing the first year it students’ independent work at the ESP classes

Liudmyla Byrkun

Professor

Candidate of Philological Sciences

Department of Methods of Teaching

Ukrainian and Foreign Languages and Literatures

Educational and Scientific Institute of Philology

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine

Larysa Liashenko

Candidate of Psychological Sciences of Ukraine

Assistant Professor

Department of Foreign Languages

Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics

Educational and Scientific Institute of Philology

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine

Summary

Key words: constructivism, communicative coursebooks, zones of proximal development, dimensions of productivity, self-reliance, educational accomplishment, communicatively-oriented four-stage procedure of the learning cycle, portfolio, poster. constructivism communicative textbook

In contemporary educational practice, the theory of constructivism emerges as a fundamental framework for structuring the independent study of first-year IT students at the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classes within university settings. This article delves into the core tenets of constructivism that underpin individuals' capacity for autonomous learning and development. Firstly, the approach of active learning, rooted in constructivist principles, directs attention to the student as the primary agent in the learning process. Students actively construct knowledge by drawing upon their personal experiences, interactions, and existing understanding. This approach empowers students to engage actively in their learning journey, enhancing comprehension and retention [1]. Secondly, human development and education typically unfold across two primary levels of performance: autonomy and instruction. The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) serves as a focal point within these levels, highlighting the role of scaffolding in facilitating learning [2]. Scaffolding involves providing structured support to assist students in tackling tasks beyond their current skill level, thereby expanding their ZPD [3]. Thirdly, constructivism fosters the development of self-regulatory skills, enabling students to plan, monitor, and evaluate their educational endeavors. Moreover, it encourages interaction and cooperation among students, promoting the exchange of ideas and mutual learning. And lastly, practical application of constructivism at the ESP classes involves creating an instructional environment that stimulates students' active engagement. This includes leveraging various learning technologies, cognitive strategies, and real-life contexts to facilitate students' cooperation and critical thinking [4].

From a constructivist perspective, recent research underscores the profound impact of native language acquisition on personal development, emphasizing shifts in cognitive traits and the cultivation of voluntary attention among students. This aligns with the ethos of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages", which prioritizes the development of communicative competence, integrating linguistic, social, and cultural dimensions [5]. This study delves into the nuances and requisites for enhancing the framework of independent work for IT undergraduates. It aims to both theoretically synthesize and empirically investigate these nuances and requisites. Hence the objectives of this study include reviewing contemporary theoretical constructs on organizing independent work within the university milieu and enhancing the content of independent study through iterative enrichment of the "Foreign Language" curriculum. Additionally, the research aims to delineate strategies for optimizing independent work organization, specifying key stages and instructor involvement levels. Furthermore, the study seeks to devise and evaluate an innovative educational methodology grounded in personalization, activity engagement, and communicative-cognitive pedagogies. In light of these considerations, we advocate for a phased approach to independent study, delineating distinct stages to optimize student engagement and learning outcomes.

From the constructivist standpoint, the organization of independent work for first-year IT students at the ESP classes is pivotal for their holistic development. The proposed approach delineates four distinct stages, each underpinned by constructivist principles.

Stage I or the first stage can be called "Lead - in Stage" (up to 10%) and it is motivational by its nature, aimed at creating psychologically comfortable stress-free conditions for students to engage in independent work. Teachers use warming - up activities, create a conducive learning environment, foster students' motivation, and refine the organization of independent work. At this stage, the students are encouraged to use audio / video materials with a range of exercises to develop their listening skills and dialogic speech. The tasks of Stage I include listening to a text, or watching a video, summarizing the main points of the heard texts, filling in any gaps in presented conversations, and selective reproductions of dialogues in pairs. Intensive interpretations of some specific terms, and their synonyms, which are necessary for mastering the main course content should be promoted here by the teachers. Audio-visual aids, dialogic tasks, and definition of some basic lexis, used at this stage, develop students' listening skills and engage them in meaningful discourse, promoting the acquisition of basic vocabulary items.

Stage II (25-30%) is mainly content - focused. At this stage, the instructor selects methods, forms, and tools for students to either independently, individually process tasks or in groups. Notably, students actively assimilate new concepts, tailored by the instructor in accordance with the IT area. Students have some practice individually performing a variety of tasks using the Coursebook "IT Focus: 25 Authentic ESP Texts for Speaking" with visuals. [6,7]. The focus remains on consolidating specialized vocabulary and expressions at the lexical expression level. The tasks include quite a variety of information gap situations such as matching phrases with their meanings, finding defnitions to them, putting and answering questions, completing filling-the-gaps tests. Students also perform some practical tasks based on textual material (authentic articles on IT) within the scheme of pretext, while-text and post-text activities. Pre-text tasks allow students' to work independently, to understand specific terms within the topic on the basis of individual guesses, and develop their imagination. While-text tasks check students' understanding of the gist of the article and develop their communicative skills and lexico-grammatical competence. Post-text tasks ensure the sequential acquisition of mandatory material through various forms of discussing the main topic of the article: presentation, role games, kahoot, etc. Moreover, this stage emphasizes a shift in the instructor's role, granting students relative autonomy, while still providing careful supervision. They begin to undertake certain tasks independently while still requiring oversight.

Stage III aims at creative production of integrative multimodal learning outputs (3540%). The aim of this stage is to utilize creative, problem-solving and multimodal [8]. tasks during English language classes to enhance achievements in learning, motivation and interest among IT students. Creative integrative tasks play a significant role at this stage, including individual and group multimedia projects related to independent study themes. At this stage, collaborative and individual projects are highly valued, allowing students the freedom to choose their research topics within the topics of the article [9]. Having a wide range of topics for their individual work, students are involved in preparing an English Language Portfolio of Skills as the result of their individual work with the Coursebook.

This Portfolio includes all the exercises, which students performed individually and their favorite vector of the main topic of article presentation in the form of a Poster with key words, terminology, idioms, quotations, puzzles, drawings, pictures, phrases and minimum of verbal information. Students have a wide range of topics for independent work, and teacher provides extensive educational material and challenging exercises to encourage creative processing of the content. At this stage, collaborative and individual projects are highly valued, allowing students the freedom to choose their research topics within the module. This stage will be finalized with comprehensive assessments, aimed at broadening students' knowledge and refining their skills.

Stage IV is reflective-evaluative, where students and a teacher reflect on their activities throughout the independent study process [10, 11 ]. Students demonstrate their understanding of professional terms, compare them critically, and express their opinions coherently during discussions. The goal is to refine acquired knowledge, skills, and abilities based on complex, authentic material, completing the formation of collective and individual independent work and study skills. Interactive learning activities may include: group discussions, debates, role-plays, and collaborative group projects that encourage students to express their ideas, negotiate meaning, and engage in meaningful communication. Here are some examples of how this stage can be implemented:

• Seminars: organizing seminars where students demonstrate their understanding of professional terms, critically compare different perspectives, and articulate their opinions coherently based on evidence from their study;

• Case Studies Analysis: presenting students with real-life case studies or scenarios relevant to their field of study when the students analyze presented by the teacher Case Studies, applying their knowledge and skills to identify solutions, evaluate alternative approaches, and justify their recommendations through reasoned arguments during group discussions or presentations;

• Debates and Panel Discussions: students take on different roles or viewpoints, engaging in structured arguments and counterarguments; they evaluate each other's positions, constructively present critical arguments, and refine their own understanding through dialogue and debate;

• Peer Feedback and Evaluation: implementing peer review processes, in which students provide feedback on each other's work, such as research papers, presentations, or projects, when students critically evaluate the quality of their peers' work based on some established criteria, offering constructive suggestions for improvement and reflecting on their own work in light of peer feedback;

• Portfolio Assessment: encouraging students to compile a portfolio showcasing their independent study projects, research findings, reflections, and evidence of their learning journey where students reflect on their achievements and growth over time, selecting artifacts that best represent their skills and abilities, and providing selfassessment reflections on their learning outcomes;

• Role-Playing Scenarios: students may engage in mock interviews, client consultations, or team meetings, demonstrating their ability to communicate effectively, collaborate, and applying their knowledge in practical contexts with the following reflections on their performance, identification of strengths and areas for improvement. By engaging in these reflective-evaluative activities, students and teachers deepen their understanding of the learning and teaching processes, refine their main four skills of communication, and complete the formation of collective and individual independent work skills, as outlined in Stage IV of the constructivist learning process.

Taking advantage of the communicatively-oriented tasks and activities of all four stages of the described learning cycle inherent in the communicative coursebook, the target students learn to construct coherent integrative messages independently, utilizing gradual natural supports and flexible minimal guidance. By engaging in such activities, they develop the skills necessary to navigate professional communication contexts effectively. The above-mentioned communicative coursebook, based on the constructivist theory, empowers IT students to expand their English language proficiency within a professional framework and enhances their ability to communicate effectively in the global academic sphere.

References