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Nazym N, Aizada U, Gulmira K, Almagul A, Aigul K. Teaching Methods and Innovative Technologies in Language Teaching. Biosci Biotech Res Asia 2015;12(2)
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Teaching Methods and Innovative Technologies in Language Teaching

Nossiyeva Nazym1, Utanova Aizada2, Karimova Gulmira3, Akazhanova Almagul1 and Kabiyeva Aigul1

1S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University, Zhenis Avenue, 62, Astana city, Kazakhstan 2KazGUU  University, Korgalzhyn, 8, Astana city, Kazakhstan 3Kazakh National Pedagogical University named after Abai st. Zhambul, 25, city Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT: The article shows, that, at present, language teaching requires some changes of approaches to selection of pedagogical technologies. Today, activation of students' cognitive activity is impossible without the use of modern teaching methods and innovative pedagogical technologies, presented by new information-communication and project training technologies. New views on teaching results promote the appearance of new technologies, opposed to the traditional language teaching. Special attention in the article is paid to the possibilities, presented by the informatization of language education, organization and implementation of project teaching by means of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the possibility to create the Internet-projects under the technology of project training, based on wiki-technologies. The empiric investigation was carried out; it was aimed at determination of pedagogical conditions to develop students' motivation and ability to study under the implementation of project teaching, using the didactic game and "brainstorming" technique.

KEYWORDS: information and communication technologies; the technology of project teaching; Internet-project; wiki-technologies; didactic game; "brainstorming" technique

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Nazym N, Aizada U, Gulmira K, Almagul A, Aigul K. Teaching Methods and Innovative Technologies in Language Teaching. Biosci Biotech Res Asia 2015;12(2)

Introduction

State language policy is a significant factor, consolidating social stability of multi-national Kazakhstan. In this connection, the state pays great attention to the problems of language policy, the main purpose of which in the Kazakhstan Republic is to implement practically the status of the Kazakh language, as a state one, simultaneously preserving the full volume of functions of the Russian language (and other languages of Kazakhstan nations), which are guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In any state, the state language has the status of obligatory use and a guarantee of special state support for development and expansion.

The Kazakh language teaching in the higher educational institution fulfills different functions for specialist’s training. Firstly, the study of Kazakh language has the educational impact on the students’ personalities. At the same time, the Kazakh language becomes an element of professional training of the intended university graduate. At present, there is a critical need in Kazakh language speaking for communication and business contacts implementation. Consequently, the quantity of information in state language constantly grows, resulting in students’ necessity to study the special literature in Kazakh language. It is impossible without the required skills and abilities, that is why the language teachers have the goal to help the students to get and to improve these skills and abilities.

In the opinion of investigators, the traditional study of Kazakh language in republican higher educational institutions lied in teaching to read and translate special texts, however, today it is time to change emphasis on the development of competence of professional conversation, on formation and development of the ability to verbal communication of two or more people [1].

The abovementioned requirements to the organization of teaching process both change the educational technologies and result in the establishment of new priorities in training. In this connection, at present, the student is the center of teaching process, and the role of teacher is limited to student’s assistance, creation of relevant conditions for his self-development and self-improvement. That is why, a new vector of teaching process puts a task to increase the students’ responsibility into the forefront. In the context of abovementioned changes of emphasis in teaching process, the native higher educational institutions are in constant search for innovative teaching methods and technologies, including language teaching.

Informatization of language teaching gradually becomes the priority area of language teaching method [2]. P.V. Sysoev writes, that modern information and communication technologies (ICT), that seemed to be far future several years ago, become real today, and “the major part of teachers use ICT to a varying degree in the language teaching process”. At that, if only some of them make the first attempts to implement ICT, searching the materials on the studied topic in the Internet, then, the others organize the interaction between the students of one or several classes in the Internet by means of e-mail, forum or blog [3].

The scientific literature has a lot of works, used by scientists to substantiate and develop the foreign language teaching methods, based on modern information and communication technologies [4].

The use of ICT in language teaching resulted in significant changes of approaches to the development of teaching materials, as the interactive teaching methods, as distinct from the traditional ones, are used with multimedia, and provide an opportunity to implement the whole complex of new teaching principles, making the teaching process more exciting and creative.

It is necessary to underline, that the visualization of the suggested material, presenting the formation of vivid learning environment, using graphic and sound, influences on emotional-notional spheres of human psychic and promotes more improved assimilation of the studied material. Multimedia character of educational materials results in students’ simultaneous stimulation of several signal systems, better fixing the attention. At the same time, in the opinion of scientists, the combination of text, visualization and sequence of sounds results in complex development of students’ speech activity, as the teaching process has the interactive character [5].

The use of ICT in language teaching has a lot of advantages. Firstly, apart from the increase of studying motivation, the use of ICT provides the student with confidentiality. If the teacher does not control the results, the student himself knows about his mistakes, as the correctness of task execution is controlled only by the ICT means. Consequently, the student’s self-esteem stays the same. Secondly, the use of ICT in language teaching allows considering personal features of students, organizing the independent activity of each of them. Thirdly, the most significant advantage is presented by the methodic features of ICT, which provide more interactivity of teaching process, than the classroom work; it is provided by stable and immediate response of ICT means to the students’ replies in the process of task execution.

The use of new ICT in language teaching presupposes active position of the student in the process of knowledge acquisition, excludes passive process of information gaining, resulting in the development of students’ independence, formation of abilities to independent knowledge acquisition, search and orientation in information flows [6].

The creation of top-quality teaching programs presents a complex process, requiring joint participation of language teachers, linguists, resource teachers, and the specialists in ICT sphere. One of the examples of ICT usage in Kazakh language study is the electronic study guide (ESG) “Kazakh Language”, created by the specialists of the East Kazakhstan State University, named after S. Amanzholov (Ust kamenogorsk), presupposing self-study of language material by means of educational texts. This ESG is aimed at formation in students such skills and abilities, as: 1) understanding of professional text in graphic, audio and audio-visual forms; 2) translation, perception and individual reproduction of professional text; 3) creation of individual monologic and dialogic text, relevant to definite situations of conversation; 4) acquisition of terminology and functional lexis, required for specialists to carry out the activity in any production sphere [7].

At that, the work is divided into stages, involving, active lexical work, reading with subsequent translation and execution of tasks on listening of texts or its fragments, and after-text grammar tasks. At that, all tasks are differentiated with respect to complexity, definite exercises correspond to each level.

At that, rather effective mean of teaching is the organization and implementation of project teaching technology (PTT), using the ICT technology.

At present, TPP becomes very up-to-date in language teaching. TPP is based on the development of educational skills of students, the abilities of independent structuring of their knowledge and orientation in information educational space, formation of critical and creative thinking.

As a rule, TPP is aimed at students’ independence, which they show either individually or in groups during the definite time line. TPP is always focused on the solution of definite problem, covering, firstly, the use of combination of different methods and teaching means, and, secondly, the integration of knowledge of different science spheres and an ability to use them.

The results of project activity shall be, as the word is, “objective”, i.e. present either the solution of definite theoretical problem, or the definite practical ready-to-use result. Project activity is the creative process, that is why the students, being in active interaction with each other, implement the searching activity to solve definite significant problem. The last circumstance, as a rule, requires from students the use of their skills and abilities in new creative context. Consequently, the creative competence in language acquisition is being formed in students.

When implementing TPP, the abovementioned problems are solved by means of foreign language, providing the students with the opportunity to break the language barrier. In course of creative project work, each student, including the ones with low language indices, has an opportunity to show the initiative, activity and independence.

TPP provides an opportunity to exclude the formality of language teaching process and activate the students to get the practical results in language teaching. Project activity makes the teaching process personally oriented and fully corresponds to the new educational purposes. TPP creates the conditions, when the language study in its basic characteristics begins to correspond to the process of immediate language acquisition in authentic language environment.

In the opinion of investigators, TPP is attractive, because it is based on joint definition of objects by students and teachers. This technology presents the students with an opportunity to become active participants of teaching process, and the teachers are obliged to direct their activity. TPP presupposes the execution of reflexive activity, as the project activity is aimed at individual search for new information and new solutions [8].

It is generally known, that the students with different level of language competence study in groups. If the lessons are held in traditional form, the students with lower level of training, as a rule, do not show any activity. Project activity is carried out in conditions of easiness, the students are psychologically relaxed, that is why each of them can make his own contribution to the project execution in accordance with his knowledge and interests; each student has equal responsibility for project implementation and provision of results of his activity. The students’ work has a purposeful, intended character; it takes place in interaction between students and teacher, whose role is being transformed from the controller to the consultant and equal partner.

From our point of view, one of the positive moments to use TPP in the higher educational institution, when studying the language, is the group form of activity organization, presupposing the distribution of roles, fulfillment by each student of definitely distinguished project part of the whole project and joining of mutual efforts into integral result.

One of the ways to extend the creative educational environment is the involvement of students into educational Internet-projects.

The Internet-projects (telecommunication projects) present the qualitatively new form to organize the students’ educational activity. The training telecommunication project is a joint educational-cognitive, research, creative and plays activity of students-partners on the basis of computer telecommunication with general problem, purpose, coordinated methods, ways of activity, aimed at achievement of joint result of activity.

The same as any project activity, the procedure to develop the students’ skills of foreign speech based on wiki-technology requires clear sequence of stages. Elaborating the procedures for written skills development by means of wiki-technologies, many authors suggested their teaching algorithms in dependence of educational purposes and audience [9, 10].

P.V. Sysoev suggested one possible algorithm to organize project activity of the students based on wiki-technology, aimed at development of written speech skills, involving the sequence of stages [11].

Thus, the preliminary stage involves the following:

  • the acquaintance of students with the purpose of wiki-project (the teacher explains the students the essence and key stages of the training project, based on wiki-technology, and determines the topic of wiki-project);
  • the registration on wiki-server and acquaintance with rules of material disposition on wiki-server (the students log on the wiki-server and get the information about the rules of material disposition on wiki-server).

The second, processual stage, involves the following:

  • the selection of topic and choice of material for the wiki-document; at that, being divided into mini-groups, the students, together with the teacher, choose the topic for future wiki-document, participate in brainstorming, distinguish the sub-sections or aspects of the wiki-document, distribute the subsections between each other and search for the material;
  • the writing and publication of the wiki-document, at that, each project participant prepares his own fragment of the wiki-document, places it on the wiki-page of the group, makes modifications and amendments to the general wiki-document;
  • the presentation of joint wiki-document, when the wiki-document, created by the students, is published in the Internet, one of students presents the project for the whole group.

The final (evaluative) stage involves self-evaluation (the students evaluate, how they managed to present the essence of the considered problem, what difficulties they faced in the course of project implementation and why; make conclusions, what is required for the work improvement next time) and the evaluation of success of project execution by the teacher (in keeping with the previously specified criteria).

This algorithm is applied to the use of any server Web 2.0 with slight changes, in dependence of specificity of the selected server.

Thus, the Internet materials solve the whole range of didactic tasks on formation of reading skills and abilities, improvement of speaking and writing speech; enrichment of vocabulary; formation of stable motivation to language teaching.

Procedure

When using TPP in practice, to determine the system of teacher’s and students’ actions, we preliminarily determined the stages of project activity [12], presented in table 1.

Table 1

Stage

Teacher’s activity

Students’ activity

1. Project task preparation

1.1. The selection of topic The teacher suggests the students a number of topics at option The students make the final decision in discussion
The teacher suggests the students to select the topic together The group of students select the topics together with the teacher
The teacher participates in discussion of topics, which are suggested by the students The students select the topics individually
1.2. Organization of creative groups (teams) The teacher organizes the activity on joining the students, who selected the definite topics The students, when their roles are determined, are grouped in accordance with them into creative groups (teams)
1.3. Training for project activity: formulation of questions and tasks for creative groups, selection of literature In case of project volume, the teacher prepares the tasks, questions and literature in advance Search questions can be developed in creative groups (teams)
1.4. Specification of form to present the summary of project execution The teacher participates in the discussion The students in creative groups (teams) discuss the forms to present the summary of project execution: computer presentation, video file etc.
2. Implementation of project activity The teacher consults, coordinates and motivates the project activity of the students The students carry out the project activity
3. Presentation of summary The teacher consults, coordinates and motivates the students’ project activity The students in creative groups (teams) formalize the project results in keeping with the accepted rules
4. Presentation The teacher organizes the expertise (for instance, invites the elder schoolboys or parents as experts) The students present the results of their activity

 

The didactic game is one of the teaching forms in TPP use. Four elements-stages can be distinguished in the structure on the game basis.

The analysis of didactic developments provides an opportunity to present the following generalized model structure of the teaching process on the basis of the didactic game:

  1. Commitment to the problem: the teacher presents the topic of the game, provides the characteristics of game rules and the review of general course.
  2. Creation of problem situation: introduction of modeling (game) situation.
  3. Preparation for the game: the teacher presents the game scenario and tasks, game procedures, the rules to evaluate the results, distributes the roles, holds the reduced “run” of the game.
  4. Course of game: “Living” in problem situation in its game implementation: the actions of students in keeping with the game rules, the development of game action.
  5. Summarizing of the game (for instance, calculation of points, announcement of game results).
  6. Self-evaluation of actions of game participants (in conventional, modeling plane).
  7. The discussion of game course and results, game actions and feelings of participants. The analysis of game (modeling) situation, its correlation with reality. Educational-cognitive game results.

The didactic game is combined well with the following structured discussion, which is based on preliminary presentation of the point at issue by the teacher. At the same time, the topic for discussion, as a rule, is suggested preliminarily.

One of the teaching methods, used in the course of didactic games, is the “brainstorming” technique, suggested by the American researcher A. Osborn. The essence of this method lies in great effectiveness of collective generation of ideas, presenting one of regularities of human psychology, connected with the fact, that in standard conditions, the creative initiative of the personality is frequently restricted by different social-psychological barriers (the authoritarian leadership, the fear to make a mistake, the fear of being criticized, outside authority, negative emotions etc). The dialogue in conditions of “brainstorming” plays the role of the means, taking away the barriers and liberating the creative activity of participants.

The “brainstorming” techniques are based on the following psychological-pedagogical principals and regularities:

  1. The compatibility of creative process in solution of the assigned task. The project group leader, based on the democratic character of communication style, encourages unexpected situations, initiates the appearance of extraordinary ideas, acting as their coauthor.
  2. The confidence in the creative abilities and possibilities of the participants. All participants have equal possibilities, when providing the ideas.
  3. Optimal combination of intuition and logics. When generating the ideas, it is optimal to reduce the use of logical thinking, simultaneously stimulating the use of the intuitive one; it is provided by the prohibition of any critics and the provision of logical analysis of generated ideas, delayed in time.

At that, the main principle is the absolute prohibition on critics of ideas, presented by the participants. The success of “brainstorming” technique mainly depends on the guidance of discussion, executed, in keeping with the general rule, by the session leader, who shall possess an ability to guide effectively the discussion, to put the correct suggestive questions, to use the prompts.

The undoubted advantages of the “brainstorming” technique involve the following ones: firstly, this method makes all the participants of the discussion equal, as the use of authoritative methods of guidance is inadmissible. Thus, this method automatically excludes too ordinary thinking, excessive rationalism and lack of emotions. At that, the kindness of psychological climate results in the relaxedness, activation of intuition and imagination.

The disadvantages and restrictions of the “brainstorming” technique involve excessive commonness of problem solution, impossibility of thorough elaboration of the creative idea. In the process of its use, it is not always possible to overcome the inertia of thinking, as sometimes, there is an illusion of some more probable way, approach to the creative task solution. The logics of group thinking frequently turns to this direction, but this approach frequently appears to be false for those, who are solving this problem.

The investigators developed several types of “brainstorming” techniques, one of which is the so-called direct “brainstorm”, presenting a method of collective gathering of ideas, the purpose of which is to generate as more ideas, as possible, liberating the thinking from inertia, excluding the standard thinking in the process of problem solution.

The number of “brainstorm” participants according to this method constitutes, as a rule, no more than 15 people (optimal quantity is from 7 to 13 participants), at that, it is desirable to observe the balance of participants with different level of activity and temperament. The length of “brainstorm” is from 15 minutes to hour. The ideas are selected by the “experts”, who evaluate the provided suggestions in two stages: at the first stage, they select the most original and rational from the general number of ideas, at the second stage, the most optimal solution is selected from the viewpoint of the problem specificity.

Results

The logics of forming experiment lied in the following. The lessons in the control group were held as per the ordinary training procedure, without the use of TPP with the didactic game and the “brainstorming” technique as a way to form the motivation of language teaching. The lessons in the experimental group were held using TPP with the didactic (imitation) game as a way to form the motivation of the language teaching.

The effectiveness of TPP use with the didactic game and the “brainstorming” technique in state language teaching to the students was measured by means of study of language teaching motivation and the evaluation of trainability.

The study of motivation of language teaching lied in the analysis of motives and purposes in the process of language teaching, as well as the emotional state of students.

To study the motives of language teaching, the following diagnostic methods were used: coming round to problem solution after the result is obtained, the selection of conflict situation between cognitive and social motives.

To study the purposes of language teaching, the following diagnostic methods were used: coming round to the interrupted task and its continuation, the selection of either easy or complex tasks, when the previous is solved, the relation to extra-difficult task, the reaction to wrong result.

To study the emotional state of the students, the following diagnostic methods were used: observation over the students, recording of their emotional state in different situation.

The evaluation of trainability lied in the analysis of quality of the assimilated knowledge, the analysis of state of the training activity and trainability in the course of language teaching.

The evaluation of quality of the assimilated knowledge was based on such indices, as knowledge reproduction, material understanding, knowledge systematicity.

The analysis of state of training activity involved the use of different sides of training activity by means of the following didactic ways: execution of the task in keeping with the guideline with restrictions, incomplete task, short presentation of task, de-automation, distractive or provocative form of the task or instruction.

To study the trainability, the control tasks of high difficulty with the restricted assistance of the teacher were used.

As per the results of the diagnostic program, the evaluative list of diagnostic results was compiled; it allowed presenting the correlation of different levels and components of students’ motivation (see table 2).

Table 2

Surname, name and patronymic Motivation of language teaching Evaluation of trainability
Motives of language teaching Purposes of language teaching Emotional state Knowledge quality State of training activity Trainability

 

The obtained results of the study were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively by means of statistical data processing as per Student criterion.

Discussion

In the course of comparative analysis of the results, obtained during the state and control stages of the experiment, it was considered the increment value of motivation and trainability level in the experimental group, when the forming experiment was over, and the levels of constituents of motivation and trainability of students of the control and experimental groups were compared.

The analysis of data, obtained in the course of diagnostics, prior and after the implementation of work on the TPP use with the didactic game and “brainstorming” technique during the state language teaching of students showed, that as per the results of diagnostics of all constituents of language teaching motivation and trainability, the significant positive changes in the experimental group, as compared to the control one, were recorded (at the average of 15-20% per each of the constituent). The significance of the abovementioned results was proved by statistical data processing per the Student criterion. Consequently, the use of TPP with the didactic game and the “brainstorming” technique resulted in the increase of motivation and trainability level of language teaching, including the motives, goal setting, positive emotional state, and the quality of assimilated knowledge, the level of training activity and trainability.

Thus, it is possible to state, that the data, obtained on completion of forming work, provide an opportunity to state, that the use of TPP with the “brainstorming” technique is quite effective in the course of state language teaching of students.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is necessary to mention, that, at present, the tasks of the teaching process force the teachers of the higher educational institutions to use the pedagogical teaching methods and innovative technologies, promoting the constructive teaching process, which develop motivation and trainability. In this connection, the use of TPP, as the means of optimization of language teaching process, provides new possibilities in acquisition and improvement of foreign language knowledge.

Inclusion of the Kazakhstan Republic into global educational space, modernization of higher educational system and solution of fundamental tasks in modern educational, political and cultural realias makes it necessary to perceive and change cardinally the level of language training of graduates of the higher educational institutions.

The study of state language becomes especially significant and obligatory, and an integral component of complex professional training of future specialists. The Kazakh language teaching is aimed as upbringing of competent specialists, at students’ acquisition of skills of independent obtainment, analysis and effective use of information for maximal self-realization.

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