Innovative Productive Method Of Teaching Foreign Languages To International Students

Contemporary development of productive method

The analysis of the scientific pedagogical literature on the topic of productive learning made it possible to conclude that, it is a method that promotes formation of students’ professional skills and their personal qualities development. “Productive learning is a method in which students work in groups to teach each other the information and are guided by their teacher. The students become the teachers and are just directed by their actual science instructor” (Candrasekaran, 2014, p.16). We can note, that this issue was discussed in a number of publications (Bakar, 2014; Bashmakov & Gorjaev, 2014; Krylova & Leontjeva, 2008).

Productive learning is connected with the implementation of the concept of professional guidance of students, which has become widespread in the US and European countries as a system of profession oriented training in the middle and higher school (work-based learning). Such kind of learning allows to strengthen continuity between the school and professional education, to solve the problem of developing the necessary personal and professional qualities of pupils in order to achieve high professional results in the future (Costley & Abukari, 2015; Major, 2016; Meyer, 2014; Nottingham, 2017; Raelin, 2010; Ramage, 2014; Slotte & Herbert, 2006; Talbot & Lilley, 2014).

In recent years, a considerable amount of scientific work has been done on productive method, its verification and introduction into different levels of education. These papers also describe the ways of increasing productivity of education in Russia (Almazova, Khalyapina, & Popova, 2016; Bashmakov & Gorjaev, 2014; Kabanova & Kogan, 2017; Saigushev, Savva, Gnevak, Tsaran, & Vedeneeva, 2017).

Productive method of teaching foreign languages

We should note that scientific research in the sphere of productive foreign languages learning in the different levels of education has been done in Russia recently (Almazova, Eremin, & Rubtsova, 2016; Burtasenkova, 2014; Koryakovtseva, 2018; Chamina, 2015; Krylova, 2014). However, in the sphere of higher professional education in Russia productive method is not implemented thoroughly enough.

Analysis of the theory and practice of foreign languages learning permits the conclusion that the main methodological trends in this educational sphere are:

• communicative competence formation;

• professional language competence acquisition;

• development of students’ personal qualities.

The need to introduce the productive method in the process of teaching foreign languages to foreign students is associated, first of all, with the problem of developing their communicative competence. Foreign students are forced to implement communication in several languages. Since they are studying in Russia, they need to develop the Russian language. Many of them study English as the main language of international communication. At the same time, they use their native language. In this regard, the productive method provides constructive interaction of several languages in the professional education that develops students’ communication skills.

In order to make sure that the communicative competence of foreign students needs to be developed, we conducted linguistic test that revealed their level of Russian and English. We identified the level of the core subcomponents of the communicative competence and found out that these competences had a low level of development in all study groups (Tab. 01 .).

In our research we used linguistic tests. For each task in the test, the students received points. The test results are presented as the percentage: the number of received points from possible 100%.

Thus, we have established validity of the pedagogical experimental research, which allows us to introduce the productive method in teaching foreign languages to foreign students. The results of our scientific research will be shown below.

Сontradictions in the theory and practice of teaching foreign languages to international students

In this connection, it is possible to single out some contradictions in the theory and practice of teaching foreign languages to international students between:

• requirements of modern educational standards and not enough effective methods of teaching foreign languages to international students;

• accepted methodology of teaching foreign languages in the system of Russian higher education and the need to introduce innovative productive methods;

• the necessity to form high level of language proficiency and reduction of classroom academic hours for foreign language course.

Productive professional and communicative training of international students

Nowadays we may ascertain the importance of foreign-language learning constructed on the basis of productive method which enables to solve the problem of forming professional language competence of students and their personal qualities. Moreover, the development of productive educational activities of students allows optimizing students’ independent learning when reduction of the classroom academic hours decreases the effectiveness of foreign language teaching.

Although there is some research in the sphere of productive foreign languages learning in higher school in Russia (Almazova, Eremin, & Rubtsova, 2016; Burtasenkova, 2014; Chamina, 2015; Krylova, 2014), it should be recognized that there is still no holistic productive method of foreign languages training providing effective plurilingual learning of international students studying in Russian universities. Can we raise the question that development of the innovative productive method will solve the problem of efficient professional and communicative training of international students in higher school?

Methodological basis

The problem of productive method development is connected with the substantiation of methodological basis determining the targets, techniques, content and conditions of teaching foreign languages to international students. Methodological basis of the productive method includes core methodological principles that cover specificity of teaching foreign languages in multilingual environment. Moreover, these methodological principles determine students’ educational and communicative activities as the foundation for the formation of key professional competencies.

Productive linguodidactic technology design

Conception of productive linguodidactic technology determines the content of Personal multilinguistic portfolio :

the main functions of Personal multilinguistic portfolio;

the basic sections of Personal multilinguistic portfolio.

Personal multilinguistic portfolio is defined as a technological means of students’ self-management, self-rating and self-motivation activity.

Theoretical basis of productive method

Implementation of productive method in the sphere of foreign languages learning is connected with substantiation of theoretical aspects that include core methodological principles.

Integrated multilingualism. This principle means that teaching foreign languages international students should be implemented on the basis of the holistic comparative linguistic system developed by each student personally. Students should simultaneously compare linguistic systems of the native, Russian and English languages in a professionally oriented communicative context. The task of the teacher is to design linguistic content of education with the principal aim to integrate students’ professional knowledge in the field of multilinguistic educational environment.

Productive communicative context. The main goal of the foreign language education in higher school is an effective communicative training of students in the context of their future profession. The content of this training includes the main professional knowledge as the basis of students’ professional competence. Stimulation of students’ productive communicative activity provides development of their professional skills and personal qualities. Involvement in productive educational activities gives students the opportunity to display their own initiative, independence, responsibility, self-realization, which positively affects the development of practical skills important for future specialist.

Socio-cultural context of foreign languages learning. Multilinguistic education is strongly connected with the development of social and cultural awareness of students. For international students it is very important to pass the process of socialization in the foreign country successfully. They have to learn a lot of social and cultural information of the host country. In this sense foreign languages learning becomes a substantial cultural and linguistic support for international students. The role of the teacher is expanding, including the support of students in overcoming cultural and language barriers.

Productive pedagogical stimulation of students. The basis for successful multilingualism is the developed communicative activity of a student. Communicative activity may be supported by the pedagogical stimulation of students’ mental and personal activity by the means of the productive method. The main objective of students’ productive educational activities is the development of their productive thinking, creative abilities and educational autonomy as the methodological basis for self-development and self-education of the individual.

Individual approach. This principle means that foreign languages teaching should be based on such pedagogical and methodological conditions that emphasize the intellectual dignity of each student, noting the special value of his/her point of view, a personal approach to solving the problem, a unique vision of the situation, an individual style of thinking. The individualization of the foreign language acquisition ensures the development of the communicative competence of each student, regardless of students’ initial language level.

Results of pedagogical experiment