Филологические науки/1.Методика  преподавания языка и литературы

Natalia Solomchak

Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University, Ukraine

Problem of Authenticity through Project Work Methodology

The problem of making ESP course more learner-centered and learning-centered, and, thereby, more communicative is always discussed from the point of view of authenticity. The authenticity idea develops naturally from a communicative orientation to language teaching. In ESP course it goes without saying that students should be exposed to the authentic language materials, authentic tasks, authentic situations. It would be a mistake to assume that all the above-mentioned authenticity factors can be achieved without learner authenticity which means students’ appropriate responses and positive psychological reaction to all the materials and classroom activities.

For years it has been taken for granted that students majoring in technical specialties have only a reading need in English. Hence, the teaching methodology and all the classroom activities were reading-based. All the teaching materials were texts taken from the students’ major fields. In this way the linguistic authenticity of the ESP course was strengthened. Such a narrow focus on reading was boring and non- motivating for students because it forced them to move from frustration to frustration. The mere presence of subject-related or authentic content in materials does not necessarily guarantee the increase of students’ motivation. Sometimes even excellent science texts may generate very limited opportunities for language work, and very often they prevent the language teacher from fully participating in the classroom communication because they demand a high level of specialist knowledge. The authenticity of such an ESP course as a language learning and teaching course may be seriously weakened.

The results of the three years experimental research and practical classroom activities in the groups of the first-year students majoring in petroleum engineering have proved that to remedy the situation and to create the authenticity of all the types (authenticity of language, task, situation and authenticity of students’ experience), students should be involved in developing and carrying out their own project tasks integrated into the professionally-oriented content-based teaching/learning process.

By integrating project work into content-based classroom activities, ESP teachers create the vibrant learning environment that require active student involvement, stimulate higher level thinking skills, and give students responsibility for their own learning, thus providing an excellent solution to the problem of both authenticity and autonomy of students. They can use work involving all other skills areas (listening, speaking, and writing) and a great deal else besides to teach effective communication, and to meet the requirements of the professionally-oriented or authentic situations.

Project work methodology has proved to be particularly effective in ESP classes.

The authentic feel of project work and the fact that the students are personally involved in the learning process provide the motivation that comes from within.

The ESP teachers can develop more flexible attitude towards the students’ work. They can now act as consultants, and what is more important, they can always rely on the practical help and advice of their colleagues from the specialist departments.

The present study focuses on the problem specific for ESP teachers at technical universities. The problem is how to build the bridge that would help to eliminate the psychological gap between teaching oral communicative skills for everyday life that greatly inspires our students’ interest and teaching skills in technical reading, and professionally-oriented communication in the field that is usually considered by our students majoring in petroleum engineering to be a dull and uninspired job.

To solve this problem and to teach professional speaking, writing, reading and listening within an integrated skills approach we have introduced project work into our syllabus. The project work methodology can be defined as an integrated pedagogical and language activity that successfully combines simulations, role-plays and various forms of discussion. We consider the project work methodology to be one of the best among many innovative teaching technologies and approaches.

Project work is appropriate to all levels of knowledge and provides the complete solution of the problem of authenticity of task for students. Project work solves the problem of learner autonomy by giving students the opportunity to choose the methods and approaches, to decide the project schedule, etc. It is students-centered activity. Project work provides high level of motivation because the students are offered the opportunity of using the language skill already acquired in a real professionally-oriented communicative situation. The most important is that project work provides the simultaneous development of four integrated skills: speaking, writing, listening and reading. Project work is a cooperative rather than a competitive activity. It culminates in an end product that can be shared with others, giving the project a real purpose. Unlike traditional approaches to foreign language teaching which focus on accuracy by teaching separated grammatical points and vocabulary items, this activity allows both teacher and student to concentrate on the communicative use of language and content rather than form.

Project work is not the easiest method to implement. It requires a lot of preparatory work on the teacher’s part and multiple stages of development to succeed. But its pay-offs are beneficial for students and teachers alike.

The advantages of using project work methodology in teaching and learning English have been experimentally proved. As we entered a new millennium, the ability and the need to understand and communicate with each other have become increasingly important. An international exchange of ideas has become essential.

To meet these communication needs, more and more individuals have highly specific academic and professional reasons for seeking to improve their language skills.

The diversity of language learners in diverse contexts needs tasks that should be fashioned for a particular group, studying in a particular place with its own particular opportunities and challenges. There is no one method which will be suitable for everyone. The teacher should be inspired to change and to experiment. But he may be limited by a number of institutional factors. Among these may be regulations which demand a certain curriculum content, budgetary constraints which will dictate class size and number of hours, an old-fashioned text book, or an obligation to teach in a certain way (grammar-translation “method” for example). An inexperienced teacher has to overcome this.