Педагогические науки/ 5. Современные методы преподавания.

Svetlana Avagyan

National Technical University of Ukraine “KPI”

STUDENTS’ CRITICAL THINKING DEVELOPMENT ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE LESSONS

One of the main tasks of modern higher institutions is to develop each student’s capability, to educate an individual, who is ready for the life in this hi-tech, achievement-oriented world. Modern society hence modern education needs free, creative individuals, who have a specific way of thinking. Free way of thinking is considered to be its critical side oriented at creative and constructed activity. Therefore critical thinking is a free personality quality way of thinking.

Researchers have shown that most students today are weak in critical thinking skills. They fulfill simple logical reasoning tests poorly (Evans, 2002). This problem applies to both reading and writing. Quite few students demonstrate the proficiency to write well organized essays that consisted of clear arguments.

The aim of this paper is not only developing the meaning and the role of critical thinking in teaching foreign languages but discovering its methods in the process of students’ learning foreign languages. Theoretical study of scientific literature of this theme as well practical study of teaching foreign languages in universities show the actuality of the problem in present days. Also it is not developed enough, so there is a necessity of model building for students’ critical thinking development and checking the effectiveness of its realization in the process of learning foreign languages.

1. Approaches, terms and methods of students’ critical thinking development.

Model building is one of the essential categories of knowledge. Any scientific research method either experimental or theoretical is based on the idea of model building.

The effectiveness of students’ critical thinking development is determined by approaches, aims and tasks, contents, terms and methods. “Human thinking cannot exist out of language, out of stored knowledge of human being and produced his ways of thinking activity.” – wrote Leont'ev A. N. [2, c.61]. The aim of model is to develop students’ critical thinking in the process of learning foreign languages.

The highlighted approaches like 1) systematic, 2) cognitive communicative, 3) personal-oriented, 4) activity are going to be discussed in more detail. Under approach we understand common theoretical and practical position, which determines first, learning strategy and principle, second methods and ways of teaching.

Systematic Approach

There is not only possibility but necessity of systematic process and teaching materials structured presentation in the process of learning foreign languages. For example, it is impossible to realize the program of educational course “Foreign Language” without systematization and structural training materials. Teachers, who bring critical thinking learning in the classroom, spend significantly large ground work for structuring and organizing educational materials, also setting the structural and functional connections between its fragments. Structured and systematic educational material, where structural and functional connections between fragments are clearly specified, is more easily absorbed and better understood by students.

Cognitive Communicative Approach

This approach intends the following:

- Knowledge of teaching and learning activities, which perform the function landmarks and the development of different groups of educational and linguistic, cognitive, reflective skills and cognitive strategies is based on knowledge;

- Cognitive tasks solving, which is performed on the base of knowledge, cognitive skills and ways of cognitive activity in students individual work in the choice of cognitive strategies;

- The process of critical thinking development built on the general subject of cognitive knowledge, skills and ways of activity transfer to subject knowledge, skills and ways of activity (subject matter of cognitive component). It gives an opportunity to form generalized methods and ways of activity, work out cognitive strategy, allowing students solve problems and accomplish cognitive activity individually.

Personal-oriented approach

This approach intends students’ development as a cognitive activity subject, which foresees set of characteristic development, cognitive ability and willingness development. One of the leading should be considered willingness to further development, providing students’ personality development in principal directions. These are motivation and motivational willingness, adopted knowledge and students own activities reflection, knowledge consistency, means and technique activity development.

Activity Approach

This approach was highlighted in psychology by Vygotskij L. S. [1], Leont'ev A. N. [3], Jel'konin D. B. [4] and others. This intends knowledge and value system refreshment, new experiment creation in the process of learning foreign languages, and character building by involving students in a dynamic cognitive activity. Foreign language is used as a means of performing cognitive activity, self-knowledge acquisition, skills and abilities in different areas of human knowledge, which is connected with either communication, interaction, reflection or their functions. Functions are following: contact and information (communication), understanding and establishing relationships, emotive (reflection), motive, coordination and influencing (interaction) and types of communication.

In conclusion would be right to mention that students’ critical thinking development is based on above mentioned approaches, which implementation provides effective development of critical thinking in the process of learning foreign languages.

Reference:

1. Выготский Л. С. (1991). Проблема культурного развития ребенка № 4 Серия 14. Москва: Вестник Московского университета. Психология. С.5-19.

2. Леонтьев А. Н. (2000). Лекции по общей психологии: учеб. для вузов по специальности «психология». Москва: Смысл. 509 с.

3. Леонтьев А. Н. (1999). Эволюция психики. Воронеж: 242 с.

4. Эльконин Д. Б. (1986). Проблемы развивающего обучения. Москва: Просвещение. 184 с.