Педагогические науки/5. Современные методы преподавания

Nikitina Natalya

National Technical University of Ukraine ”Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

The use of game as a teaching method of ESP 

Game in educational environment finds its application in such phenomenon as edutainment. This branch of educational process was firstly used by Birshtein in USSR in 1932 and then wide application of game occurred in the USA as a business game by Greenblatt, Gray, Duke and others. Game as a method of foreign language teaching is a universal tool because people like playing game without any differences in age or male.

The main features of the game, as a method of teaching a foreign language are the followings: the improvisation - students easier take the initiative and show their skills in a more relaxed manner. Creativity - during the game, all participants are in the same framework-conditions, but may manifest and show the result in various ways. In addition, during the game the language barrier is overcome much easier and less noticeable. Student sometimes does not notice how he begins to perform all speech acts in a foreign language, carried away the game.

In today's world, schools and the education system itself are constantly in a continuous search for new methods, forms and methods of teaching. The modern system of education is directed to the methods of education, which can not only qualitatively teach, but also to develop a comprehensive, multi-faceted potential student. Today, a student must be able not only adapt, but also actively respond to changes in society.

Since the current system of education goes on individually-directed approach to learning, the game teaching method should be an integral part of it. Game learning method ensures the active participation of each student, stimulates verbal communication, promotes the formation of interest and desire to learn a foreign language. Besides gaming method of teaching is a kind of entertainment, leisure, can turn into training that simulates the socio-cultural relations.

We often use the phrase - "old as the hills", referring to something indisputable, proven for generations. With the same success can be characterized by the phrase not only the game itself, with which people learn in a deep childhood and use it to learn about the world and its social features, but also to the learning games ("even in ancient Athens pathos practices of organized education and training pervaded the principle of competition. Children, teenagers, young men constantly competed in gymnastics, dance, music, verbal disputes self-affirming and honing their best qualities. In the tenth century in schools among the teaching methods were also popular competitions between students, in particular, in the rhetoric").

Gaming method of teaching a foreign language - is, in fact, learning in conventional situations with elements of recreation and learning of social experience. Game form of training is an integral part of active learning. Active learning, in turn, is the organization and implementation of the educational process aimed at enhancing students' cognitive activity. The main objective of the game is to change the form of training emotional relationship to the subject or the student learning process.

Using a game method in the study of a foreign language in technical universities brings enormous benefits and advantages. Game method helps the student in a relaxed playful way to absorb information that in other cases may take a passive margin and not be used because of the lack of practical examples.

Considering the game as a teaching method, it is necessary to note its features. Firstly, as a method of learning, gaming method carries a developmental function: the student develops creative thinking and practical application of activated learned skills. Secondly, it performs an educational function: it contributes to lasting learning material and the proposed expansion of the horizon of the student using additional linguistic source. In addition, the method of learning has the socio-cultural and cognitive function, since the game uses techniques closest to the culture of the country whose language is being studied.

While training in the form of a game it is possible to use a variety of additional learning tools. These may include audio and video recordings, additional textbooks on the subject of various illustrations etc.

The main motive of using learning games as a means is to enhance students cognitive activity. It is a fast activation of the students in the learning process, students' interest in the stability of the process and the subject of study and perseverance in overcoming difficulties and solving various problems. Thus, in the course of training game covers all the important aspects:

- The ability to engage in dialogue;

- The ability to defend own point of view;

- The ability to listen to the opponent;

- To provide a review of the response;

- Ability to apply the active vocabulary in respectively assigned situation.

The game in its very essence is a training element, and therefore teaching games exhibit the same characteristics as the game. Learning games is improvisational, spontaneous, progressive activity, which has an element of imitation, where possible to simulate the socio-cultural, linguistic environment. Playing in a linguistic game, students learn new vocabulary and get experience in a foreign language.

Learning games as a way to enhance the cognitive activity of the student of technical college is one of the most effective methods of learning a foreign language. This is primarily due to the fact that the psychological and pedagogical foundations of game forms of learning is play activity, which carries a significant impact on the mental development of the individual student. The game has become more active thinking processes and the motivation to learn a foreign language. Using game method of training allows you to enter a new vocabulary, practicing its use and immediately fix this knowledge in practice.

Gaming methods of teaching, due to their wide variety and communicative orientation may be conducted at any stage of learning a foreign language. In the initial training courses in technical universities play teaching methods presented in the form of games on memorization and use of certain lexical units (based on the increase in the vocabulary of a foreign language of professional orientation). At the undergraduate level students already participate in role-playing games and game situations. All of these uses gaming teaching methods lead to the expected and desired result – communication with the use of new vocabulary. In addition, at the undergraduate level students in a playful way (simulations) can already defend their professional point of view, using and remembering new vocabulary.

Any game which is used as a teaching method possesses main advantage. Often there are losers and winners, but all participants must take part in the game. While reading and translating the text, for instance, all students except one can do whatever they want (because it is rather difficult to control all of them by one teacher), but playing the game – all students take part and try to help his or her team to win.

Learning games as a means to enhance the cognitive activity of the student of technical universities deserves special attention, as the game teaching methods are diverse and multifaceted. Having a clear understanding of the pedagogical purposes, methods of organization of educational process, the level of foreign language of students, additional handouts (e.g. cards with a picture of the main elements of a professionally designed objects), the process of learning a foreign language students of technical institutions of higher education can be made more informative, interesting, and most importantly, productive.

Literature:

1. Kruglikov V.N. Aktivnoe obuchenie v tehnicheskom vuze (teoretiko-metodologicheskiy aspekt) // dis. d-ra ped.n. – Sankt-Peterburg, 2000. – 424 s.

2. Panfilova A. P. «Igrovoe modelirovanie v deyatelnosti pedagoga», M.: «Akademiya», 2008. – 368s.

3. Addis M. New technologies and cultural consumption. Edutainment is born. — Bocconi University: Marketing Department, 2002. — 13 p.