The application of interactive methods of ESP teaching in a higher educational establishment

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The application of interactive methods of ESP teaching in a higher educational establishment

Bahlai O.I.

Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor,

Associate Professor at the Department of Foreign Languages

The Institute of Humanitarian and Social Sciences Lviv Polytechnic National University Lviv, Ukraine

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the application of interactive methods of teaching in ESP classroom. The author states that social and economic changes, globalisation in all the areas of international cooperation have influenced the emergence of new professions which need broad-minded and flexible employees able to adapt to the new requirements appearing at a workplace. It is stressed that the knowledge of a foreign language is a key to success in any career nowadays and makes a candidate a competitive professional. The researcher emphasises the fact that teaching an ESP course in a higher educational establishment motivates teachers to look for and select the most relevant and appropriate learning materials to keep abreast of the times. Interactive methods presuppose cooperation and mutual responsibility for achieving an expected result. The author suggests that interactive methodology makes students work hard to form the competence necessary for success in their professional career and flexibility in the present-day conditions as well as their ability to use initiative when needed. The main characteristic of this methodology is the presence of a dialogue, exchange of viewpoints as well as for and against arguments while discussing or debating. Brainstorming as a way of making a group of people all think about something at the same time with a view to solving a problem or generating new ideas has been singled out by the author. Its main principle is not to critisise or judge others no matter how ridiculous or absurd the ideas may sound. The distribution of secretarial roles among students to keep records of the suggested ideas is another element of a brainstorm. In a role-play, learners are expected to simulate true-to-life professional situations playing, for instance, tour operators and customers or hotel receptionists and hotel guests being still in class, and create their own reality. The researcher stresses the importance of a presentation in ESP classroom as a method making students overcome their emotional barriers, form their foreign language communicative competence as well develop their motivation to perform efficiently and sound more persuasive.

Key words: ESP, foreign language, interaction, brainstorm, role-play, presentation.

ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ІНТЕРАКТИВНИХ МЕТОДІВ ВИКЛАДАННЯ ІНОЗЕМНОЇ МОВИ ДЛЯ СПЕЦІАЛЬНИХ ЦІЛЕЙ У ВИЩОМУ НАВЧАЛЬНОМУ ЗАКЛАДІ

Баглай О.І.

кандидат педагогічних наук, доцент, доцент кафедри іноземних мов Інститут гуманітарних та соціальних наук Національного університету "Львівська політехніка" Львів, Україна

Стаття присвячена застосуванню інтерактивних методів викладання англійської мови для спеціальних цілей. У статті зазначено, що соціальні та економічні зміни, які відбулися за останні десятиліття, зокрема глобалізація у всіх сферах міжнародної співпраці, вплинули на виникнення професій, які потребують працівників із широким кругозором, бажанням вдосконалюватися, здатних адаптуватися до змінних вимог професійної сфери. Увага дослідження зосереджена на тому, що саме знання іноземної мови є тим ключем до успіху у професійному житті, який робить кандидата конкурентоздатним професіоналом, спроможним приймати швидкі та розумні рішення. Автор наголошує на тому, що викладання англійської мови для спеціальних цілей мотивує викладача вищого навчального закладу до пошуку та відбору найбільш актуальних та відповідних навчальних матеріалів, щоб іти в ногу з часом. Інтерактивні методи навчання передбачають наполегливу співпрацю та взаємну відповідальність за досягнення бажаного результату. Загалом підкреслено, що саме інтерактивна методика змушує студентів добросовісно вивчати матеріал для формування компетентності, необхідної для прояву власної ініціативи за необхідності. У статті звернено увагу на те, що характерною рисою такої методики є діалог, тобто взаємообмін думками, аргументами "за" та "проти" під час дискусій чи дебатів. Дослідниця виокремлює "мозковий штурм" як інтерактивний спосіб змусити студентів задуматися про щось одночасно з метою вирішення проблеми чи генерування нових ідей, основним принципом якого є не критикувати чи засуджувати інших незалежно від того, наскільки абсурдними чи смішними здаються їхні ідеї. Одним з елементів "мозкового штурму" є наявність секретаря обговорення, який записує запропоновані думки. У рольовій грі студенти симулюють ситуації професійної взаємодій, наближені до реальності. Також автор наголошує на важливості презентації під час викладання англійської мови для спеціальних цілей як методу подолання емоційних бар'єрів комунікативної взаємодії, формування комунікативної компетентності та розвитку мотивації для якісного навчання та вміння переконливо висловлювати свої думки.

Ключові слова: англійська мова для спеціальних цілей, іноземна мова, взаємодія, мозковий штурм, рольова гра, презентація.

Teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) requires a variety of approaches aimed at making a learner communicate in a foreign language professional environment. The acquisition of good communication skills is a long process demanding that a teacher should customise already existing methods of teaching a foreign language to a group taking into account the anticipated result.

The turn of the 21-st century has introduced new tendencies of Ukraine's development and its positioning at the world labour market. Social and economic changes, globalisation in all the areas of international cooperation have influenced the emergence of new professions which need broadminded and flexible employees able to adapt to the new requirements appearing at a workplace. The knowledge of a foreign language is a key to success in any career nowadays and makes a candidate a competitive professional. WCO Framework of Principles and Practices on Customs Professionalism [11] states that present employers place great emphasis on the applicants' foreign language proficiency. In fact, how much you earn directly depends on what you know and how well you can speak a foreign language. interactive language english

Developing communicative competence necessary for interaction in everyday, academic, and professional context is the general aim of ESP course in a higher educational institution. The objectives of the course presuppose forming students' ability to discuss specific topics related to the field of study in order to avoid misunderstandings; make speeches on a variety of topics connected with the subject area they specialise in as well as culture, economy, politics, applying verbal and non-verbal means of communication; analyse the information given in foreign sources of professional purpose; write business letters in a foreign language; participate in both national and international events, students exchange programmes, etc.

The usage of interactive methods of a foreign language teaching are directed at the interaction between a teacher and a student making both collaborate at a communicative level to solve professionally-oriented problems in true-to-life situations selected by a teacher.

The analysis of theoretical sources of the problem under research shows that a great deal of research has been done in this sphere in the following areas:the professional training of future experts by means of a foreign language was researched by

L. Kalinina, S. Karychkovska, I. Samoiliukevych,

I. Chuchmii; foreign language competence formation was studied by L. Andreiko, N. Bidiuk, M. Kanal,

N. Sura; Y. Zadunayska, N. Hodovanets, V. Lehan,

N. Breslavets, and others, investigated and described interactive methods of teaching an ESP course.

Based on the results of the theoretical sources analysis as well as constantly growing demands of the present labour market, it can be assumed that the researched problem is still topical and needs further investigation.

The aim of the paper to substantiate the significance of foreign language interactive teaching methods application in an ESP classroom in a higher educational establishment.

The term "English for Specific Purposes" (ESP) was introduced in the late 1960s to denote the need for a professional able to work in a specific sphere (politics, economy, law, engineering, business, finance, etc.) following the society's expectations

[1] . The effective fulfillment of this task prompted higher educational establishments to respond to it by designing syllabi considering the current tasks set by businesses on their road to diversifying internationally. Teaching an ESP course in a higher educational establishment motivates teachers to look for and select the most relevant and appropriate learning materials to keep abreast of the times.

The main idea of the course is to ensure interaction between a teacher and students to meet learners' communicative needs. In contrast to active methods of teaching that imply mutual exchange of ideas by asking and answering questions, interactive methods presuppose cooperation and mutual responsibility for achieving an expected result. All the participants, both a teacher and students share equal roles, the main prerequisite of which is their inner motivation to interact, realise their own significance for a team success and support in case of a failure. As

L. Bulekbaieva states [2], interactive technologies promote students' independent work, encourage them to be self-analytical, self-evaluative, and well- organised. Such an approach makes them work hard to form the competence necessary for success in their professional career and flexibility in the present-day conditions as well as their ability to use initiative when needed. The main characteristic of the interactive methodology is the presence of a dialogue, exchange of viewpoints as well as for and against arguments while discussing or debating [5]. It should be stressed that learners are to know why mastering a foreign language is essential for their future and in what situations they may have to demonstrate their knowledge at best. This is the impulse for learners to better consolidate an ESP course as its information content is targeted at communicative situations taking place in a particular professional area [1].

Among the most effective interactive methods of teaching a foreign language, we can single out brainstorming, role-playing, and individual or group presentations. The main principles of interactive methodology are as follows:

- students' involvement - all the participants are active and are responsible for the development of their skills;

- an individual's self-development - all the students have favourable conditions for personal development, arena for cognitive interest and creative independence;

- self-evaluation and self-correction -students can clearly see what they are capable of in comparison with the rest and be able to eliminate the mistakes, for instance, by watching the recorded material in class or at home.

As defined in Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, brainstorming is "a way of making a group of people all think about something at the same time" [7], with a view to solving a problem or generating new ideas. N. Unina and P. Bearing [10] emphasise a student-centred leaning method implementation due to brainstorming that encourages students' engagement in an activity as they usually speak at a lesson involuntarily. That makes a challenge for a teacher to keep all the students involved in a speaking- aimed activity. The main principle is not to critisise or judge others no matter how ridiculous or absurd the ideas may sound. In a brainstorm, everyone is equal. Another element of such an activity is the distribution of secretarial roles for them to keep records of the suggested ideas.

International Relations students at Lviv Polytechnic National University in their first year, following their syllabus, study a topic "Ideas". A teacher is recommended to organise the teaching process in the following way: first, the students are informed about what brainstorming means by introducing its main rules to them; then, the students are expected to listen to a brainstorm on ways to make children like eating fruit and vegetables [4, p. 62]. Before listening, the students are asked to write three ideas they suggest on this topic. After that, they listen to the first part of the recording and check if their ideas coincide with those mentioned in the recording. Listening to the second part, they hear which ideas are rejected and why, and which one is chosen in the end. As well as that, students are provided with phrases for them to practice suggesting ideas such as: How do you feel about this idea? What do you think about/ Would you consider trying something different? I'd be great if we could get a celebrity spokesperson; to react to or comment on ideas: That's a great/fantastic idea. Let's go for it; to express uncertainty: I can't make up my mind. I'm torn between this idea and that one. It doesn't grab me, etc. [4, p. 136]. The point is to activate students to generate new ideas and enrich their vocabulary.

Another activity to add afterwards is to make students work in pairs and look at ideas for getting people to walk to work. Students are to consider which ones are the best [4, p.62]:

- put articles in popular newspapers;

- invite a celebrity to promote this idea;

- interview doctors to make people hear;

- organise a "Walk-to-work week marathon".

This is the activity to be done in class. For their

homework, the students are suggested to choose a topic out of those on the list and brainstorm at least five ideas. Such an activity promotes students' independent work, makes them bear responsibility for the final result as well as builds their tolerance to other people and the ideas they strongly oppose to.

Another interactive method worth implementing is role-playing. As G. Kovacs suggests [6], roleplaying implies students' playing somebody's part in a professionally-oriented environment. They are expected to simulate true-to-life professional situations playing, for instance, tour operators and customers or hotel receptionists and hotel guests being still in class, and create their own reality. The idea is that there are no spectators, viewers or audience, only participants equally treated in their emotionally relaxed atmosphere where they "do not feel threatened by the risks of behaviour or the lack of skills and knowledge" [6, p. 2].

Among the topics Tourism students study is Travel agent. Before moving on to a role-playing activity, students deal with a lead-in task to understand what they are going to learn. The next activity is Reading when students work with the text "Six steps to successful selling" and are asked to answer the questions on the text. The point is to familiarise students with the topic and equip them with the vocabulary items necessary for understanding and discussing the background information [8]. Roleplaying is implemented through a speaking activity "Investigating a client's needs" [8, p. 37]. Students are asked to take turns to play the sales assistant and the customers who are interested in an adventure holiday in South America, but they are not sure where to go exactly. The travel agent's task is to customise an already existing tour to the tourists' needs and develop patience with the clients who in conditions of stiff competition may turn to another travel agent. The task of students as customers is to imitate the situation based on the one recorded at the travel agent's in real life. A good idea is to film the students' performance to enable them to correct the mistakes they may make because of the lack of knowledge or self-consciousness. This is an effective method to encourage weaker students to be engaged and not to feel underestimated.

Another example of a role-play method application is for International Economic Relations students who study the topic "Brands". Students are suggested to play the three directors of Jeanne de Brion, a jewellery company in Boston, USA whose company launched a line of jewellery with the brand name Cecile- [3, p. 11]. But, the Cecile line has not achieved its sales targets. The task is to play parts of the directors of the company to discuss how to improve sales. Students are provided with the role cards, the list of vocabulary items for them to be able to role- play the discussion.

Presentation is an effective method of interactive methodolody used to "motivate students and create a tension free environment" [9]. Using presentation as a method makes students overcome their emotional barriers and develop their foreign language communicative competence. Today, teachers are mostly willing to encourage students to make video presentations due to which it is better to stimulate students' critical thinking skills and develop their motivation to perform efficiently and sound more persuasive.

Thus, taking into account the information mentioned above, it can be concluded that the application of such interactive methods of teaching as brainstorming, role-playing and presentations are definitely the most effective ways of teaching an ESP course to students of different fields of study. Students' ability to express themselves in different true-to-life professional situations, solve problems, share responsibility for an individual or team result, discuss various issues and present their own ideas, and arguments, if necessary, is of paramount importance regarding current labour market requirements to future specialists. Making learners capable of dealing with people in a professionally- oriented situation, evaluating their own skills and correcting their mistakes due to self-analytical skills will motivate a future expert to better themselves further as professionals and become flexible copying with challenging and unpredictable tasks.

Though the findings of the research have some positive effects on teaching practice, they do not claim to cover the full scope of the problem under research. Among the prospective areas of further study can be the investigation of the information and communication technologies for teaching ESP in the present-day conditions.

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