Aesthetic and pedagogical potential of the "Foreign language" course in the establishments of higher education

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Aesthetic and pedagogical potential of the “Foreign language” course in the establishments of higher education

Естетико-педагогічний потенціал навчального курсу «Іноземна мова» у закладах вищої освіти

Ihnatieva O.L.,

Baidak L.I.,

Cherkasova T.A.

The article deals with the possibilities of realization of aesthetic education in the process of foreign language teaching. The basic means and methods for the formation of students' aesthetic preferences in foreign language learning have been identified and characterized. Particular attention has been paid to the student-centered approach in the process of foreign language teaching, the modern methodology of foreign language teaching, which is aimed mainly at teaching “communication", the formation of students' communicative competence in the process of foreign language learning.

The purpose of foreign language teaching today deals mainly with the development of communicative competence. The uniqueness of the subject “foreign language" is that these lessons are in fact the only ones that simulate real and diverse communicative situations. Involving students in the foreign language learning process, improving their skills in different kinds of language activities, one must bear in mind that all this should be based on the emotional and active perception of the language. The role of the language as a “eans of communication" as been emphasized, and great attention has been paid to the creation of real-life communicative situations.

Furthermore, the author has identified the additional activities being implemented for solving the problems of interest, enthusiasm, motivation - of the fundamental problems in pedagogy. The successful solution of these problems is important for the successful teaching in any academic sphere. Special attention has been paid to the implementation of aesthetic education at the foreign language lessons and in extra-curricular activities. The most effective interactive methods for the formation of students' motivation in foreign language learning discussions, forums, round tables, brainstorming, project development, case-method) have been determined. Particular attention has been paid to the development of the most problematic kinds of language activities, such as listening comprehension and speaking. Some additional measures have been taken to identify and theoretically justify the organizational and pedagogical conditions of students' aesthetic upbringing.

Key words: foreign language teaching, student-centered approach, aesthetic education, communicative competence, establishments of higher education, higher education.

У статті висвітлено можливості реалізації естетичного виховання під час навчання іноземним мовам. Визначено та охарактеризовано основні засоби та методи формування естетичних уподобань учнів під час вивчення іноземної' мови. Особлива увага приділяється застосуванню особистісно- орієнтованого підходу в процесі викладання іноземних мов сучасній методиці викладання іноземної мови, спрямованій переважно на навчання «комунікації», формування у студентів комунікативної компетенції при вивченні іноземної мови.

Метою навчання іноземній мові є формування комунікативної компетенції, тобто компетенції спілкування. Зазначається унікальність предмету «іноземна мова», оскільки ці заняття є фактично єдиними, що моделюють реальні і багатообразні ситуації спілкування. Залучаючи студентів до іноземної мови, вдосконалюючи їх уміння в різних видах мовленнєвої діяльності, треба зважати на те, що в основі цього має лежати емоційне, активне сприйняття мови. Акцентується роль мови як «засобу спілкування», велика увага приділяється створенню ситуацій спілкування, наближених до реальних. Крім того, визначено додаткові заходи, які впроваджуються для вирішення проблем інтересу, захопленості, мотивації - одних із фундаментальних проблем всієї педагогіки. Вдале вирішення цих проблем важливе для успішного проведення занять у будь-якій навчальній сфері.

Особливу увагу приділено шляхам реалізації естетичного виховання на уроках іноземної мови та в позааудиторній діяльності. Визначено найбільш дієві інтерактивні методи для формування у студентів мотивації до вивчення іноземних мов (дискусії, форуми, круглі столи, мозковий штурм, розробка проектів, кейс-метод). Особливу увагу приділено розвитку найбільш проблематичних видів мовленнєвої діяльності, таких як ауді- ювання та говоріння. Крім того, визначено додаткові заходи, які впроваджуються для виявлення та теоретичного обґрунтування організаційно-педагогічних умов естетичного виховання студентів.

Ключові слова: навчання іноземним мовам, особистісно-орієнтований підхід,естетичне виховання, комунікативна компетенція, заклади вищої освіти, вища освіта.

Statement of the problem

aesthetic education learning foreign language

The relevance of the research is conditioned by the objective need for a new philosophical and pedagogical understanding of the essence of the process of educational reform, which is reflected in the basic provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine, the Decree of the President of Ukraine “On the National Strategy for the Development of Education in Ukraine until 2021” (2013), laws of Ukraine “On Higher Education” (2014), “On Education” (2017) and other documents regulating educational sphere. The Ukrainian Government is committed to language education in Ukrainian universities and recognizes the important role it plays in equipping young Ukrainians with the knowledge, skills and capabilities to communicate and work with our international neighbours.

Learning a language should involve understanding how languages and cultures influence people's lives. Teaching foreign languages from an intercultural perspective improves the learning outcomes of students in Ukrainian universities. It gives students the opportunity to understand their own place in the world through their language learning, and helps them to use their knowledge to develop Ukraine's economic, social and cultural relations in an increasingly globalized world.

Dynamic transformations in the socio-economic sphere of our country, changes in educational priorities increase the attention to a person with a high level of self-awareness, creative activity, who is guided in his social and professional activities by humanistic values. Specifically, the need for creation a new paradigm of higher education, discussed in the “World Declaration on Higher Education for the 21st Century” (1998), states that institutions of higher education should provide education for deeply motivated students, capable of critical thinking, analyzing social issues, finding and using solutions to the problems facing society, as well as taking responsibility for their actions.

The professional development of students directly depends on their value priorities. In this regard, the activity of the specialists, determined by humanistic values, is of particular importance. The process of the formation of humanistic values is considered to be the basis for the formation of spiritual and moral development of a personality. Judging from this, the social and pedagogical problems of formation of humanistic values in the younger generation are decisive for Ukrainian society.

Analysis of recent research and publications

The issues of the possibilities of realization of aesthetic education in the process of foreign language teaching in the institutions of higher education have been highlighted by lots of domestic and foreign authors. In particular H. Apresian, O. Burov, S. Hinter, I. Ziaziun, M. Kahan, A. Komarova, H. Korolova, H. Labkovska, V. Lypskyi, V. Malakhov, N. Myropol- ska, M. Ovsiannykov, L. Pechko, S. Rappoport associate its formation primarily with the development of aesthetic creative abilities of the individual. The keen interest of scientists in the questions concerning the aesthetic and pedagogical potential of a foreign language teaching has increased significantly. On the other hand, the generalization of the research problems indicates that the attention of most educators is focused on the general consideration of the concept of aesthetic and pedagogical potential of a foreign language (N. Kulchytska, E. Negnevitska, G. Rohova, Ye. Sotska), methods of its implementation at the initial stage of the process of foreign language learning (I. Vereshchagin, T. Klimentieva) or in the context of moral education (D. Fatokhov).

In particular, such scientists as O. Abdulin, N. Goncharenko, B. Labinska, T. Lytnova, O. Myroliubov, O. Mysechko focus mainly on the historical aspect of the development of foreign language education. The works of N. Halskova, I. Smirnova, Y. Shelest, O. Shmyrko are devoted to the implementation and application of new techniques in the process of foreign language teaching.

Highlighting previously unsolved parts of the general problem. In view of the foregoing, the issue of aesthetic and pedagogical potential of a foreign language and the ways of its realization are understudied and of particular interest nowadays. The difference between the general foreign language approach and innovative approaches to foreign language teaching is left in abeyance. Thus, today in scientific and pedagogical research works in Ukraine the problem of aesthetic and pedagogical potential of a foreign language and the ways of its realization haven't been worked out and analysed well enough, which led to the choice of this issue of research.

Goal of the article. The main goal of this article is the identification and analysis of the possibilities of realization of aesthetic education in the process of foreign language teaching in the institutions of higher education.

Presentation of basic material of the research

Aesthetic education at the foreign language lessons can be considered both as the aim, i.e. as a component of the general educational system, and the motivational means that facilitates the learning of the foreign language. This is due to the high motivational potential of aesthetic education and great opportunities it offers for foreign language learning. The perception of beauty is the first stage in the development of senses and emotional sensitivity. A personality can form strong bonds with the outside world only on the emotional basis. Only such an educational process that brings emotional and aesthetic satisfaction can be successful and provide with a high level of educational achievement.

All modern teaching aids are aimed at achieving this goal: colorful textbooks, excellent visual aids, various crossword puzzles, games, CDs, video guides. However, they do not create a favorable emotional climate at the lesson by themselves, and vivid pictures in the books do not necessarily become a source of aesthetic enjoyment. Quite often it happens so that without proper teachers' efforts, all these contemporary aids simply pass by students' minds because the students aren't able to perceive the beauty. For that reason, no interest arises, only suspicion, fear, irritation and nothing more.

The problem of interest and motivation is one of the fundamental problems in pedagogy, and its successful solving is important for the successful teaching any academic subject. But it is of particular importance in the field of foreign language teaching, where without emotional enthusiasm it is impossible to achieve at least a few satisfactory results, no matter how much effort is taken and how much time is spent[19, 43]. It is not possible to teach a foreign language outside the language environment.

The modern method of foreign language teaching is aimed mainly at teaching “communication”, the formation of students' communicative competence.

The role of language as a “means of communication” has been emphasized, lots of attention has been paid to creating communicative situations close to real ones (writing the letters, making and acting out the dialogues, etc.). However, at the same time, the process of foreign language teaching is deprived of joy of emotional fullness, experience, impressions of the perception of works of art (poems, songs, etc.), creativity. Thus, the most important thing is taken away from this process - the ability to favourably influence the inner world of the students, their aesthetic beliefs, the formation of their aesthetic taste.

Any language, either native or foreign, is a living organism, with a great deal of ethical, aesthetic, informational, artistic potential. Therefore, the attitude towards any language as a formal set of “kinds of language activities” leads to elimination of its very essence. The task of the teacher is to bring to the students a clear understanding that language is not just a mechanical tool that can be used in any way, but an important part of life itself, life in general and the life of each individual.

The purpose of foreign language teaching today is to develop communicative competence. It is difficult to disagree that, even in the mother tongue, where comprehension of vocabulary and stylistic peculiarities is not difficult, it is not always possible to persuasively and logically deliver a speech and achieve the desired result in communication. To a large extent, this is due to the fact that, at the lessons of both native and foreign languages, all students' oral utterances are the language only in form, but not in essence. After all, human speech (both written and oral) is a productive activity, that is, a creative work, an independent “product”, which is unique in its form and contents. In practice, we often deal with a situation where the students' responses are identical like twins, which is a bright example of reproduction.

Actually, the uniqueness of the subject “foreign language” is that these lessons are in fact the only ones that simulate real and different communicative situations. No other subject intends to teach students communication in the first place. Communication is not only the ability to speak and comprehend the language correctly, but the ability to listen and hear, to experience and to empathize. It is impossible to achieve this without affecting the emotional sphere of the students, and in this sense the foreign language lesson is close to the lessons of the aesthetic cycle: music and fine arts. That is why it is very important to encourage students to speak from their own experiences, give their own impressions and judgements, colored by their personal feelings and emotions. Only then the process of communication takes the desired form.

Involving students in a foreign language learning process, improving their skills in different kinds of language activities, one must bear in mind that all this should be based on emotional, active perception of the language. Under no circumstances this notion can be identified with the term “listening comprehension” (speech perception). Speech perception cannot be reduced to one of the types of language activities as it is usually done. Active emotional perception of speech is the basis of language education in general and in particular [2]. Language can perform its cognitive, educational, aesthetic function only when students learn to really hear and understand it. All impressions, ideas and knowledge that passed through a person's heart, become his own knowledge, his own point of view, his thoughts and beliefs, his attitude to good and evil, beautiful and ugly. They determine the ethical position of a personality. And the value of aesthetic education, in its broadest interpretation, can hardly be overestimated.

In addition to the aesthetic potential of the language itself, the cultural studies offer wonderful opportunities for the realization of aesthetic education at the foreign language lessons. It is because the process of foreign language learning involves learning the culture of the countries being studied. This allows the teachers to acquaint their students with the folklore, literature, painting, architecture of these countries expanding students' cultural knowledge, arousing their aesthetic interests and determining their aesthetic position. Development of aesthetic taste, aesthetic views, culture of communication will not only help to achieve the goal of learning a foreign language, but will form a full-fledged and aesthetically developed personality.

In modern pedagogy there have been found different ways and means to provide for the aesthetic education at the lessons and in the extra-curricular activity. In a broad sense, both teacher's activity and his communication with the students have the aesthetic influence. However, a special place in the upbringing the aesthetic personality is taken by art, which embodies the aesthetic category of beautiful. Therefore, aesthetic education in the process of foreign language teaching is very often considered as the use of works of art and students' involvement in the creative activity when working with the linguistic and cultural material [1]. Use of works of art for the purpose of aesthetical influence on students' consciousness can be done within the framework of the traditional lessons. This requires that the teacher should:

1) use the texts with aesthetic contents about the art and culture of the language-speaking country;

2) take advantage of foreign language lessons by acquainting the students with the national achievements of art and culture of the language-speaking country;

3) create situations in which students have to express their perception, evaluation of particular works of art (paintings, literary works, films, etc.).

The design of the foreign language room is also important for the development of students' aesthetic preferences, since aesthetics of everyday life is an important component of the aesthetic taste of the personality being formed. Extra-curricular activities and original lessons play an important role in the development of creativity and emotional experience of events, in shaping the aesthetic personality of a student. Such lessons and activities should include various stagings, creative parties, role play games. Creative lessons should also be actively used by the teacher - musical, visual, cinematic - as a means of emotional and aesthetic influence, motivation and development of students' general culture.

For successful professional self-realization it is necessary to form the motivation of “self-actualization”, which is associated with the desire of a person to become a personality - the person who has reached the level of self-actualization, has unleashed his potential and developed his talents and abilities. Learning foreign languages significantly contributes to this process, accelerates the process of personal formation, improves the outlook and enhances competitiveness of the future specialist.

It is immediately apparent from the foregoing that the creative nature of the language, this continuous activity that transforms “a sound into the expression of thought” in the process of intense study of foreign language, makes a huge amount of unconscious spare capabilities of the person available for memorization, awareness and communication, creates conditions for unlocking the intellectual potential of the personality.

Conclusions and prospects for further research

In today's globalization of all ways of life, emphasizing cultural differences, or vice versa, underestimating them, there is a danger of losing or destroying the coexistence of many cultures. Maintaining a constant balance between the sciences and cultures requires continuing efforts at the lessons and in the extra-curriculum activities aimed at arousing interest in the aesthetic values of different cultures, the ability to appreciate and admire the best achievements of other nations and peoples; understanding, as a pledge of future peace and prosperity, and the continuous regulation of the process of mutual enrichment of cultures. The above findings could direct further research that seems essential for better understanding of the purpose of foreign language teaching in the realization of aesthetic education in the establishments of higher education and finding out the possibilities of a foreign language in shaping the aesthetic tastes of students.

References

aesthetic education learning foreign language

1. Гальськова Н.Д. Сучасна методика навчання іноземним мовам. М. : АРКТІ, 2000. 88 с. Корольова Г.І. Система естетичної підготовки студентів у вищих навчальних закладах. Казань : Видавництво Казанського університету, 1984. 182 с.

2. Цой І.М. Особливості естетичного розвитку студентської молоді в умовах вищої школи. Освіта на Луганщині, 2008. № 1(28). С. 68-72.

3. Foreign language teaching in schools in Europe. The Information Network on Education in Europe. Eurydice (2001). [Electronic resource]. Access mode: http://www.indire.it/lucabas/lkmw_file/eurydice/foreign_ language_teaching_EN_2001.pdf.

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