Multilingualism and CLIL methodology within Multied Erasmus+ project

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Multilingualism and CLIL methodology within Multied Erasmus+ project

Maryna Zuyenko, Viktoriia Kravchenko, Iryna Kohut

The paper presents the results of a research into Ukrainian state and university language policies, and a Ukrainian university community 's potential to become multilingual in terms of its foreign language proficiency and attitudes toward multilingual educational approach. The article highlights the importance of multilingualism in modern society and the interdisciplinarity of its study as related to sociolinguistics, cognitive linguistics, and pedagogics. The results of the research prove that students understand the opportunities of foreign languages and ready to face new methods in teaching among them were relevantly presented storytelling as method of language teaching withing CLIL methodology. Ukrainian universities can develop their own multilingual models, as the case study of one top Ukrainian university (Poltava V.G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University) suggests.

Keywords: Multilingualism; CLIL methodology; multilingual assessment; internationalization of education; social and cultural context; motivation of learning; teaching methods; Storytelling.

Марина Зуєнко, Вікторія Кравченко, Ірина Когут

Мультилінгвізм та методологія CLIL в межах проєкту Multied Erasmus+

У статті представлено результати дослідження української державної та університетської мовної політики, а також потенціалу української університетської спільноти стати багатомовною з точки зору володіння іноземною мовою й ставлення до багатомовного підходу в навчанні. Автори переконливо доводять важливість багатомовності в сучасному суспільстві та необхідність міждисциплінарності її вивчення у зв'язку з соціолінгвістикою, когнітивною лінгвістикою та педагогікою. Результати дослідження показують те, що студенти розуміють можливості іноземних мов і відкриті до застосування нових методів. Серед таких методичних новацій релевантно представлений сторітелінг як метод навчання мови за методологією CLIL. Наголошується, що українські університети можуть розробляти власні методики багатомовної освіти, про що свідчить приклад одного з провідних вітчизняних університетів - Полтавського національного педагогічного університету імені В. Г. Короленка.

Ключові слова: багатомовність; методологія CLIL; багатомовне оцінювання; інтернаціоналізація освіти; соціально-культурний контекст; мотивація навчання; методи навчання; сторітелінг.

multilingualism university language

Introduction

Formulation of the problem. Modern society gives great varieties of challenges to a present teacher of foreign languages to deal with. The present pandemic situation in the world showed the urgency and importance of the face-to-face communication to socialize and keep the feeling of being a part of society. Thus, the social skill as communication is a basic competence in curricula that constantly is under the main attention from primary to tertiary education. In the article «Perceived Impact of Cooperative Project- Based Learning in English for Academic Purposes for Primary Teacher Training Students» Nuria Camps-Casalas and Nuria MedinaCasanovas (2020) state that nowadays there is the need of setting aside traditional teaching-centered approaches that had been dominant until recent times in which learners had to copy and reproduce contents divided in subjects and there is the need of approaching schools to real life contexts (p. 60).

In this regard, there is a change in the scientific paradigm in the study of a linguistic personality who speaks more than one language: language competence multilingual is not seen as a mere sum of two or more languages but as a single linguocognitive configuration characterized by complex processes of interactions of its elements. It is assumed that the specificity of these interactions is determined by the number of languages known to the individual, as well as the type of multilingualism formed in his language picture of the world (bilingualism, trilingualism, etc.).

Research publications. In recent decades, linguistic science has seen a special interest in the phenomenon of multilingualism, since modern society is no longer monolingual: for the most part, it has bi- and multilingual features (Aronin, 2005; Edwards, 1994). The phenomenon of multilingualism today is not only much more common than previously thought but is also included in the group of such phenomena, the study of which has a fundamentally important impact on the development of linguistic science, pedagogics, and method of teaching languages as a whole.

The issue of multilinguism in reading formation has been the subject of research by Ukrainian and foreign scholars over the past few decades. In particular, J. Cenoz, Ch. Hoffmann, F. Herdina and U. Jessner emphasized the quantitative distinction between multilingualism and bilinguism and the greater complexity and diversity of the factors involved in acquisition and use where more than two languages are involved (Cenoz, 2003; Cenoz & Hoffmann 2003b; Herdina & Jessner 2002). It was pointed out that multilinguals have larger overall linguistic repertoires, but the range of the language situations in which multilinguals can participate, making appropriate language choices, is more extensive.

However, the issue cannot be considered as finally complete, as some aspects of multilingual education methods need further research. Therefore, there is a need to study the methodology of multilingualism through perspective of CLIL methodology.

Aim of the Study

The aim of this research is to further the knowledge of multilingual methods of teaching withing CLIL methodology. According to the curriculum of the Ukrainian school, individual differences, knowledge, and experience need to be considered in the teaching. For using multilinguist perspective in teaching multilingual students this means seeing students' ability as a resource in school, which is not only significant for students' language development and knowledge development (content development), but also for students' identity development.

However, research shows that Ukrainian educational establishments do not consider multilingualism a resource, by still treating monolingualism as the norm. There are still beginning of studies on how multilingual students use their multilingualism while writing in their second language in a Ukrainian educational context, and prior international studies point to individual differences.

This paper draws on theories regarding language use as taking place in a social and cultural context, and the context's impact on students' possibilities of developing language and identity. Therefore, students' own attitudes towards language use are also central to the study.

The project study may entail knowledge that can be used in order to make students' linguistic knowledge and content knowledge a resource in their cross cultural and national development.

Given the above, the study of cross-lingual interactions against the background of a combination of natural (national-Ukrainian) and artificial/educational bilingualism as a special kind of multilingualism, is undoubtedly topical.

Research methods

The project begins with a questionnaire that will be answered by some 3500 participants in Poltava V. G. Korolenko Pedagogical University, to give an overall picture of how multilingual students express their views on their linguistic resources. The present questionnaire on language situation at Poltava V. G. Korolenko Pedagogical University studies the issue of “Foreign Languages in the learning process” as a part of survey within Erasmus+ «Foreign Language Teacher Training Capacity Development as a Way to Ukraine's Multilingual Education and European Integration/MultiEd» (610427-EE-2019-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP) (15.11.2019 - 14.11. 2022).

The project addresses the problem of the role of teachers of foreign languages in the modernization of the system of education in Ukraine. The English teachers are responsible for the promotion of cultural and linguistic open-mindness, multilingual education, European integration and internationalization of education which bring the new understanding and wider perspectives of teachers selfrealization and education development. The development of «Multilingual education strategy» (based on the survey of students, academic and administrative staff of UA HELs (Ukrainian Higher Educational Institutions), teachers and general public) and the introduction of CLIL-based courses has contributed to internationalization of higher education institutions. Peer-review practices introduced with the EU support, has provided quality assurance at curricular and institution levels, contributed to Ukraine's convergence with the European practices and standards. In-service school and university teachers in Poltava region due to the project got international expertise in learning and teaching methodologies, modern pedagogical approaches and tools; they had assistance in learning progressive approaches in education and language teaching and, therefore, kept расе with the times, giving knowledge and developing skills of their pupils and students, contributing to the advancement of the nation.

Presenting main material

The project is implemented by 14 partners from Estonia, Germany, Great Britain and Ukraine, the main partner is the University of Tartu (Estonia), including 9 Ukrainian higher educational institutions. The total number of people who participated in the survey was 3500. The survey concentrated on attitudes to learning and use of foreign languages in the country; selfassessment of foreign language skills by the respondents and their openness to foreign languages; attitudes to the introduction of courses in foreign languages; the necessity of boosting international cooperation in education.

Block IV of the questionnaire reveals the issue of “Languages in the learning process”. 681 at PNPU respondents were asked to rate the statement concerning the English leaning /teaching at the university like: I completely agree; I partially agree; neither agree nor disagree; partially disagree; I completely disagree.

The following statements were suggested as not enough learning hours were dedicated to English study in the present curricula; teachers inspire and motivate; the usage of modern books and teaching materials; teaching methods are modern; low level of English proficiency among students who enter the university.

Undergraduate students (38,21%), graduates (31,91%), teaching staff (48,78%) agree with the statement that teachers inspire and motivate. At the same time, 4,94% of undergraduate students, 8,54% of graduates, and 0% of scientific and pedagogical staff disagree with the above statement.

Undergraduate students (34,75%), graduates (26,60%), teaching staff (21,96%) agree with the statement that teaching methods are modern. But 4,75% of undergraduate students, 6,38% of graduates, 0% of scientific and pedagogical staff do not agree with this statement.

Undergraduate students (36,5%), graduates (37,23%), teaching staff (17,07%) agree with the statement about the low level of English language proficiency among students entering the university. At the same time, 3,80% of undergraduate students, 1,03% of graduates, 0% of scientific and pedagogical staff do not agree with this statement.

The obtained results give grounds to claim that there are many aspects of the learning process that need to be corrected, improved and updated. Motives for learning are not only a prerequisite for successful professional learning of the student, they are also its consequence. There should be a positive attitude to the educational material, the subject of learning should be interesting, and cognitive activity - aimed at professional development. Student responses indicate that teachers do not always inspire and motivate students. The motivation of students' learning is largely determined by the development of their educational activities in the process of professional training. Interested in his subjects, with a creative approach to their teaching, wide awareness and erudition, the teacher influences students by his own example. Therefore, teachers of the Faculty of Philology and Journalism, Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy (specialty: primary school teacher) need to be in constant methodological search for the use of modern innovative methods and pedagogical techniques. Participants in the educational process mostly acknowledged that teaching methods are modern, but this percentage still needs to grow, teachers should properly and meaningfully organize independent work of students, actively using distance technology, Internet resources and more. To introduce new methods, it is necessary to identify creativity and involve enterprising students to optimize the course (to conduct a survey among students to improve the disciplines of completion of each module).

The survey shows that the young generation understands the opportunities of foreign languages and ready to face new methods in teaching and learning.

Storytelling is one of the teaching methods which involves both creativity and deep knowledge of the subject, self-reflection and language immersion. In the journal article «Storytelling as an Instructional Method: Descriptions and Research Questions» by Dr. Dee Andrews, Thomas Hull, Jennifer Donahue (2009) the notion “story” defines as a story facilitates instruction directly through verbal or linguistic means and indirectly by aiding in the mental construction of a sequence of events enacted for or by the learner (p. 7).

Usage the stories as an instructional tool serve as a way of selfreflection as it is less directive form of training, life-bound; significant part of participatory and interaction, at the same time storytelling is considered to be a way of language immersion, because the method of storytelling facilitates instruction directly through verbal means.

Dailey (1994) mentioned that storytellying has become popular in the education process.

Storytelling can be like a macro and micro element in teaching process. Storytelling as a tool can be applied systematically to the whole course like a scenario and can be limited for its usage at the certain stage of a class like warming up or problem-solving activity etc.

The student and lecture audience will acquire the learning material better when they experience the scenario. The landscape of actions is easier to remember and it is closer to human nature. Thus, while teaching English Business Communication for undergraduate students or English for Academics for postgraduate students it is a good idea to create a “plot” of this course. For Business Communication it can be a scenario for student to run an international company and organize the activities close to the role of a manager. Starting with applying for a job, interviewing, organizing different kind of external and internal meetings, writing e-mails, composing different types of business letters etc. So, it can be the conceptual framework of using storytelling in the learning process. In the scenario-based instructions the learning issue is fixed with the fixed solution and planned in details.

The problem-based instruction

Also, storytelling can be applied as a microelement in the teaching process. The example for storytelling usage in the class can be an exercise like the story behind the picture. The objective of this exercise is to introduce a new vocabulary and the usage of new words to create their own stories. Materials needed for this purpose is several pictures cut out from news magazines which evoke emotion and portray current events. Each picture has a list of 6 new words attached dealing with emotions related to the characters in the pictures. For example, for a picture of a refugee, the words can be like, abandonment, despair, strife, longing, heartache, and helplessness. Then, the student will take time to introduce the story where he describes what is happening in the picture. Alternatively, students will write a “journal entry” for the main character in their photo. While presenting the journal entries students are to ask questions. The presenting students should answer all questions in character.

Integral to the tapestry of social interaction, storytelling is the focus of interest for scholars from a diverse range of academic disciplines. This volume combines the study of conversation analysis (CA) with storytelling in multilingual contexts to examine how multilingual speakers converse and manage various aspects of storytelling and how they accomplish a wide range of actions through storytelling in classroom and everyday settings (Wong, & Waring, 2021).

An original, book-length endeavour devoted exclusively to storytelling in multilingual contexts, this book contributes to broadening the scope of the foundational conversation analytic literature on storytelling and to further specifying the nature of second language (L2) interactional competence. Designed for pre-service and in-service second or foreign language teachers, students of applied linguistics, as well as scholars interested in storytelling, this volume explores the cross- linguistic nature of generic interactional practices, sheds light on the nature of translanguaging and learner language and provides insights into teacher practices on managing classroom storytelling.

Conclusions and Perspectives

To conclude, this special issue is a contribution towards a line of research that is quite new. It shows that the results of diverse methodological approaches used in different pedagogical environments offer insights that point towards broadly similar conclusions: Bilingualism can have a positive effect on language and content learning. It is obvious that more research in this area is needed in order to confirm these findings and to provide the variety of bilingualism on content teaching. Of particular interest would be to analyze the data from different perspectives after survey public opinion on «Multilingual education in Ukraine, develop and produce multilingual education strategies» and «National Recommendations on Multilingual Higher Education» based on its results.

References

Andrews, D. & Hull, Th. (2009). Storytelling as an Instructional Method: Descriptions and Research Questions. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 3(2), 6-23.

Aronin, L. (2005). Theoretical Perspectives of Trilingual Education. International Journal of the Sociology of Languagevol, 2005(171), 7-22. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijsl.2005.2005.171.7 Camps-Casalas, N. & Medina-Casanovas, N. (2020). Perceived Impact of Cooperative Project-Based Learning in English for Academic Purposes for Primary Teacher Training Students. In The Contemporary English Scientific Discourse. Collection of Students ' scientific works. (p. 60-68). Poltava: Astraia.

Cenoz, J. (2003). The additive effect of bilingualism on third language acquisition: A review.

The International Journal of Bilingualism, 7(1), 71-87.

Cenoz, J. & Hoffmann, Ch. (2003). Acquiring a third language: What role does bilingualism play? The International Journal of Bilingualism, 7(1), 1-5.

Edwards, J. (1994). Multilingualism. London: Routledge.

Herdina, F. & Jessner, U. (2002). Dynamic Model of Multilingualism: Perspectives of Change in Psycholinguistics. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. DOI:10.21832/9781853595547 Wong, J. & Waring, H. Z. (2021). Storytelling in Multilingual Interaction A Conversation Analysis Perspective. New York: Routledge.

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