USE OF PROJECT METHOD IN TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN NONLINGUAL HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Multilingualism is the normal practice in Europe which has certainly provided an incentive to move along this direction for the Republic of Kazakhstan. In this regard nowadays the government has created nationwide all conditions for mastering Kazakh, Russian and a foreign language, particularly English, For instance, in many Kazakh universities polylingual groups have been established where lectures are delivered in three languages.

Modern time and new conditions require an immediate and radical review of both general methodology and specific methods and techniques in teaching foreign languages. The “discovery” of Kazakhstan, its rapid entry into the world community, breakthroughs in politics, economy, culture, ideology, altering relations between Kazakhstanis and foreigners and completely new communication goals - all of these have raised issues in foreign languages teaching theory and practice.

The unprecedented requirement has demanded an unprecedented solution to the problem. Unexpectedly, foreign language lecturers have become the focus of public attention, i.e. professionals from different fields of science, culture, business, technology etc. demand a foreign language to become an instrument of production. They are not interested in the theory or history of language. Foreign languages ​​are required to fulfill a functional role to be used in different areas of life as a real means of communication with those who speak another language. Therefore, grounds for language learning have completely changed (the language has appeared in a different light, it is not as an end in itself) in connection with which it has caused radical restructuring teaching methods.

At present time the main objective of language teaching ​​in Kazakhstan is far from straightforward. Specifically it aims at providing conditions for real-life and meaningful communication. Traditional teaching methods ​​ in our country have been limited to reading texts solely. Furthermore, at higher education level, particularly in non-language tertiary institutions students read authentic texts related to their future professions; however, everyday communication is based on general topics such as hotel, post office, etc. Thus, language fulfills exclusively one function which is delivering a message or informative function, and those being in a very constricted form because out of the four language skills only one is developed. It is a passive recognition-oriented reading skill. Language teaching ​​based only on written texts reduces the communicative potential of language. Students merely percept texts generated by another passively. They do not learn to create and produce speech underlying real communication. Command of the language as a medium of communication goes beyond reading profession-oriented written texts. Maximum development of communication skills is the main and long-range, though challenging task for foreign language lecturers. To solve the problem it is necessary to master new teaching methods aimed at developing all the four language skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) and completely new learning materials as well which can be used to teach learners communicate effectively. In order to develop the afore-mentioned skills and abilities methodologists have developed lately a new method known as project method which has been actively used in recent years. This teaching technique shifts emphasis on independence, taking initiative, active participation in academic activities and creativity of students.

Project method enables students to exercise their linguistic abilities in accordance with real-life situation, to deepen their knowledge in foreign language culture, develop and plan projects independently, apply linguistic competence in practice, promote team building and make joint decisions. It is assumed that when being involved in the project both weak and strong students start collaborating when solving certain tasks. In the course of the project implementation students make use of the following aids to display achieved results: posters, texts, pictures, interviews, photographs, collages, video materials, etc. In addition, project method stimulates students' creative abilities and enhances their cognitive interest in the language. The role of the lecturer also changes. It differs accordingly at various stages of project. The instructor’s task is to facilitate, provide guidance and professional assistance to students. He or she integrates the project in class and links it with basics of grammar and lexical material thus acting as a consultant, assistant, observer and a coordinator. Success of the project depends largely on the ability of lecturer to create conditions that will promote and develop students’ creative, cognitive, communicative, managerial skills.

Project topics may cover different spheres of human activity, so that students become familiar with “adult” problems and acquire certain skills to solve current topical issues related to environment, economy and education.

Project includes the following milestones: presenting a situation that identifies one or more problems on topics being discussed and creating a problematic situation. This stage involves dividing students into small groups. In the second stage students put forward their ideas for problem solution, discuss and justify their final decisions. This stage starts by preteaching vocabulary on a given topic. Further in the course of studying sources of information students build up the necessary vocabulary to discuss the problem themselves. In the third stage, learners discuss and verify adopted solutions in small groups and make use of obtained information as well. Students verify the sources of information and determine the way to present the project results. At the final stage they deal with the project presentation. Essential part of this tree-level activity is collaboration, i.e. favorable psychological atmosphere where students are not afraid to make mistakes and encouraged to speak. Students combine independent work with team work and create a real-life situation. The lecturer provides an incentive to tackle independent search and exercise creative thinking.

When working at their project students improve all the four skills involved in speech activity - from reading and listening in the initial stages of the project to speaking in the final stages.

Furthermore, the project activities help students to foster tolerant attitude towords their peer interlocutors, teaches to listen and hear them and cooperate with each other.

While teaching at S.Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University we have made an attempt to combine both traditional and modern methods. Multi-level approach underlying the teaching process encourages personality development, affects students’ worldview, system of values, self-identity and ability to think. In other words, learner-centred approach is of paramount importance which emphasizes developing students’ socio-cultural communicative competence.

This type of approach has identified foreign languages teaching content. The main focus should be practical application of language competence, i.e. manipulating the language, taking into account students' majors and future professions. Teaching materials are multifarious and the levels differ in complexity. Student-centered approach implies problematic character of materials presented by a lecturer to encourage students to search information, arrive at conclusions and make generalizations independently.

We have integrated the project activity in the class by setting a task to publish Corporate Magazine.

First-year students, Group 104, Economics Faculty majoring in management worked in groups of 5-6 people. They had to publish the following issue featuring any real or imaginary company. They were not limited in the choice of material, but the project had to meet the following requirements:

1. Volume - at least 15 printed pages.

2. Only one third of all the material presented in the magazine may be from authentic sources and the Internet. The remaining articles should be written by the authors themselves.

3. The magazine must contain pictures and illustrations.

4. Upon completion of the activity students are to prepare oral presentation of the project.

After the presentation students exchanged their periodical materials and prepared written analyses.

At the end of the project the students were asked to answer the following questions:

1. What challenges did you face?

2. What additional information did you obtain?

3. What was the most interesting about working on the project?

4. What language skills did you acquire?

The students' answers, Management Department, were as follows:

Birzhan: “It's been far more interesting to be involved in the project than just discussing a topic in class. I have looked through many sources that would help me find the right material for the magazine. I will be able to use this information for non-linguistic sciences as well.”

Anastasia S.: "Work on the project has expanded my vocabulary, ability to articulate and substantiate ideas. I have not just memorized the material but I presented my own ideas and expressed my point of view."

Aigerim S.: "It was interesting because it was different from all the things we had done before. The hardest thing was to analyze the work of my classmates as I had to make critical remarks. It’s difficult because I was afraid to offend them. "

This example shows the following:

1. Real practical orientation makes the student be an active participant in the process of education.

Student-centered approach takes account of ability, aptitude, skills and abilities of students to maximize achievement of the objectives by means of a foreign language. Thus, this approach to education helps to create comfortable conditions for student’s self-expression to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge for development of speech initiative, which is one of the key factors of successful verbal communication.

2. Teaching process actually meets the requirements of the time. The teacher refused to use the scheme, "the teacher gives - the student reproduces" and started a new one "the teacher shows the capabilities of ...- the student himself creates smth. from many options."

3. The students show their vigorous cogitative activity. To do this, they must possess certain intellectual, creative and communicative skills.

Intellectual skills include the ability to work with information, i.e. to define the main idea, to search for the required information in the foreign-language text, to analyze information and to make conclusions.

Creative skills comprise the ability to generate ideas, to find alternate solutions and to predict the consequences of decisions.

Communicative skills include the ability to hold discussions, the ability to listen to the other party, the ability to compromise and to explain own ideas succinctly.

Thus, having examined aspects and directions of the project method we can make the following conclusion:

Project method has a practical focus, i.e. students get real satisfaction when they see the result of their work (“a clear sense of achievement”). Successful implementation of the project brings enjoyment and gratification to both a teacher and a student. They create something real and objective.

Project method is universal, i.e. you can use any topic you like, i.e. it can go with any textbook (tutorials), it can be incorporated into various forms of a common system of speech practice and can be used as a kind of work to support the achieved level, to improve and deepen the training of students.

In addition, project trains students to focus not only on the study of foreign language but to develop skills and abilities in other academic subjects during the entire period of study at the university.

The use of projects in the classroom contributes to emotional and personal development of students. They get an opportunity to do their work personally and individually, they are not forced into any strict framework, their work expresses their tastes, interests, feelings and opinions.

List of References:

1. The Assembly of People of Kazakhstan - an example of inter-cultural and inter-religious harmony. ASTANA, 2006. KAZINFORM-under the rubric of “Mass media about Kazakhstan” www.akorda.kz , www.inform.kz

2. Baydurova L.A., Shaposhnikov T.V. "Project-based learning in teaching students two foreign languages​​" / / IYASH 2002. №1.P.6.

3. Belogrudova V.P. "On the research activities of students according to the project method" / / IYASH 2005. № 8. P.7