Development of English Grammatical Competence Through the Use of the Project Method

Abstract

The paper considers the features of applying the project method as the latest pedagogical technology in the process of developing English grammar skills in students of philological specialities. The relevance of the study is conditioned by the need to find an effective methodology for implementing video projects (a type of project method) in teachers’ universities. The purpose of the study is to find out the effectiveness of using video project technology to improve the grammatical competence of philology students. In the course of the study, the method of critical analysis of literature was applied to investigate the goals, methods, and means of project technology and to formulate the conclusions; the method of scientific observation of the educational process contributed to the direct observation of students’ activities; the method of studying and generalising the experience of teachers revealed methodological techniques and methods in the development of proper grammar skills of students; the questionnaire method helped to establish the level of knowledge of students about the ways of learning and teaching a foreign language; the experimental method was used to prove the research hypothesis; the method of systematisation and generalisation was used in the analysis of findings. It is found that the essence of the concept of grammatical competence of a philology student consists in a set of knowledge about the grammatical organisation of the language system, and in the ability to operate with this knowledge in a certain speech activity. It is proved that by improving grammar, students develop their speech competencies — in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The expediency of using information and communication technologies in studying English grammar, especially in distance learning, is substantiated. The use of the project method is proposed to improve the grammatical and informational skills of future foreign language teachers. It is confirmed that this method stimulates the development of cognitive and creative skills of students, is based on the systematic organisation of searches of a problem-based educational nature, encourages the independent acquisition of Information, its comprehension, and application in practice. In addition, project technology helps students acquire teamwork skills, careful planning, and increased motivation to improve their own communication competence