Modern Methods and Technologies for Developing Pre-Service Foreign Language and Culture Teachers’ Methodological Competence

Abstract

Methodological training of pre-service foreign language and culture teachers is a top priority in pedagogical education nowadays. In this article, methodological competence is determined as methodological knowledge and methodological skills that provide the ability and willingness of pre-service foreign language and culture teachers to execute all types of their professional activities. To facilitate methodological knowledge acquisition, the authors suggest applying the test method and information & communication technologies (ICT). This paper substantiates the expediency of using a case study method for building Master's students' methodological skills of analysing and correcting methodological errors, creating foreign language lesson plans for integrated developing of linguistic, discourse, lingua-socio-cultural, and strategic competencies. Professional methodological cases are considered as the means of implementing a case study method in teacher training process. Game method, namely professional roleplaying games, are employed to foster Master's students' methodological skills to prepare and teach lessons for integrated reinforcement of linguistic, discourse, lingua-socio-cultural, and strategic competencies. We recommend using a project-based method to train pre-service foreign language and culture teachers to choose and select course materials, devise activities, exercises, games, aids, case studies, tests, assessments, project-based tasks, etc. Professional methodological projects are used as the instruments for applying a project-based method in teacher training at tertiary schools. On the basis of their experimental experience, the researchers substantiate the efficiency of using test method, case study method, game method, project-based method, and ICT for developing a methodological competence of pre-service foreign language and culture teachers as well as demonstrate some practical aspects of implementing these methods and technologies in the educational process. 167 Master's students of Kyiv National Linguistic University participated in the experiment which was held in 2016-2018. The experimental teaching resources consisted of tests for students' autonomous methodological knowledge acquisition in the course of their self-guarded extracurricular work in Moodle and professional methodological assignments with the use of the aforementioned methods. The analysis of experimental data showed that altogether test method, case study method, game method, project-based method, and ICT contribute significantly to developing pre-service foreign language and culture teachers' methodological competence. The issues and findings raised in the article indicate that larger implications of this research and avenues for further studies are connected with substantiating the structure and content of the electronic course book for pre-service foreign language and culture teachers aimed at developing their methodological competence with the use of modern educational methods and technologies.

Use of Moodle LMS-Based Tests for Enhancing Linguistic Competence of Students Majoring in Foreign Language Philology

“…Given the above, the competence is supposed to be trained through performing a speech act. The study develops findings of Maiier and Ustymenko (2018) in terms of the development of the pre-service teachers' methodological competence which is practically important for the students majoring in Foreign Language Philology. It agrees with Shalatska et al (2020), who found that Moodle LMS can serve a dual purpose, first, for the in-class language teaching and second, for the distant self-studying.…”

Future Foreign Language Teachers' Readiness for Innovative Activity in the Context of Smart Education: The Results of the Pedagogical Experiment

“…Regulations on the criteria for teacher's readiness for innovative professional activity, the models of training teachers to innovate provided by I. Havrysh [4], O. Honcharova [8], L. Morska [7], and foreign language teachers' skills determined by N. Meiier and O. Ustymenko [18] gave us the grounds to outline the following criteria and indicators of future foreign language teachers' readiness for innovative activity in the context of smart education:  motivational criterion (need for innovation; attitude towards the introduction of innovative technologies in foreign language teaching; cognitive interest in introducing innovative technologies in foreign language teaching in the context of multidimensional learning environment);  content-activity criterion (level of learning outcomes, level of the formation of knowledge about the essence and types of innovative technology in foreign language teaching, the level of formation of skills to implement innovative technology in foreign language teaching in the context of smart education);…”

Using Information Communication Technologies in Professional Training of Future Civil Aviation Pilots

“…They suggest ICT application in the professional training of interpreters by setting up a set of translation tasks individually for each student throughout the entire period of study. N. Maiier and O. Ustymenko (2018) state that the necessity of introducing modern methods and technologies into professional training is preconditioned by the contemporary needs of our society for efficient specialists. They suggest using tests, research, games and project methods on the bases of ICT for professional foreign language teacher training.…”