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DOI: 10.12731/2218-7405-2013-8-17
ACTUALIZING HUMANITARIAN VALUES OF FOREIGN CULTURE IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHING SCHOOLCHILDREN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN THE SYSTEM OF ADDITIONAL EDUCATION
Shcherbatykh L.N.
In this article the author describes the experience of working with linguistically gifted pupils accumulated by the teachers of the faculty of foreign languages in Elets State University in the branches of Elets secondary schools in Lipetsk region. The researcher describes the elective course in detail "Humanistic tendencies in the English and American literature," which was worked out and tested by her while teaching pupils. Additional foreign language education, according to the author's opinion allows teachers to form humanitarian culture in pupils, it promotes their mastery of specific values, their personal development, which ultimately enriches the inner world of linguistically gifted pupils.
Keywords: linguistically gifted pupils, additional foreign language education, humanitarian culture.
АКТУАЛИЗАЦИЯ ГУМАНИТАРНЫХ ЦЕННОСТЕЙ ИНОЯЗЫЧНОЙ КУЛЬТУРЫ В ПРОЦЕССЕ ОБУЧЕНИЯ ИНОСТРАННОМУ ЯЗЫКУ ШКОЛЬНИКОВ В СИСТЕМЕ ДОПОЛНИТЕЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ
Щербатых Л.Н.
В данной статье автором представлен опыт работы с лингвистически одарёнными школьниками, накопленный преподавателями факультета иностранных языков Елецкого государственного университета им. И.А. Бунина в филиа-
лах средних школ г. Ельца Липецкой области. Исследователь подробно описывает элективный курс «Гуманистические тенденции в английской и американской литературе», который был разработан и апробирован им на практике. Дополнительное иноязычное образование, по мнению автора, позволяет формировать у школьников гуманитарную культуру, способствует овладению ими специальными ценностями, их целостному развитию, что, в конечном счёте, обогащает внутренний мир лингвистически одарённых школьников.
Ключевые слова: лингвистически одарённые школьники, дополнительное иноязычное образование, гуманитарная культура.
Today, the mass secondary school faces many challenges connected with providing each pupil the right to choose that educational field, that profile of the curriculum, which would be more interesting for a pupil, where his individual abilities and inclinations would be taken into account. Teachers, school psychologists have found the way out in additional education which has a personal character, and allows solving many problems associated with the identification, development and support of talented and gifted pupils, choosing their own time and money to learn the curriculum especially worked out for them. In this case, this kind of teaching a foreign language (FL) is very important for pupils with general (mental) endowments, as well as for those ones who have special (linguistic) talents.
Additional foreign language education helps teachers to create an appropriate environment for foreign language communication, promoting the development of communication skills in linguistically gifted pupils.
From the foregoing it is apparent that the system of additional foreign language education does not involve mass teaching of FLs, thus the educational process is carried out according to such work as differentiation and individualization - that's what makes it different from a regular secondary school first all. In addition, a sufficiently high level of the pupils' knowledge of a FL (Intermediate or Upper-Intermediate Level) allows teachers to work in "tightening up time schedules" of teaching a FL, to ap-
ply non-traditional (online) methods. So, it is possible to study additional language material. Because of the fact that in one school (class) there may be many kids-intellectuals, a teacher of FLs may create a friendly, constructive environment where pupils can communicate with one another on an equal footing, thereby it increases their success, achievements in various competitions, language tests - all this leads to the acceleration of their mental development.
The system of additional school foreign language education presupposes various forms of teaching linguistically gifted children. It is based on:
- individual teaching according the programs for the pupils' creative development in the field of linguistics (small groups of 10-12 people);
- scientific research and creative work with a scientific consultant (it can be a teacher of FLs, a professional translator, a class teacher, etc.);
- part-time schools for linguistically gifted pupils (at the institutions of higher education, at the centers of additional education and so on);
- summer (winter, spring) educational and health camps;
- competitions, art contests, tournaments - "Young Talents";
- scientific and practical conferences for linguistically gifted schoolchildren;
- psychological training to support linguistically gifted pupils.
In the non-traditional educational institutions shool teachers and professors of the university are trying to create a favorable environment for the intellectual and creative development of schoolchildren based on a pupil-centered approach.
Gifted pupils have freedom of choosing precisely that trajectory of educational activity that interests them most of all, they control their own education.
From our point of view, it may be of great interest to get to known about the experience of working with linguistically gifted pupils that the teachers of Elets State University have, namely the department of foreign languages, in the branches of secondary schools in Elets. Thus, the teachers of the chair of foreign languages of special disciplines worked out the programs of FLs (English, German, French) for linguistically gifted pupils together with school teachers of FLs and school administra-
tors which have been realized by the teachers of the chair at the University for 10 years.
In this project, linguistically gifted children have the opportunity to attend practical classes of a FL (from the 5th up to the 11th forms), as well as a variety of courses and electives on the country study and foreign literature (from the 8th up to the 11th forms), for example, "Humanistic tendencies in the English and American literature".
The objectives of this cooperation include:
- an active participation of school teachers and teachers of the university in the formation of the intellectual potential of young people in Elets and Elets district;
- the development of the educational needs of the individual learners;
- the identification of linguistically talented and gifted pupils, creating special conditions, as well as cultural and educational environment for them, developing individual abilities of every pupil;
- the formation of school children's needs and skills of self-education and development;
- preparing pupils for the entrance exams in higher educational institutions of the country, for the creative work in different scientific fields;
- training the competitive pupils to participate in different competitions at various levels;
- consulting school teachers in their work with linguistically gifted pupils.
In this article the author would also like to describe the elective course "Humanistic tendencies in the English and American literature" in detail, which was worked out and tested by us in practice.
The elective course "Humanistic tendencies in the English and American literature" contributes to the full development of the linguistically gifted pupils' personality, improves their humanitarian culture accompanied by the improvement of their foreign language skills while familiarizing pupils with the literary works of the English speaking authors.
It is known that literature is the conceptual basis of culture, it has been and remains the treasure of any language, and hence the self-consciousness of every nation. The word that has passed the approbation in the context of a literary form acquires a great sense in connection with exciting reading, experience, an event in the life of a hero, but receives a new, sometimes unexpected sound which is picked up, and spread in the context of everyday communication, becoming a fact of the thesaurus of linguistic identity. Extracting ideological and moral lessons from art-works, pupils learn to use their educational potential in the creative work.
Understanding the work of science fiction is not the same, the attitude to the acquired knowledge at the classes of literature of the country which language a pupil studies is beyond the scope of the subject. It is based on personal experience. An important criterion of the assimilation of the acquired knowledge is an emotional and valuable attitude to it, the development of which is a complex process: a person may accept or reject the acquired knowledge in accordance with his experience, views.
So, he chooses these values, relates them to himself, and learns through reflection, feelings. The object of study and knowledge of it are linked in a special way. While reading or studying a piece of science fiction linguistically gifted pupils interact with the author: argue, agree, experience different feelings, become, as it were, the members of the creative process. The object of the knowledge a pupil acquires, changes the subject on a personal level, the result of the acquired knowledge is not only the acquisition of it, but also a new idea, a new personal attitude to the world, to himself, to the people surrounding us and to the object of knowledge. Consequently, a special logic of cognitive activity is built up in the study of foreign literature: aesthetic perception, understanding form the attitude to the entire work of art and even to the poet and writer's creation, and then it is studied in detail. Such an environment is organized, in which the reflexive perception of the object of the knowledge and the assimilation of one's own values are combined with the exchange of experiences and thoughts with the teacher of a FL and with each other, with the mutual influence on the result of comprehension, on valuable relationship.
In the process of studying the works of foreign literature a pupil gets a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of spirituality, of values, of human culture. In the literary heroes pupils find an expression of the human spirit: the responsibility for their actions before the peace-building, conscience and altruism. Bringing up humanity in pupils a teacher of a FL has to make an emphasis on the revival of internal potential reserves of the individual and his ability to cultivate himself, to actualize the humanistic and spiritual values. Humanity and humanitarianism are the epicenter of a person and are characterized as a personal expression of his rights in the intellectual and moral strength of his character and will, and in the disclosure of a Higher consciousness in learning and interpreting the use of the tremendous force of nature that is inherent in each of us.
Teachers, writers (G.V. Anikin, L.G. Andreev, O.U. Bogdanova, E.G. Ivanova, S.A. Nikolaeva, S.A. Leonov, T.A. Chesnokova) believe that it is necessary to study and analyze, and save the humanistic tradition such as beauty, the eternal search for mutual goodness, truth in a person.
In our understanding, the humanistic traditions are a collection of moral and ethical qualities of the man, his commitment to the universal values of freedom, humanity, truth, goodness, beauty, a desire for self-construction and self-knowledge. We understand the formation of humanitarian culture of pupils through the study of foreign literature as an educational process, which helps to change the inner qualities of the individuals in a specially organized environment which stirs up the creative learning, providing an access to the spiritual experience which influences on the conscious sphere and the emotional side of the pupils' personality. Taking literature as an example, pupils become aware of the specific phenomena as values and not the values, a certain attitude to their totality is formed. Humanistic values help a person to orient himself in the world, they contribute to the motivation of the individual activities, determine the course of life [1].
In the nature of literary characters, pupils find the manifestation of the human qualities corresponding to the human values: Goodness, Truth, Beauty. The authors
of literary works and the characters often indicate that the person having spiritual values must always be focused on the openness of the inner world and the whole universe, which is manifested in love, compassion, and care for others.
Thus, the formation of the humanitarian culture in the system of additional foreign language education, as we understand it is the gradual mastery of social values by the individual, enriching the inner world and contributing to its development, because the man finds his way of life, not only when he is engaged in the endless self-analysis, and when the activity is entirely focused on others.
The formation of the humanitarian culture and values is a complex, comprehensive, systematic process, the essence of which can be discovered through the structure, contents, the objectives and tasks of teaching foreign literature.
The contents of the elective course "The Humanistic tendencies in the English and American literature" is based on the following principles:
- the connection between teaching and upbringing (the education of humanitar-ianism in a person by means of a FL and literature);
- the humanistic tendency, implying the recognition of human values;
- communicative teaching a FL (the formation of foreign language communication skills from empathy, the ability to sympathize with another person to the dialogue of cultures);
- the principle of community and national identity of native and foreign literature;
- historicism in teaching foreign literature.
The emphasis is put not only on the narrative focus of the presentation of the English and American literature, but also on its high moral fervour.
The main purpose of the elective course "The Humanistic tendencies in the English and American literature" in the system of additional foreign language education is the formation of humanitarian culture in pupils, the development of an artistic taste, the acquisition of active emotional and meaningful perception of foreign literature.
The overall layout of the program was worked out from the perspective of in-tegrative and thematic approach, according to which it is divided into blocks and themes.
The course consists of two units: the English literature - the 1st block and the American literature - the 2nd block.
The course "Humanistic tendencies in the English and American literature" is worked out for 34 hours (it can be taught in the 10th and 11th forms).
The first block consists of the following topics:
1. Myths, legends and folklore. The overview of the biblical texts, the Greek myths and the determination of their significance for the literary works of Great Britain (2 hours).
2. The Age of the Enlightenment in Great Britain. D. Defoe, D. Swift, S. Richardson (2 hours).
3. Romanticism in the British literature. The works of W. Blake, R. Burns, W. Scott (2 hours).
4. Critical realism. Literature of Chartism. C. Dickens, T. Goode, E. BarrettBrowning, D. Greenwood (2 hours).
5. Literature of absurdity. E. Lear, L. Carroll (2 hours).
6. Literature of late 19th up to early 20th centuries. E.L. Voynich (2 hours).
7. A literary fairy tale. O. Wilde, R. Kipling, A. Milne, H. Lofting (2 hours).
8. Fantasy and adventure. A. Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells (2 hours).
9. The test (1 hours).
The second section includes the following topics:
1. The birth of the American literature (3 hours).
2. Literature of the 19th century (F. Cooper, E. Poe) (3 hours).
3. Literature of the late 19th century and early 20th century (M. Twain, O. Henry, J. London) (4 hours).
4. Pre-war literature (T. Dreiser, F. Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway) (3 hours).
5. The post-war period (J. Salinger) (2 hours).
6. The differentiated test (2 hours).
The above program is the result of hard work done by the teachers of the chair of foreign languages of special disciplines in Elets State University, who used the individual form of teaching a FL. Thus, the author of this research, together with the colleagues have revealed the pros and cons of the proposed methods of teaching a FL in the system of additional foreign language education. Owing to this program, the pupils have got excellent opportunities of developing independent learning skills in linguistics; have acquired the skills of research activities. Currently, these pupils who have learned the course of this program, study at Elets State University, as well as at other prestigious different universities of the country. These linguistically gifted pupils (now they are students) are actively involved in the research work of higher education institutions, they study successfully [2].
References
1. Shcherbatykh L.N. Rol' vneklassnoy raboty po inostrannomu yaziky v formirovanii gumanitarnoy kul'tury lingvisticheski odarennih shkol'nikov [The role of extracurricular activities a foreign language while forming humanitarian culture in linguistically gifted pupils] // Educational Psychology in a multicultural society, in 2013. Volume 1 (№ 21). pp.110-116.
2. Shcherbatykh L.N. Specifika raboty s lingvisticheski odarennimi shkol'nikami [The specific characters of working with linguistically gifted pupils] // Science and School, 2012. Number 4. pp. 81-84.
Список литературы
1. Щербатых Л.Н. Роль внеклассной работы по иностранному языку в формировании гуманитарной культуры лингвистически одарённых школьников // Психология образования в поликультурном пространстве, 2013. Том 1 (№ 21). С.110-116.
2. Щербатых Л.Н. Специфика работы с лингвистически одарёнными школьниками // Наука и школа, 2012. № 4. С. 81-84.
DATA ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shcherbatykh Lyudmila Nicholaevna, associate professor of the chair of Foreign languages of special subjects of Elets State University; doctoral candidate of the chair of English language for the Faculties of Arts of A.l. Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg, Ph.D. in Pedagogical Science, associate professor.
Elets State University
28, Kommunarov street, Elets, Lipetsk Region, 399770, Russia e-mail: shcherlyd@mail. ru
ДАННЫЕ ОБ АВТОРЕ
Щербатых Людмила Николаевна, доцент кафедры иностранных языков специальных дисциплин Елецкого государственного университета им. И.А. Бунина; докторант кафедры английского языка для гуманитарных факультетов Российского государственного педагогического университета им. А.И. Герцена, кандидат педагогических наук, доцент Елецкий государственный университет им. И.А. Бунина ул. Коммунаров, 28, г. Елец, Липецкая обл., 399770, Россия e-mail: shcherlyd@mail. ru
Рецензент:
Командышко Е.Ф., старший научный сотрудник, доктор педагогических наук, доцент, Федеральное государственное научное учреждение «Институт художественного образования» РАО
