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Обучение иностранному языку в монолингвальном классе: уникальный опыт с русскоязычными студентами
Парди Паола, аспирант, Российский университет Дружбы народов имени Патриса Лумубы, Москва
Внешние факторы значительно влияют на процесс обучения, вследствие чего необходимо регулярно отслеживать и корректировать программу с целью достижения максимальной результативности. Относительно преподавания иностранного языка особое внимание стоит уделить таким факторам, как языковая и культурная однородность учащихся. Объектом данного исследования выступают наблюдение и анализ особой динамики, которая может возникнуть в одноязычном и монокультурном классе. Цель состоит в том, чтобы проиллюстрировать преимущества и недостатки обучения иностранному языку в классе, где существует полное взаимопонимание между учащимися в языковом и культурном плане, но нет стимулов к открытию нового. Научная новизна заключается в исследовании особенностей монолингвального класса российских студентов и использовании отношений доверия и сопереживания, с одной стороны, и творчества, и воображения - с другой, как средства решения многих критических вопросов. В результате, исследование предлагает некоторые возможные способы использования преимуществ и смягчения недостатков с целью превращения трудностей в возможности.
Ключевые слова: обучение иностранному языку; монолингвальный класс; монокультурный класс; российские студенты; итальянский как второй иностранный; преподавание за рубежом; коммуникативный подход.
Цитировать: Pardi P. Foreign language teaching in a monolingual class: a specific experience with Russian students // KANT. – 2023. – №3(48). – С. 239-243. EDN: XPLYJE . DOI: 10.24923/2222-243X.2023-48.41
Pardi Paola, Postgraduate student, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba, Moscow
External factors significantly affect the learning process, as a result of which it is necessary to regularly monitor and adjust the program in order to achieve maximum effectiveness. Regarding the teaching of a foreign language, special attention should be paid to such factors as the linguistic and cultural homogeneity of students. The object of this study, is the observation and analysis of the particular dynamics that can occur in a monolingual and monocultural class. The purpose, is to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of teaching a foreign language, in a class where there is total understanding between students in linguistic and cultural terms, but in fact impoverished by the stimuli linked to the discovery of the new. The scientific novelty, consists in the investigation of the peculiarities of a monolingual class of Russian students and the use of the relationship of trust and empathy on the one hand and creativity and imagination on the other, as means of solving many critical issues. As a result, the study offers some possible proposals, to enhance the advantages and mitigate the disadvantages, with the aim of transforming obstacles into opportunities.
Keywords: Teaching foreign language; monolingual class; monoculture class; Russian students; Italian as foreign language L2; teaching in a foreign country; communicative approach.
УДК 372.881.1
5.8.2.
Pardi P.
Foreign language teaching in a monolingual class: a specific experience with Russian students
Introduction
The educational environment plays a fundamental role in the learning process and, depending on its changes, in terms of quality, complexity and motivational richness, influences the commitment and involvement of students [1]. This connection takes on particular connotations when it comes to foreign language classes [2]. A didactic context, in order to positively influence learning, should increase motivation and be stimulating, thus favouring "engagement". This term refers to “a psychological process, specifically, the attention, interest, investment, and effort students expend in the work of learning. Defined in this way, engagement implies both affective and behavioural participation in the learning experience” [3, 154-155]. It is the teacher's task to create all the conditions in order that the educational environment to be motivating and qualitative, considering the context in which the class is located and the elements that compose it.
The object of research, it is based on the observation and analysis of the Russian monolingual and monoculture class, during the study of Italian as a foreign language.
Purpose of the study, after careful observation of the particular dynamics of monolingual classes, is to discover and finally illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of teaching a foreign language in a linguistically and culturally homogeneous class and to offer food for thought, through illustration of the techniques and solutions concretely adopted during the lessons, in order to remove obstacles and enhance their advantages.
Research methodology
The methodology applied in this research is empirical, based on three phases:
1. field experimentation of teaching techniques and solutions;
2. the verification, based on the observation of the students' answers and their progress in the short and long term;
3. the continuous improvement of the method following the observed responses.
This article is the report of about two years of teaching in classes of Italian as a foreign language, located in Moscow and composed only of Russians. Added to this is also an experience with multilingual classes, as a contrasting element.
The educational approach: The approach used by the teacher is communicative and the lessons are conducted completely in Italian, without the aid of other languages. Grammar is taught inductively and the lessons are very varied in the type of activity presented. All activities promote the exchange of views and interaction among students in Italian.
The observed classes have the following characteristics (Table 1):
Table 1. Information on the observed classes
School location Moscow (Russian Federation)
School typology Private school of foreign languages
Language levels From A0 to C1
Age range of students From 20 to 65 years on average
Approximate composition of classes according to gender 80% women 20% men
Known foreign languages For the majority, Italian was not their first foreign language
Teacher Italian native speaker
The particularity of the extra-school/university educational context is its lack of homogeneity both in terms of generations and in terms of purposes and motivations. Furthermore, in this type of school, the user requests higher standards in relation to the educational offer against payment of the school fee. From here, the expectation and the right claim of a real learning of the language being studied.
Finally, it should be remembered that this article is the report of a personal experience based on the direct observation of a small and very specific audience of Russian students. Therefore, it does not aim to express universal truths, but rather to provide a contribution and a starting point for reflection on a subject that deserves a wider study.
Research Results
1. Premise: The Russians and Italy
From the 2020 Russian population census by the Federal Statistical Service, it appears that 37,135 people claim to be able to speak Italian [4], while from a 2018 survey conducted by “Анкетолог”, Institute of Public Opinion, Italian is in fifth place both of the foreign languages that the interviewees were studying at that time, and of those that they believed they could speak [5]. In 2019, the Russian-Italian Forum-Dialogue of civil societies proposed the inclusion of the Italian language in the list of optional subjects, to take the Unified State Exam (USE) in Russia [6].
Regarding the reason that drives Russians to study Italian, according to recent research, some are pragmatic, such as moving to Italy to change place and lifestyle, for education, marriage, buying real estate, etc. Others are of a tourist nature, in fact Italy attracts the Russian traveller, for its mild climate, for its geographical beauties, good cuisine, artistic heritage and fashion [7, 221]. Whatever the reason why a Russian decides to learn Italian, what immediately catches the eye of an Italian teacher, who enters a class of Russian students for the first time, is a sincere love and admiration for Italy and its culture. This makes the language lesson a real cultural exchange, which never separates the language, as a means of communication, from its culture of origin. In fact, one perceives that for many students, the moment of the Italian lesson is a sort of virtual journey, in a country that in the imagination of many is an almost fairy-tale place.
2. Advantages and disadvantages of monolingual class:
Below are the main and most interesting topics relating to Russian monolingual classes, presented both in terms of advantages and disadvantages, accompanied by some solutions adopted during the lessons.
- Positive use of transfers
It is widely recognized that the mother tongue influences the learning of a foreign language through a transfer process that can be positive or negative [8]. There are numerous studies analysing this interference and the role that the mother tongue plays in the learning process.
In classrooms where there is linguistic homogeneity, the transfers, both positive and negative, are almost identical for everyone. This allows the teacher, who has knowledge of the linguistic structure of the students' mother tongue, to conduct targeted activities and to understand and prevent problems, where possible. Positive transfer in the lexical field, especially in low levels, is of fundamental importance. In relating with the students, the teacher will be able to carefully select those synonyms that in Italian are similar to the Russian language. This is an absolutely advantageous and useful teaching strategy in a monolingual educational context.
The disadvantage is the danger of becoming stuck on some poorly understandable linguistic issues, due to the morphosyntactic structure of the source language. In this case, the lack of students of different linguistic origins carries with it the risk that students can go around the problem without finding a solution. In these cases, the intervention of the teacher, who provides to offer a new point of view, is decisive and resolutive.
- Linguistic understanding among students
The total understanding between the students, both in terms of language and of problems related to language learning, makes communication and mutual help absolutely effective. From the point of view of student autonomy, as an active part of the learning process, in which comparison between peers is a cornerstone of the method, total understanding certainly represents an advantage.
The disadvantage is that the moment in which students only use Italian in class, both with the teacher and with their classmates, is significantly further away. In this case, it was very useful to progressively lead students to abandon their mother tongue. An activity that worked was to propose a sort of time challenge. Students had to speak only Italian for 15 minutes. Students who said even one word in Russian would have to pay a penalty, for example sing a song in Italian. At each lesson the time gradually increased, until it included the entire duration of the lesson. In a very short time, the students started speaking only Italian, even when the challenge was not proposed.
- Perfectionism
To an attentive foreign observer, the seriousness and determination in the study of foreign languages by the majority of Russian students will not escape notice. They are serious and diligent when conducting the tasks and in studying in general. A good number of them, had a great speed of learning Italian, achieving excellent results. This is certainly a positive element, which makes the teacher's work much easier. However, at times, this trait has turned into an overzealousness and perfectionism.
Some Russian researchers report that the increase in manifestations of this psychological phenomenon among the population is caused by the high demands of society and the family, in a situation where success and perfection become the main value [9, 66].
The consequences of the excess of zeal, encountered during the lessons, were: performance anxiety, fear of making mistakes, excessive demands on oneself and consequently on the teacher and classmates, lack of flexibility, exasperation in the competition. In general, it was observed that this type of problem mostly concerned older students and, apart from a few rare exceptions, was resolved quite quickly. This has happened when the student realizes that the learning environment is not authoritarian, but collaborative, that the error is not demonized and should not be feared, but represents an opportunity for improvement and, again, when, over time is built in the class, a family atmosphere of mutual help, devoid of any form of judgement.
- Problems related to the methodology
From a 2021 study, it emerged that in the two most important Italian language chairs of Moscow universities, the curriculum is still based on a manual produced in the Soviet Union and reprinted almost identically since 1974. While only in the less main chairs, they are used different materials or a more modern handbook, of Italian production, at the discretion of the teacher [10, 325-326]. The 1974 manual follows a method based on the explanation of grammar rules, error correction and translation exercises. The prevalent skill is reading, followed by writing and speaking, while there is a lack of activities aimed at developing listening skills [10, 330-331].
It is probably the presence, still very widespread, of a grammar-translation approach in the study of the Italian language, which makes the question of methodology the main reason for complaints from students in the school secretary. This happens almost exclusively for the low levels (A1, A2) and in the more adult age groups. In particular, the characteristics that most destabilize the adult Russian student are the exclusive use of the Italian language, the grammar learned in an inductive way and the loss of centrality of the teacher in favour of a more active participation of the student. It is precisely this category of students, who sometimes explicitly request to have a stricter teacher, to have more homework and to always be correct when they speak.
The methodological question is the main and most thorny issue of monolingual and monoculture classes, in fact, in multilingual classes, the presence of students of different nationalities, accustomed to different methodological approaches, not necessarily similar to those adopted by the teacher, facilitates a mediation and avoid stiffening. Even the exclusive use of the Italian language is rarely questioned in plurilingual classes, where there is a lack of a common language.
When this problem arises in monolingual classes, for the most part, after the initial impact, the resolution occurs spontaneously, when the student gets used to the new method and realizes that he is able to perform the assigned tasks and, above all, when he sees rapid, real and tangible progress. Preventing these problems or accelerate the initial impact is crucial. The concern of the student who has been accustomed to a specific method for years is linked to the anxiety of not understanding, not being able to manage the new types of exercises or that the new method does not work. These fears must absolutely not be ignored or belittled, but the student must always be understood and reassured. To this end, the immediate establishment, from the very first moments, of a relationship of trust and mutual understanding was found to be fundamental. Empathy has always been the key that has allowed students not to stiffen and this happens when they feel understood and supported.
- Speaking activities
The comparison between the different traditions and customs (typical dishes and festivities, climate, etc.) or socio-cultural conditions (work, family role, female condition, etc.) of the students' countries of origin, are often used by language teachers, as a centre of discussion in oral activities. This kind of arguments, consequently, in a culturally homogeneous class, arouse very little interest and are therefore unusable. The impossibility of using very simple topics, such as traditional dishes or the climate, which are very suitable for low levels, is not irrelevant. In fact, in addition to the simplicity of the necessary vocabulary, in a multicultural class, these topics arouse curiosity and generate fruitful and cheerful debates that allow to acquainted with fellow students and, at the same time, to dedicate more time to discussion and oral practice.
The teacher's imagination in designing captivating but at the same time lexically simple speaking activities is decisive. One of the exercises that allows you to practice the language that is always used with great success is role play. This activity entertains students of all ages, develops imagination. The difficulty can be easily calibrated by the teacher. Role play is also a non-static activity: the students get up, walk around the class and discuss, thus allowing concentration to be reactivated. Lastly, laughing together helps create a collaborative and friendly environment.
Conclusion
The monolingual class is always a special experience and, in some ways, represents a challenge for a foreign language teacher, who decides to approach it with the support of a different teaching method from the one students are used to. Precisely because of its characteristics, it represents a constructive moment for the teacher. This, in fact, will be measured with problems that require solutions which include, for the most part, the development of skills connected with empathy, understanding, patience and the building of solid relationships of mutual trust between student and teacher. To this must be added creativity and problem-solving skills.
The monolingual Russian class has its particularities, as we have illustrated, but obviously, there are critical issues in all monolingual classes. In particular, the methodological question, which is the main problem of these typologies of classes, are common to all linguistically and culturally homogeneous classes, regardless of nationality, but each one with its own particularities [11]. This is because the methodology adopted by the teacher does not correspond to the methodological standards to which the student is accustomed and which he considers effective, and a different point of view is not available.
Table 2. Results
Empathy Listening to the student
Understanding his problems
Supporting him
Observing his emotional responses during the lesson
Trust relationship Always clarify the purpose of the activities
Always answer students' questions
Family atmosphere Social activities among students
Emotionally welcoming and non-judgmental environment
Friendship building
Lowering of anxiety
Patience Don't be discouraged by an initial negative reaction from the student
Continue negotiating with the students, gradually arriving at the application of the new methodology
Encourage students
Fantasy and creativity Create activities that prevent boredom and loss of attention
Create stimulating activities to compensate for the lack of external stimulation
Irony Laughing builds friendships
Laughter dulls anxiety
Being relaxed contributes to learning
As has been repeated several times, most of the problems are related to the initial impact, which for many students can be very stressful, and for the most part it resolves spontaneously within a few lessons. However, it is necessary that the teacher does not get discouraged and that he supports the students in these first steps, encouraging them to be patient without giving up.
The table below briefly summarizes all the elements that have concretely contributed to the management of monolingual classes (Table 2).
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