CC BY
106
УДК 378.147
Г. Б. КОЗЛОВСЬКА
КООПЕРАТИВНЕ НАВЧАННЯ НА ЗАНЯТТЯХ З 1НОЗЕМНО1 МОВИ
Дослiджено OKpeMi аспекти кооперативного навчання на заняттях з iH03eMH0i мови. Кооперативне навчання розглядаеться як стратегiя навчання, що припускав ствпрацю учтв в групах, тдвищуе мотивацю, сприяе розвитку критичного мислення, формуванню позитивноi залежностi i власноЧ оцтки, учить виршувати протирiччя i конфлiкти. Проаналiзовано характеристики кооперативного навчання у рамках парадигми нових педагогiчних технологш.
Ключовi слова: кооперативне навчання, заняття з iноземноi мови, навички ствпращ, робота в
грут.
А. Б. КОЗЛОВСКАЯ
КООПЕРАТИВНОЕ ОБУЧЕНИЯ НА ЗАНЯТИЯХ ИНОСТРАННОГО ЯЗЫКА
Исследуются отдельные аспекты кооперативного обучения на занятиях иностранного языка. Кооперативное обучение рассматривается как стратегия обучения, которая предполагает сотрудничество учащихся в группах, повышает мотивацию, способствует развитию критического мышления, формированию позитивной зависимости и собственной оценки, учит разрешать возникаемые противоречия и конфликты. Проанализированы характеристики кооперативного обучения в рамках парадигмы новых педагогических технологий.
Ключевые слова: кооперативное обучение, занятия иностранного языка, навыки сотрудничества, работа в группе.
A. В. KOZLOVSKA
SOME ASPECTS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE
CLASSROOM
The article deals with some aspects of cooperative learning in the foreign language classroom. Cooperative learning is defined as a strategy for the classroom that is used to increase motivation, help students develop a positive image of self and others, provide a vehicle for critical thinking and problem solving and encourage collaborative skills. The research focuses on pointing out assumptions about cooperative learning, describing strategies for group dynamics, investigating steps and levels of cooperative skills.
Keywords: cooperative learning, foreign language classroom, collaborative skills, group work.
Once there was a very mean boss who owned a large factory. The boss liked to watch his workers work in order to make certain they were working hard. It made his workers very nervous. One day while the boss was watching his workers, he saw a man taking a coffee break. He did not like his workers taking breaks. When he came back half an hour later, the man was still taking a break. This made the boss very angry. He said to the man, «How much money do you make in a week?». «Two hundred dollars,» said the man. The boss reached in his back pocket, took out his wallet, and gave the man two hundred dollars. «Here,» said the boss, «take this, get out, and don't come back.» After the man had gone, the boss turned to another worker and asked, «What was that man's job, anyway?». «Oh,» said the other man, «he doesn't work here. He just came to take out the garbage!».
As foreign language teachers, we sometimes make decisions without having all the facts. In doing so, we jump to erroneous conclusions. This can be the case when teachers make decisions about using small groups and cooperative learning in the classroom. Some teachers decide that cooperative
leaning is not for them or for their students; they already have a system for managing and organizing their classrooms that «works».
The purpose of this article is not to dictate to language teachers what is correct or workable for classroom management in all situations. It is rather designed to provide teachers with more information on cooperative learning so that a decision to use cooperative learning or not to use cooperative learning is based on a more complete understanding of the process. The solution of the aim claims for doing away with certain tasks, such as: to point out assumptions about cooperative learning; to describe strategies for group dynamics; to investigate steps in teaching cooperative skills; to single out levels of cooperative skills.
Lots of research studies on cooperative learning were conducted by foreign scientists [4; 5; 6]. Some aspects of cooperative learning were investigated by the Russian and Ukrainian scientists [1; 2; 3]. These and many other scientific works are methodological basis for projecting current techniques of cooperative learning which draw attention to the problem of team-building, dynamics of group development, relations of a person and a group, etc.
Cooperative learning can be characterized in the following Chinese proverb: «Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I'll remember. Involve me, and I'll learn.»
Cooperative learning can be defined as a strategy for the classroom that is used to increase motivation, help students develop a positive image of self and others, provide a vehicle for critical thinking and problem solving and encourage collaborative social skills.
The term 'cooperative learning technology' appeared due to Elliot Aronson who described the so-called 'jigsaw method' in 1971. The term 'learning technology' can be defined as the accurate algorithm of techniques and methods of teaching that provides getting good results [2]. Cooperative learning technology is the introduction and use of cooperation principles themselves - voluntariness, democracy, mutually beneficial collaboration and mutual aid.
Cooperative learning technology provides all levels of communication: activity - interaction -communication - contact. The advantage of cooperative learning technologies lies in the fact that they are used in different spheres of man's activity giving the chance to carry out the tasks for the intensive forming and development of certain professional skills. Thus, these technologies can be regarded as the practice of effective psychological and pedagogical influence. The advance of a student as a personality takes place in the process of communication with the teacher. This communication is not only professional but also social, so students implement different social roles: a leader, an organizer, an executor, a presenter, an investigator, an expert, etc.
This article is based on the following assumptions:
Cooperative skills must be learned. Humans are not born instinctively knowing how to cooperate with others. In the classroom, students will not automatically start cooperating as soon as you put them into small groups. Cooperative group skills must be taught - just like skills in maths, writing, and reading. Because most students have not been taught to work effectively with others, they cannot do it. Traditional forms of education do not encourage cooperative activity; students work independently and compete for recognition with their peers. Even though collaborative skills are not generally used in traditional forms of education, they are nevertheless important.
The physical and special arrangement of the classroom affects cooperative work. If students in the English classes are to cooperate, activities must be structured so that students can cooperate and talk to each other. If they want to have a conversation with someone, they can't talk facing back-to-back or front-to-back. They need to talk face-to-face.
Peer support and group dynamics are the keys to successful group work. The members in the group are the ones who determine how well the group will function. Will the group share responsibilities or will some group members monopolize the time? Will they respect each other? Will low-performing group members be included? These are all problems that must be solved with the cooperation and support of peers in the group and through well-structured teacher guidance. There must be a careful balance between pressure for learning cooperative skills and support for doing so. The earlier students can be taught these skills, the easier it will be for them to learn how to cooperate.
Christison and Bassano [4, p. 31-36] have identified six strategies for helping teachers understand group dynamics and promote peer support in the second/ foreign-language classroom.
Strategy 1: Restructuring. Restructuring activities usually require students to interact physically as a group. Students are given specific instructions for carrying out the task. There is minimal participation by the teacher. These activities help students adjust to future small group, cooperative experiences by breaking down student expectations for the traditional teacher-controlled classroom.
«Line ups» is a good example of a restructuring activity. Students are asked to come to the front of the room and line up according to a specific criterion, such as the date of their birth. Students born closest to January 1 stand at one end; students born closest to December 31 stand at the other end. Students must begin to interact in order to accomplish this task. They could also line up according to how much time they have spent studying English or how much change they happen to have with them at the moment.
Strategy 2: One-Centered. These activities put one student in the «spotlight» for a few minutes. Activities are structured so that each student is given individual attention for a limited period of time. For aggressive students, this «spotlight focus» reaffirms their importance to the group. They are less apt to «steal the show» from the other group members when their position has been reaffirmed. For shy students these successful, one-centered experiences increase the likelihood of contributions in the follow-up discussions and in additional activities later on.
A good example of a one-centered activity would be a «spotlight interview.» All students are given a list of interview questions they can ask. Each day, several different students are «spotlighted.» Other class or group members ask the spotlighted students questions on the list. If students don't want to answer a particular question, they can always say «I pass» or «I'd rather not say.»
Strategy 3: Unified Group. Unified-group activities promote cooperation in the group. Students begin to think about group goals instead of individual goals. Praise and positive reinforcement are given to promote group success. These activities require the participation of each group member. No member may «bow out.» If someone chooses not to participate, the group cannot be successful.
A popular unified-group activity is «strip story.» Narrative stories with definite story lines are used for this activity type. The text of a story is cut into strips with several lines of the story on each strip. Students must work together in their groups to put the story back together. In order to facilitate talking and discussion students are not allowed to show their strip to anyone. All information must be exchanged orally.
Strategy 4: Dyad. These activities give students the opportunity to work one-to-one with others in the class. Through these activities students become better acquainted with each other and begin to feel more comfortable sharing personal ideas and values. Almost any activity can be structured for pair work. Information-gap activities with grids and charts are favourite activities for many students. For example, students will each be given one of the grids, as in tables 1 and 2 below. The grids vary slightly. Neither grid contains all the information. Together the grids present the complete picture. The task is for students to give each other information and to figure out strategies for getting information so that both can complete their grids. All information is exchanged orally.
Table 1
Information for Student 1
Student Country Age Major Hobby
Ben 21 Archery
Ukraine History
Pablo 20 Tennis
Russia Geography
Table 2
Information for Student 2
Student Country Age Major Hobby
Japan Biology
Bogdan 18 Reading
The USA Business
Olga 19 Cooking
Strategy 5: Small Group. Small-group activities are more loosely structured than pair activities. They require patience, motivation, and good listening habits. The teacher acts only as a facilitator, so the responsibility for success lies with the group itself. These activities help students develop techniques for fair group interaction.
The teacher can give a number of different categories to his students - things you eat for lunch, things you take to the sea, things you can ride, etc. Then the teacher can ask students to think of 10 different things to put in each category.
Strategy 6: Large Group. Large-group activities are similar to small group activities in their objectives and structure. The only difference is the inclusion of a larger number of students. Working with a larger number of students requires more skills among group members in fair group interaction.
There are four steps [5, p. 9-15] that teachers must follow in teaching cooperative skills.
Step 1. Students must realize the advantages of group work. Since most students come to English classes expecting the traditional classroom arrangement with the teacher in front of the class and the students in straight rows watching the teacher, they will be confused and hesitant when these expectations are not met. If teachers want students to react positively to their first experiences in cooperative learning, students must understand at least some of the many rationales for this kind of classroom experience. They need to understand why it is that they are doing things differently and how it will help them reach their goals.
There are several ways a teacher might help students realize the advantages of cooperative learning. Some teachers simply explain why they are doing cooperative work. Other teachers do a brainstorm session on the possible value of cooperative group work. Teachers can place posters around the room to remind learners of the benefits and value of cooperative group work: 'We can interact with our classmates', 'We find out what our classmates think and know', 'We get more opportunities to talk', 'We hear more English', 'We get a chance to be a teacher', 'We have more fun!', 'We learn more about each other and that's interesting', 'We learn to respect different ideas and opinions', 'We have to really think in order to solve the problems', 'We see other points of view', 'We learn social skills for getting along with others', 'We learn more vocabulary words', 'Others listen to what I have to say', 'We can ask more questions'.
Step 2. Students must be aware of the necessary skills for successful group work in order to know what they are supposed to do. To function in a group situation, students need to know how to get information from the other members and respond to questions. Before the activity begins students must know that getting information and responding to questions are the skills being practiced. For example, they could participate in a brainstorming session wherein students generate phrases and question forms that can be used to gather information and answer questions, such as with the information-gap activity previously described. It would be helpful for them to be able to talk about columns and rows and to make appropriate questions. The teacher should demonstrate and model the skill to further clarify the points to the students. Thus, it's necessary to concentrate on one skill at a time.
Step 3. Students must practice the skill. The major responsibilities teachers have in cooperative learning are to design and set up practice situations. In the example given above, the focused skill was gathering information - asking questions and responding to questions. Twenty-questions activity structured as one-centered activity is a good example of this step. One student in the group is «on focus.» This student selects a card from a pile of cards. Without looking at the card, the student shows it to the other members of the group. The student who drew the card must now ask questions to the group in order to determine what is on the card. Students take turns being on focus until each person in the group has had a chance. Students need to have a chance to practice the skills long enough so they can integrate the skills into their daily interactions with their peers. Once is never enough!
Step 4. Students need to process the skills they have practiced. Processing means that students need to become aware of what exactly it is they have practiced and to evaluate how successful they have been in the practice of the skills. Teachers can assist students by preparing questions for them to answer and worksheets to help students evaluate their own performance or the performance of other group members. Teachers can also model the processing skills. What kinds of questions did you use? What information was the most helpful? What phrases did you hear most often?
In cooperative learning, setting up practice sessions is the chief responsibility of the teacher. What cooperative skills teachers choose for practice will depend on what skills students have not mastered. There are four levels of cooperative skills [5, p. 19-25] that teachers can focus on.
Forming. Forming skills are directed towards organizing the group and establishing behavioral norms. Groups who have mastered the skill of forming can move into their groups quickly and quietly, use quiet voices, stay with their groups for the duration of the activity, encourage participation within the group, use group members' names, and avoid giving any put-downs. Teachers who claim that cooperative group work is too noisy or takes too much time are working with students who have not been allowed to master the skill of learning.
Functioning. Functioning skills are directed towards completing tasks and maintaining good relationships within the group. Groups must understand, for example, what the time limits are and how the activity should be carried out within their groups, step by step. Activities that focus on the skill of functioning give learners a chance to ask for help, paraphrase previous comments, clarify, explain, and express support.
Formulating. The skill of formulating is directed towards helping learners develop a deeper understanding of the material being studied and to develop better reasoning strategies, as well as to aid in maximum retention of the material. Activities that focus on the skill of formulating help learners develop strategies for remembering material such as summarizing aloud, adding important information to the summary, pointing out information that may not have been summarized properly, relating material from a previous activity to the one being focused on, demanding vocalization in the reasoning process and seeking clever, useful ways of remembering important information.
Fermenting. The highest-level skill for cooperative groups is fermenting. This skill involves helping learners explore more thoroughly the material they have been exposed to. When students can begin to challenge each other's ideas, explore different ways of looking at the material and reconceptualize these ideas, they are using the skills of fermenting.
The logical question for teachers to ask about cooperative techniques in the English classroom is: What good results from a change to cooperative methods? Cooperative learning programs have a significant positive effect on student learning. Students who preferred to cooperate learned best in a cooperative program, while students who preferred to compete did best in a competitive program. Studies also supported the concept that the most tightly structured methods of cooperative group work will have the largest effects on basic skills. Higher-order cognitive skills are best improved by the more open-ended methods used in cooperative learning.
Some research studies on cooperative learning have included measures of student self-esteem [2; 3; 5; 6]. It is assumed that students in cooperative groups will feel more liked by their classmates because of the increased opportunities to interact. When students feel they are making significant contributions to the group process and these contributions are valued by the group members, they are more likely to feel successful academically. Improved self-esteem is an outcome of cooperative activity.
Thus, there is no way to overemphasize the importance of social skills. They are keystones to building and maintaining a stable family, a successful career, and a stable group of friends. Through cooperative learning techniques, students can become real partners in the learning enterprise. Since most consequential problems are solved via collaboration, students who learn to work together in an educational setting are better prepared to meet life's obligations. Through cooperative learning techniques learners are asked to do things in the English classroom that they are asked to do in real life - take charge of and responsibility for their own learning. Teachers must carefully structure activities to train students in working together (not in competition) toward the attainment of specific goals.
REFERENCES
1. Гапна Н. В. Кооперативне навчання у вищш школi / Н. В Гапна // Вюник Житомирського державного ушверситету. Серiя: Педагопчт науки. Вип. 64. - Житомир, 2012. - С. 98-102.
2. Стрельшков В. Ю. Cooperative learning - кооперативне навчання / В. Ю. Стрельшков. [Електронний ресурс].- Режим доступу: http:// ukrcoop-journal. com.ua/2008-1/num/strelnikov 1.htm
3. Сурженко О. П. Кооперативное обучение - эффективное средство социальной адаптации учащихся в обществе / О. П. Сурженко // Вкник ЛНУ iM. Тараса Шевченка. - Луганськ, 2011. -№ 9 (220). - С. 151-155.
4. Christison M. A. Look who's talking / M. A. Christison, S. Bassano. - Hayward, CA: The Alemany Press, 1987. - 121 p.
5. Johnson D. W. Social Interdependence Theory and Cooperative Learning: The Teacher's Role / D. W. Johnson and R.T. Johnson; [Gillies Robyn M., Ashman Adrian F., Terwel Jan] // The Teacher's Role in Implementing Cooperative Learning in the Classroom. - NY: Springer Science-Business Media, 2008. - Chapter 1. - P. 9-37.
6. Slavin Robert E. Research on Cooperative Learning: an international perspective / Robert E. Slavin // Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. - Vol. 33. - № 4. - 1989. - P. 9-15.
УДК 738.3(086.48):811.11(038)
С. А. ЛОГВ1НА
1ДЮМАТИЧШСТЬ МОВИ ЗАСОБ1В МАСОВО1 ШФОРМАЦИ
np0aHani30eaH0 idioMamuuHm характер noeidoMnern Mac-Media. Bid3HaueHO широке використання в них образноi фразеологп, що становить велику складтсть при сприйманш та розумтш i потребуе eid студента додаткових знань, а також його oбiзнaнocтi i зaцiкaвлeнocтi в noдiях та особах сучасного сустльства, фактах нитшнього життя i свтовоi кторп.
Ключовi слова: засоби мacoвoi тформаци (ЗМ1), мac-мeдia, мова ЗМ1, образна фрaзeoлoгiя, експресивна лексика, noвiдoмлeння ЗМ1.
С. А. ЛОГВИНА
ИДИОМАТИЧНОСТЬ ЯЗЫКА СРЕДСТВ МАССОВОЙ ИНФОРМАЦИИ
Проанализирован идиоматический характер сообщений СМИ. Отмечено широкое использование образной фразеологии, что представляет большую сложность при восприятии и понимании и требует от студента дополнительных знаний, а также его осведомленности и заинтересованности в событиях и личностях современного общества, фактах жизни и мировой истории.
Ключевые слова: средства массовой информации (СМИ), масс-медиа, язык СМИ, образная фразеология, экспрессивная лексика, сообщения СМИ.
S. А. LOGVINA
IDIOMATIC NATURE OF MEDIA LANGUAGE
Analyzed the idiomatic nature of media messages, which causes widespread use of figurative phraseology, which is great difficulty in perception and understanding and requires additional knowledge of the student, and needed his knowledge and interest in the events and heroes of modern society and the facts of modern life and world history.
Keywords: media Language, figurative phraseology, expressive vocabulary, media messages.
Евроштеграцшне прагнення Украши зумовлюе зростаючу потребу ïï громадян стлкуватися 3i сво1ми зарубiжними партнерами, колегами, одноликами одшею, зрозумшою для Bcix мiжнародною англшською мовою. Разом з 1нтернетом телебачення е ниш культурно-комушкативним центром свiтовоï системи, що надае найоператившш^ актуальш, максимально рiзнi ввдеосюжети новин, репортажi з мюця подш, штерв'ю з ввдомими людьми та ш. Прагнення студента бути пол^ично, економiчно та культурно освiченим тд час ознайомлення зi свиовими новинами вщграе важливу роль в його навчанш, виконуе освиню та мотивацшну функцп при оволодшш профеаею.
