CC BY
38УДК 573
Suleimenova A.E.
candidate of biological sciences, associate professor of the department of general biology and genomics, L.N.Gumilyov Eurasian National University, (Kazakhstan, Astana)
Zhuparkhan A.
second-year undergraduate, L.N.Gumilyov Eurasian National University, (Kazakhstan, Astana)
THE COGNITIVE INTEREST OF STUDENTS AND WAYS TO ENHANCE IN THE APPLICATION OF CLIL TECHNOLOGIES IN BIOLOGY LESSONS
Abstract: The article presents the results of a study on the formation of cognitive interest of schoolchildren in biology lessons according to the method of O.V. Bulatova "Levels of formation of cognitive interest of schoolchildren in biology class" 2012, on the application of the CLIL method (Content and Language Integrated Learning) with teaching general biology in English in 7 grades of high school. The levels of formation of cognitive interest of schoolchildren are revealed. According to the results of research, a transition of the formation of cognitive interest among 7 th grade students in biology lessons from a low inactive - reproductive and productive-search level, respectively III and II, to a high I subjective-search level of cognitive interest was identified. Consequently, the hypothesis of the study, namely, the use of English in the process of teaching biology, will increase the level of cognitive activity of schoolchildren, was confirmed.
Key words: multilingual, integrated learning, cognitive interest, cognitive activity, CLIL
Introduction: The head of state set before the education system the task of training specialists fluent in several languages. Polylingualism in relation to the language situation of modern Kazakhstan is reflected in the Message of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.Nazarbayev "New Kazakhstan in the New World", where in order to ensure
the competitiveness of the country and its citizens, a phased implementation of the cultural project "Trinity of Languages" is proposed, according to which Languages: Kazakh as a state language, Russian as a language of international communication and English as a language of successful integration into the global economy. There is a growing need for a multilingual personality in society, but there is no system for multilingual education. It is necessary to improve the regulatory and scientific-methodological base of multilingual education [1].
The goal of multilingual education:
- the formation of a multilingual personality.
- personal self-realization in modern conditions of social relations.
- professional competitiveness.
- social mobility.
The multilingual education program introduced in Kazakhstan is unique and implies, in parallel with its Western counterparts, parallel and simultaneous instruction in three languages. The goal of this program is to prepare highly qualified competitive specialists with language competence based on parallel mastering of Kazakh, Russian and English languages, mobile in the international educational space and on the labor market, capable of intercultural communication.
The system of principles of learning in the system of multilingualism:
- Kazakh language - Russian language - English;
- learning of languages goes in parallel, languages do not intersect, the support is the native language;
- learning a foreign language is learning speech thinking, mastering new means of expressing thoughts and the world of the language being studied [2,3].
In modern society, the issues of socialization of a modern person in the interethnic and intercultural space become priorities, while the knowledge of a foreign language is considered as one of the tools for expanding professional knowledge and capabilities. In this regard, there are new educational technologies for teaching foreign languages. One of such technologies is CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) subject-language integrated learning [4].
The term CLIL was first proposed in 1994 by David Marsh and Anna Maullers (Finland) as a methodology for teaching non-language subjects in a foreign language. This approach includes various forms of using a foreign language as a means of learning, provides an effective opportunity for students to use their new language skills in practice now, rather than wait for the right moment in the future. Thus, learning English has an interdisciplinary character and is closely related to other subjects from the school curriculum.
The specificity of the CLIL-method is that knowledge of the language becomes a tool for studying the content of the subject. At the same time, attention is focused both on the content of the texts and on the necessary subject terminology. At the same time, the language is integrated into the curriculum, and the need to dive into the language environment to allow discussion of thematic material significantly increases the motivation for using the language in the context of the topic being studied.
This is facilitated by carefully selected teaching materials not only for studying a specific subject, but also for learning the language: lexical and grammatical units and structures, all types of speech activity (reading, speaking, writing and listening) [5].
Types of tasks should be developed according to the level of complexity, constructed with an emphasis on the subject content, its understanding, verification and subsequent discussion.
At various stages of working with text, attention is focused on the vocabulary, on the content of the text, and then on the specific grammatical material.
Communication: Teaching to use the language and use the language to teach.
Cognition / Cognition: Developing thinking skills that connect concepts (abstract and concrete), understanding and language.
Culture: Exposure to alternative perspectives and the sharing of insights that deepens awareness about others and yourself.
Elements of the CLIL methodology are being introduced incredibly successfully, in a lesson where CLIL methods are used, the language is no longer the goal, but a means of studying another subject, that is, students see that with the help of English you can learn
new interesting information. Learning a language immediately becomes more meaningful, because it is used to solve specific problems here and now. [6].
Materials and research methods. In connection with the above, the object of our research was the educational process in the biology lessons of students of 7 "a" and 7 " a" classes of secondary school number 6 of the village of Karaotkel, Tselinograd district. The experiment was conducted from September 4 to May 20, 2017. In the course of the study, students of the 7th "a" class (n = 22) were taken as a control class with a lesson using traditional methods, and students of the 7th "a" class (n = 24) were taken as an experimental class, where general biology classes were held in English using the CLIL method.
We have put forward a working hypothesis of the study, which is as follows:
- the cognitive interest of students in a biology class can be activated in the process of teaching this subject in English, if the algorithm of operations of mental activity is provided:
- complex use of game and problem teaching methods taking into account the age peculiarities of rural schoolchildren, sensitivity to the development of languages, intensive formation of the cognitive sphere;
- differentiation of educational tasks taking into account individual capabilities; activation of knowledge when introducing a problem situation into the content of education;
- an individual approach to students, taking into account their cognitive abilities and interests.
The criterion for the effectiveness of the hypothesis put forward is an increase in the cognitive interest of students and an increase in their level of learning. To achieve the goal of the study as a whole and the goals of its practical part, the following steps are necessary:
1. To conduct a stating experiment: to identify the level of cognitive interest of students at the time before the experiment.
2. Develop a system of teaching in English in biology class, corresponding to the age of students and program requirements on the subject, the prospects for the development of students in the right direction.
3. To conduct a formative experiment - the implementation of the developed system with a contingent of an experimental group.
4. On the basis of a comparative analysis of primary and re-diagnosis data, assess the effectiveness of the work done, i.e. conduct a control experiment.
The formative experiment was conducted on the "before and after" type, i.e. the cognitive interest of students was assessed before and after the formative experiment in the experimental and control classes. To begin to explore the level of cognitive activity of students in the biology class.
68 hours of general biology lessons learned in these classes using the method CLIL.
The following diagnostic methodology of cognitive interest were used.
Methodology "Levels of formation of cognitive interest of schoolchildren in a biology class" (author OV Bulatova) [7].
Evaluated universal learning activities (ECD): the action of meaning formation, the establishment of a link between the content of the subject "biology" and the cognitive interests of students.
Objective: To identify the levels of formation of educational and cognitive interest of students in the course of monitoring them in biology class.
Form (assessment situation): questionnaire.
Situation of evaluation. The technique is a scale describing the behavioral signs that characterize the student's attitude towards learning tasks and the severity of cognitive interest. The scale is presented to the teacher with instructions to note the most characteristic features of the behavior when solving problems for each student.
The task of the formative experiment was to develop the revitalization of the cognitive activity of schoolchildren in biology class through the use of English.
So, during the experiment, we conducted biology lessons in English according to the CLIL methodology.
We based our work on the fact that these lessons were applied in accordance with their structure (psychological characteristics of students, pedagogical goal); based on the requirements of their success (clarity of purpose, availability of didactic materials, conciseness); when organizing these lessons in three main areas: preparation for the lesson in English, its implementation and analysis.
Identification of the effectiveness of the work done was based on a comparison of the results of diagnostics according to the methods obtained in the course of ascertaining and control experiments with participants in the experimental class (EC) and the control class (CC).
Research results. During the control experiment, students from the experimental class had an average of 4.6 biology lessons per week, i.e. 15% more than in the case of a receipt, for schoolchildren from the control class - 4.2 lessons, or 5% more than in the case of a receipt.
Comparing the data on biology schedules after the formative experiment, it can be
noted:
- the choice of biology lessons in scheduling in the experimental class increased by 14%, in the control class - by 3%.
- the difference in the choice of subject in scheduling between the experimental class and the control class was 10% of the positive discrepancy in favor of the experimental class.
In this way:
1. At the control experiment stage, interest in biology in English as a subject of study, and the desire to do it among schoolchildren from the experimental class, increased significantly, and from the control class, increased, but only slightly. It can be concluded that the use of the CLIL method of teaching biology in English increases schoolchildren's interest in biology and their desire to do it.
According to the results of testing according to the method "Levels of Formation of Cognitive Interest" before the experiment, the following conclusions can be made in the peculiarities of the formation of personal universal learning activities (UDD) in relation to the teaching as a whole:
1) The "internal position of the student" is actively being formed, it is observed:
- a positive attitude towards school,
- a sense of the need for learning,
- Preference for classroom activities.
2) Sense formation is actively being formed, it is observed:
- formation of cognitive motives,
- the presence of interest in the new,
- the formation of educational motives,
- the desire to acquire new knowledge and skills.
This fully applies to such a subject as biology.
In this way:
- the majority of schoolchildren from the experimental class have an interest in biology, educational and cognitive motives are formed;
- at the stage of the ascertaining experiment, interest in biology and the desire to study by students from the experimental and control classes had approximately the same level.
When observing schoolchildren in biology class during the ascertaining experiment, the following individual typical features of the formation of cognitive interest among schoolchildren were identified (Table-1).
Table 1 - Levels of formation of the cognitive interest of students in the experimental and control classes in ascertaining and control experiments (before and after the experiment)
Level Experimental class Control class
7э (n-24) 7a (n-22)
Before the After the Before the After the
experiment experiment experiment experiment
Pers % Perso % Pers % Perso %
on n on n
I level 4 16, 9 37, 6 27.2 6 2
Subject- 0 5 7.
search 2
Level II 8 33, 13 54. 10 45.4 11 5
Productive 0 1 0.
search 0
Level III 12 50. 2 8,3 6 27.2 5 2
Inactive, 0 3.
Reproducti 0
ve Interest
Thus, in the course of determining the initial levels of formation of the cognitive interest of students in biology class before setting up the experiment in the experimental and control classes revealed:
Levels IV and V (very low) of the formation of the cognitive interest of schoolchildren were not identified either in the experimental or control classes, i.e. there are no students who have a "rudimentary" level of cognitive interest in biology lessons, or there is no such interest at all.
The III (low) level of formation of cognitive interest in biology lessons (inactive, reproductive interest) included 50% of students (12 people) from the experimental class and 27.2% of students (6 people) from the control class.
33.0% of students (8 people) from the experimental class and 45.4% of students (10 people) from the control class were assigned to the II (average) level of formation of cognitive interest in biology lessons (productive-search).
16% of students (4 people) from the experimental class and 27.2% of students 6 people) from the control class (Fig. 1) are assigned to the I (high) level of formation of cognitive interest in biology lessons (subjectively-search).
60%
0%
■ I level
■ II level
■ III level
Experimental class
Control class
Fig. 1. - Levels of formation of the cognitive interest of students in the experimental
and control classes before the experiment.
When observing students in biology class during an experiment using the CLIL methodology in an experimental class, the following individual-typical features of the formation of cognitive interest were identified:
The III (low) level of formation of the cognitive interest of students in the experimental class in biology lessons (Inactive, reproductive interest) includes 8.3% of students (2 people) before the experiment and 50% of students (12 people) after the experiment.
The second (average) level of formation of cognitive interest (productive search) of students in the experimental class in biology class included 33.0% of students (8 people) before the experiment and 54.1% of students (13 people) after the experiment.
That is, in our case, this is a typical level for students. The characteristics of productive search and cognitive interest are highlighted. Its manifestations are the instability of cognitive interest, susceptibility to fluctuations, the desire for intellectual tension. In addition, the dependence of the actualization of interest on the stimulating effects, as well
as on the type and degree of complexity of the cognitive task facing the students and on the nature of the difficulties encountered in the process of activity, is traced.
16.0% of students (4 people) before the experiment and 37.5% of students (9 people) after the experiment were carried out to the I (high) level of formation of cognitive interest (subject-search) students in the experimental class (Fig.2).
Fig. 2 - Levels of formation of the cognitive interest of students of the experimental
class before and after the experiment.
This group of students has an optimally realized age potential for the development of cognitive interest. Interest is steady; intensively, with enthusiasm, the process of independent activity; the child is actively involved in the process of completing tasks, trying to independently find a way to solve and complete the task; the desire to understand difficult issues.
In the course of the experiment, most students from the experimental class moved to a higher level of formation of cognitive interest. In the control class, no significant changes were identified: there was only one transition from level III to level II of cognitive interest. (Table 1)
Consequently, the hypothesis of the study, namely, the use of English in the process of teaching biology will increase the level of cognitive activity of schoolchildren, was confirmed. The level of cognitive interest among students from the experimental class has increased significantly.
Thus, in the experimental class there were positive changes in the formation of cognitive activity of schoolchildren, who were previously at a low and medium level of development of cognitive interest, in most cases improved their performance. Many students realize the age potential of developing cognitive interest as the leading motive for learning activities. And it acts as a condition for the development of a student's cognitive activity, which stimulates the optimal level of initiative, independence and creativity in learning and cognitive activity.
Summarizing the above, we can draw the following conclusions:
1. After this work, interest in biology as a subject of study, and the desire to do it among schoolchildren from the experimental class, increased significantly, and from the control class, they increased, but only slightly.
2. In the experimental class there were positive changes in the formation of the cognitive activity of schoolchildren, who were previously at low and medium levels of formation of cognitive interest, in most cases improved their performance.
3. In students of the experimental class, the level of achievement, i.e. the level of mastering the material in the section in which learning took place with the help of English has increased significantly.
4. The hypothesis of the study, namely: the use of English in the process of teaching biology will increase the level of cognitive activity of schoolchildren, was confirmed.
After conducting and analyzing the results of our research, we found that the lessons of biology in English allowed not only to actively involve students in learning activities, but also to intensify students' cognitive activity.
References
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3. Pokushalova L.V. Formation of foreign professional-oriented competence. Young scientist. - 2011 №3 p 150-153.
4. Absatmarov R. B. Sadykov TS Fostering a culture of interethnic communication of students - Almaty, 1999. 25 p.
5. Nurakaeva L.T., Shegenova Z.K. Guidelines for teachers to use the method of subject-integrated learning (CLIL) .- Astana. - 2013.-P.8-10.
6. Coyle D.Content and Language Integrated Learning Motivating Learners and Teachers[Electronicresource].URL:http://blocs.xtec.cat/clilpractiques1/files/2008/11/ slrcoyle.pdf
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