Interactive methods of activities in teaching foreign languages

 

Teaching process is mainly based on two activities. They are imparting knowledge and acquiring knowledge. In the first case teacher sends information and the learners receive it. The innovative methods also deal with this process and their aim is to evaluate the activities of a teacher and learners using new ways and methods of teaching including new technical means of teaching.

As we know that methodological approach in teaching foreign languages may be divided into three groups. They are Passive methods, Active methods and also interactive methods.

If we speak here in the first place about the passive methods, it should be noted that in Passive methods a teacher is in the centre of teaching. He plays active role but the learners are passive. Control can be carried out by the way of questions, individual and control work, tests etc. It may be useful when it is used by an experienced teacher.

Secondly, in Active methods learners are also active. Their role and activity is equal in the process of interaction. Learners may ask questions; express their ideas with a teacher.

The last but it is in the first nowadays interactive method or approach is a modernized form of active methods. The most of teachers usually understand or mean cooperative action during the lesson. But here attention should be focused on inner action too. The learners should have inner motivation which involves them into active work or active participation at the lesson. In interactive method teacher’s role is to direct learners activity to getting the aim of the lesson which include interactive exercises and tasks.

Below some types of interactive methods are given:

Brainstorming. It is technique for generating new ideas on a topic. These methods stimulate creative activity of the learners in solving problems and express their ideas freckly. Various variants of solving the problem are usually given here. In brainstorming quantity of utterances is important but not the quality. Teacher should listen to all utterances and not criticize them. Instead of this he inspire the learners to give as many variants of solving the problem as he (or she) can. Lacks of criticism create favorable conditions for the learners to express the ideas freely and these of course motivate them. At the end of brainstorming activity all the expressed utterances are written and then analyzed.

Discussion. This type of interactive method requires to study teaching material on the theme before starting discussion. After having learnt the lexico-grammatical material on the theme the learners may start discussion. This method helps the learners consistently and logically express their ideas by presenting grounds for their utterances. Here the learners work in small groups and this improves their activity because every member of the group may express his/her ideas and takes part in the discussion.

The forms of organizing group work are the following:

a)                a theme is selected (chosen);

b)                learners must have learnt the chosen problem;

c)                groups are formed;

d)                teacher gives instruction and announces the time;

e)                controls the activity of learners and if it is needed, helps and stimulated them.

f)                  at the end of the discussion one representative of each group makes presentation.

Cluster. The next innovative method is cluster. It is one of widely used methods in teaching a foreign languages now. It can be used in all stages of teaching English to both young and aged learners. In presenting new words a teacher writes a new word on the blackboard. And then learners tell the words that can be used together with the given word.

For ex.:

 

Then teacher gives a task to make up word combinations with the word “book”: my book, a good book, an interesting book, a nice book, etc. This method involves all the learners into active work and forms of motivation. It can be effectively used in improving monologic speech habits and skills.

Role playing. Role playing is also one of the activity used in teaching innovative methods. They are made to improve the efficiency of teaching. Role playing involves the learners into active work by positively influencing on their inner activity. This creates favorable conditions for cooperative work. Such atmosphere creates their motivation, personal potentials of inner activity and helps to form practical skills and habits. During the role playing such skills as creativity, getting out of the difficult situations, resourcefulness, self managing are formed and improved. Role playing has not only educational aim, but also has social aims because some life situation are modeled here for teaching. When a teacher uses role playing method in teaching the foreign language he/she should follow the below given instructions:

                   Creating cordial atmosphere among the learners who take part in the play;

                   Learners should feel free themselves and this will help them to play their role perfectly;

                   Creating favorable conditions in the teaching process and using pros;

                   Taking into consideration the personal features of the learners.

Multimedia learning. This is the next innovative method. It is the combination of various media types as text, audio and video materials by the help of which teacher presents information to the learners. By using information technology as an innovative teaching and learning strategy in a problem based learning teacher tries to motivate learners to active knowledge through real life problems.

Advantages of using multimedia learning:

 

Positively influence on forming speech habits and skills.

An effective conclusion retraces the important elements of the lesson and relates them to the objective. This review and wrap-up of ideas reinforces student learning and improves the retention of what has been learned. New ideas should not be introduced in the conclusion because at this point they are likely to confuse the students.

 

References:

 

1.              Fries Ch. C. Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language. Ann Arbor, 1947.
2.              Littlewood. W. Communicative Language Teaching. An Introduction. Cambridge. CUP. 1981.
3.              Livingstone Card. Role play in Language Learning. 1988.
4.              Palmer H. Scientific Study and Teaching of Languages. London, 1922.
5.              Richards G. C. and Rodgers Th. S. Apporaches and Methods in Language teaching. USA, 1993.