Smart technologies in the foreign language For specific purposes teaching

Abstract

The article deals with the issues of students’ autonomous learning of the foreign language with the use of Smart technologies. Methodological approaches to the implementation of Smart technologies in foreign language teaching in higher education for the integration of professional and communicative competences have been proposed.

The development of high-level intellectual and practical skills in students requires a constructive approach to learning that cannot be appropriately automated as it depends on high quality interaction between knowledge experts and learners. Interaction is viewed as a key factor to increase motivation, efficiency of teaching process and improvement of students’ independent learning outcomes. One of the ways to boost such activity is to apply Cloud-based technologies.

As an example of Cloud-based instruction, the authors offer a strategy of solving professional problems aimed at developing skills in information searching and processing. During search activity and group discussion of the problem students independently review, clarify and deepen the comprehension of the information. For this purpose, students receive a set of tasks aimed at developing the listening, writing and speaking skills using professionally oriented lectures on TED. The absence of detailed instructions gives students the possibilities to deliver the creative approach and successfully perform the task. To acquire a new vocabulary, students should compile a collective glossary of the new words, terms, phrasal verbs, and idioms. Using the additional relevant sources students have to write an essay reflecting their comprehension of the issues presented in the lecture summary placed for the general consideration on the Google Drive. At this stage, the teacher initiates peer discussions and comments as all students share a common subject and common objective. In order to get the insight into the issues in the TED lecture students are set the task to search for relevant information on the Internet supplying their summaries with the links to the sources found.Since these tasks are carried out in English, the teacher gives students the detailed instructions on how to draft a summary, conduct a discussion,  make comments. The teacher also introduces vocabulary, introductory phrases, clichés, cross-cultural insights necessary for mastering not only the language but also communication strategies. As a result, students make their video presentations, open to co-viewing, and share their impressions and comments.

In the article the authors give analysis and provide recommendations on the results of the experiment aimed at assessing the advantages and disadvantages of Smart technologies implementation in students’ independent learning for developing both communicative and professional competences. Teachers should be able to adapt the curriculum to use Smart technology as an effective teaching tool. Considering the rapid pace of innovation in Cloud-based development, the authors emphasize the importance of long-term studies to understand more about the role and impact of Smart technologies in the foreign language for specific purposes teaching.