New Perspectives in Science Education

Edition 13

Accepted Abstracts

Conversation club as an enhancing student’s motivation method in foreign language learning

Olga Dragomyretska, Odessa State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture (Ukraine)

Abstract

Today the research on new ways of language learning motivation for international students is the most important task. The ability of motivation progress and motivation maintenance directly depends on language needs. Universities in Ukraine do not require knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian language from international applicants. Universities have preparatory departments, where the enrolled students learn language. Students who started with zero language knowledge have huge communication difficulties, thus mastering of basic level language skills becomes vitally important. Therefore students of preparatory department and first-year students are the most motivated for education. However senior students who have more considerable knowledge of language lose their interest in improving language skills.

The goal of this research is to explore opportunities of using the Conversation club to enhance and maintain the student’s motivation to study a foreign language.

Current methods of educational process organization don’t arouse a sufficient student’s interest that is the reason why necessity of unconventional approach for education occurs. Thus, Conversation club is a form of such approach that is proposed to be used. In Ukraine Conversation clubs are organized as independent structures and don’t represent a part of educational program in universities. 

The analysis of objective and subjective factors of education results in several Conversation clubs in Odessa has been made. Student’s grades results before and after participation in Conversation clubs have been analyzed. A positive dependence between quantity of Conversation clubs attendances and rising of grade results has been detected. That is an objective indicator of educational process improving. A subjective part of it has been found out by student’s questionnaire poll. Comparison of questionnaire at the beginning of speaking club attendance and 3 months later revealed that student’s learning language motivation had been increased.

This research has discovered that previously ascertained student’s needs help in organization of Conversation club for making material the most close to the achievement of language goal of each club member. In order to generate speech motivation, a spontaneous situation has to be modeled. This out-of-school work has a big developing sense. Participation in Conversation clubs enhances motivation for learning language of foreign country.

References:

[1] Dragomyretska, O. “The Study guide for the discipline “Russian as a foreign language” for practical trainings for foreign students studying at 3 year at specialization “Construction and architecture”, Language training center for foreign students, Odessa, Odessa state academy of civil engineering and architecture,  2015, 36 p. (in Russian)
[2] Hovey J. “Psychosocial predictors of depression among central American immigrants”, Psychological Reports, 2000, Vol. 86. p.1237-1240
[3] Huang K. “Campus mental health: the foreigner at your desk”, Journal of American College Health Association, 25, 1977. p.216-219
[4] Nanavyan, E. “Motivation and its role in foreign language studying”, Distance education and professional development center, http://de.dstu.edu.ru/CDOSite/ConfEng/articles%5Carticle34.htm  (in Russian)
[5]  Smolkin, A. “Methods of active education”, Moscow, Vysshaya Shkola, 1991, 176 p. (in Russian)
[6] Furnham, A., Bochner, S., “The psychology of the long-term students' residence abroad”, Development of personality,  2001, №2., p.136-167,   http://rl-online.ru/articles/2-01/85.html
[7] Zwingmann C. A. A., Gunn A. D. G. “Uprooting and health: psycho-social problems of students from abroad”,  Geneva, World Health Organization, 1983, 89 p.    
 

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