Competition between small groups of students during Cultural studies classes as means of enhancing their motivation when learning a foreign language

Abstract

Importance. The article focuses on the issues of enhancing linguist students’ motivation of studying a foreign language on the example of a “Cultural studies” course on the training profile “Interpreter/ Translator in cross-cultural communication”. A number of conditions in organizing the process of studying that contribute to enhancing motivation of students when studying a foreign language have been found.Research methods. Among the methods, used in the current study, one may distinguish theoretical methods (analysis of special literature on psychology, pedagogics and methods of teaching foreign languages in terms of motivation to more efficient studying process) as well as practical methods (forming experiment, observation and carrying a survey).Results and discussion. As a result of the analysis of theoretical and methodological material on motivation to studying process there have been elicited certain methods, techniques and forms of studying process – active questioning, work in small groups of students, competition between groups of students, introspection. The authors of this article have worked out a survey, aimed at accessing the level of motivation. The results of the forming experiment are presented in the practical part of the article. It was possible to make a conclusion on the effectiveness of changing the types of students’ activities as well as the role of diverse forms of work during classes. The study proved that these factors influence the students’ motivation. The experiment also showed that student collective creative activity in small groups is the most effective when compared to other types of activities.Conclusion. The results of the carried experiment can serve as methodological recommendations on seminars in High school.