The Efficacy of the Case Study Method in Teaching Foreign Languages to Students and Learners in Various Language Courses at Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Nowadays, learning foreign languages is a relevant issue for both students and professionals in different fields of industry. The purpose of this article is to consider the Case Study method, its advantages and efficacy and cogency in comparison with other methods of foreign language teaching and to present the analysis of the results of the study of the application of this method in foreign language classes with students and practitioners (students of business programs and business courses), presenting their perception and attitude to the use of this method in classes. "Case Study", a case study method, is the method of situational learning used to solve practical educational tasks in foreign language teaching. It is based on a problematic situation, either simulated or real, which needs to be analysed, assessed, discussed and solutions to be found. The authors surveyed foreign language students of Kazan Federal University, practitioners and learners of various foreign language programmes and courses for different purposes. The questions posed to the learners about the difficulty of performing the tasks, cognitive interest in this method and effectiveness of its application in foreign language classes were investigated and analyzed. The research on this issue showed both the effectiveness of this method and the necessity of its use in foreign language learning. At the same time, the analysis of the responses also led to the conclusion that an individual approach to work with different categories of learners is advisable.