THE SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONALLY ORIENTED ENGLISH SPEAKING

Abstract

An important component of foreign language communicative competence of teachers who implement subject-language integrated learning (CLIL) is their professionally oriented competence in speaking, which, as evidenced by experience in teaching foreign languages in Ukraine and the world, needs improvement.The relevant research analysis also indicates the actuality of developing CLIL teachers’ linguistic competence. The research aims at substantiating a sequence of activities for the development of professionally oriented speaking skills of CLIL teachers. It has been established that the requirements for the level of language proficiency of teachers are not the same in different educational contexts and are determined in the range from level B1 to C2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference. The sequence of activities has been developed within the electronic refresher course for teachers. The necessity to ensure the development of professionally oriented speaking competence of subject teachers through formal education and self-education, in particular, via an electronic course has been substantiated. E. Gierlinger’s L4C model has been analysed and recognized as the basis for the development of exercises and tasks for the e-course lesson “Language” within the topic “CLIL in the classroom”. The structure of the sequence of exercises and tasks, their types and kinds have been determined. We consider it expedient to distinguish two groups of exercises in the sequence structure: 1) to improve general speaking skills and abilities; 2) to improve professionally-oriented speaking skills. The sequence includes receptive non-communicative, reproductive semi-communicative exercises for substitution of elements into speech patterns, transformation and additions, expansion and completion of speech patterns, answers to questions, productive semi-communicative exercises for combining speech patterns into supra-phrase dialogic units monologues and dialogues) and communicative tasks. Examples of these exercises and tasks have been given. Exercises and tasks of the sequence have been discussed with colleagues, piloted in classes on methods of teaching foreign languages, and approved by experts. A conclusion has been made about the need to increase the motivation of teachers to self-education to teach subjects in a foreign language. The prospect of further research lies in peer evaluation of the course content and piloting the course on the MOODLE platform.