INTERNET CORRESPONDENCE AS A RESOURCE TO PROMOTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY (STUDY OF MOTIVATIONS)

Калашникова Н.Т., Мельников Е.С.

университет» г. Красноярск

Novelty of the study.

The use of Internet communication were recommended by teachers earlier along with other tools to revive the language lessons (plays, role-playing games, audio, video, and computer programs, immersion in a foreign language). However, there was no comprehensive scientific approach with implementation of action, arising from the research.

The analysis of the problem defined method of remediation, which was used for the most problematic category of pupils and revealed positive effect.
INTRODUCTION

Large part of senior pupils and students lose an active interest in foreign languages. Reasons are insufficient language training time and weak technology of individual study aimed at self-education. One of the ways to improve the training can become strengthening motivation to learn. There is large literature on motivation in general and on the motivation to foreign languages in particular. However, some proposed methods are too labour-consuming for a teacher. Others assume special computer technologies which can help only enough motivated pupils.

Pupil’s training activity is induced by hierarchy of motives, in which the principal must be internal motives associated with the need of a learner to take a position in the system of public relations. There are also external motives, they are demands of parents, school. Needs and motivations are developed with age.

To find a solution to the problem, we should analyze motivations of youth studying foreign languages.

1. 
   Study of motivation
   

The investigation was carried out by questionnaire as it allows to capture large quantity of learners. Questions are made to reveal presence of three kinds of motives to study: the internal, external positive and external negative. Strengthening of internal motives is desirable for improvement of quality of education.

The obtained data are presented in drawing 1. In the second class external motives prevail over internal ones (33,3 % against 27,8 %). In the third and the fourth classes picture varies: the share of internal motives grows, the share of the external decreases. In the fourth class a share of internal motives is 80 % and the share of external motives decreases to 12 %.

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YES %

(1-internal, 2-external motives), our data.

CLASSES

This change of motives dominating from external to internal, noted in initial classes, progresses further in middle and senior classes. It is natural, children mature and become more and more independent. Definition of a kind of prevailing motives is necessary for a choice of methods of pedagogical influence.

Questioning captured 198 pupils of 3-11 classes. Some of them (15 %) consider that foreign language study is necessary for the reason that it is a program subject. Others (20 %) see the educational importance in studying of this subject. The third (8 %) connect motive with possible use of language in their future practical activities. For some part (7 %) the motive is realised with a possible trip abroad. 15 % of pupils learn language for the sake of an estimation which gives the general point at admittance in higher educational institute. About 15 % are interested in learning a foreign language. It is basic motive for pupils of 4th and 5th classes. It is clear, their interest is based on novelty of a subject. About 4 % answered that foreign language is necessary for them because it is connected with their future trade (translator, teacher). The rest 16 % are not determed.

At first sight many pupils have motives to study foreign language. However the most part of pupils do not represent practical application of language in future.

Conclusions on secondary school

1) By the end of the 6th class stimulus to study language falls. This result of our research is in agreement with published data (Podlasova I.P).

2) Social and economic importance of a foreign language is not clear for the most part of pupils.

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city

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rural

3) Pupils are dissatisfied with their poor level of practical knowledge of a language. They feel feebleness at conversation, at listening to the text and at writing.

4) Now learners have no possibility to apply good speech skills and abilities, to improve and develop them out of lessons. It is a question of absence of communicative motivation which ideally should arise at lessons and have the further development on out-of-school employment.

However Siberia is in the centre of our big country, far from countries speaking another language, therefore it is difficult to get spoken practice here at present. Internal motives have changed, external motives do not play big role any more. Pupils and students are unreceptive to appeals to study well.

From a considerable quantity of known forms of interest activization to study a language we chose the Internet - dialogue with foreign contemporaries. The choice is proved by presence of some enough strong internal motives of youth which can be used for our object: a great interest of pupils to computer technologies, to correspondence with Russian-speaking friends through the Internet, availability of the Internet at school and in families of pupils. The big advantage of the method consists also in the fact that correspondence is independent business of each pupil and is carried out at home during after-lesson time. Teacher is released from necessity of carrying out of out-of-class employment. His role is limited to consultations during usual lessons.

Considering these advantages of the method, the methodical teaching aid «Friends on correspondence in English», developed in Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University by Melnikov E.S. [1] has been used. It allows to use safe (without danger of computer viruses and a pornography) way of search of foreign friends. The aid is completed with CD-disk with bilingual texts on widespread themes of youth correspondence. It allows to facilitate the most difficult stage of the correspondence - its beginning.

Comparative varification of motivation was carried out at group of pupils of 6-9th classes, i.e. at the least interested in foreign language pupils. Obtained data are presented in drawing 3. 47 pupils of the specified classes who used the manual and initiated correspondence with foreign friends participated in questionnaire. Results of the comparative analysis of questionnaires are presented on figure 4.

Drawing 4. Influence of Internet correspondence on motivation (our data)

YES %

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CLASSES

CLASSES

139 students of internal and correspondence branches of the Institute of Power Resources Management in Agrarian and Industrial Complex of the third and fourth courses have been questioned. The same school questionnaire was used. The motivation to a foreign language has the same failure in the middle of the training period and can be corrected by international correspondence. Results of research are fully adequate to the previous findings.

1. The carried out research definitively shows positive influence of Internet correspondence on internal motivation to foreign language study.

2. The applied technique developed in Krasnoyarsk State agrarian University by Melnikov E.S., impart knowledge of a foreign language more demanded and consequently more attractive to youth.

3. The task of increasing motivation of learners is executed. Using the Internet correspondence technique, learners of the most problematic groups have raised a motivation indicator to study foreign language and began to use a foreign language in their life.

4. Manual on Internet correspondence can be included in educational methodical materials for the organisation of foreign language teaching in all educational institutions for out-of-class work.

BIBLIOGRAFY

1. 
   Мельников Е.С. Друзья по переписке на английском языке. Penpals: учеб. метод. пособие / Е.С. Мельников; Краснояр.гос.аграр.ун-т. – Красноярск, 2009. – 15 с.
   

УДК 378.1