Modern Methods and Technologies for Developing Pre-Service Foreign Language and Culture Teachers` Methodological Competence

Abstract

Methodological training of pre-service foreign language and culture teachers is a top priority in pedagogical education nowadays. In this article, methodological competence is determined as methodological knowledge and methodological skills that provide the ability and willingness of pre-service foreign language and culture teachers to execute all types of their professional activities. To facilitate methodological knowledge acquisition, the authors suggest applying the test method and information & communication technologies (ICT). This paper substantiates the expediency of using a case study method for building Master’s students’ methodological skills of analysing and correcting methodological errors, creating foreign language lesson plans for integrated developing of linguistic, discourse, lingua-socio-cultural, and strategic competencies. Professional methodological cases are considered as the means of implementing a case study method in teacher training process. Game method, namely professional role-playing games, are employed to foster Master’s students’ methodological skills to prepare and teach lessons for integrated reinforcement of linguistic, discourse, lingua-socio-cultural, and strategic competencies. We recommend using a project-based method to train pre-service foreign language and culture teachers to choose and select course materials, devise activities, exercises, games, aids, case studies, tests, assessments, project-based tasks, etc. Professional methodological projects are used as the instruments for applying a project-based method in teacher training at tertiary schools. On the basis of their experimental experience, the researchers substantiate the efficiency of using test method, case study method, game method, project-based method, and ICT for developing a methodological competence of pre-service foreign language and culture teachers as well as demonstrate some practical aspects of implementing these methods and technologies in the educational process. 167 Master’s students of Kyiv National Linguistic University participated in the experiment which was held in 2016-2018. The experimental teaching resources consisted of tests for students’ autonomous methodological knowledge acquisition in the course of their self-guarded extracurricular work in Moodle and professional methodological assignments with the use of the aforementioned methods. The analysis of experimental data showed that altogether test method, case study method, game method, project-based method, and ICT contribute significantly to developing pre-service foreign language and culture teachers’ methodological competence. The issues and findings raised in the article indicate that larger implications of this research and avenues for further studies are connected with substantiating the structure and content of the electronic course book for pre-service foreign language and culture teachers aimed at developing their methodological competence with the use of modern educational methods and technologies.