Certainty and the Linguistic Intervention Program in Foreign Language Learning

Abstract

The purpose of the research study was to investigate the dynamics and the stability of personal variable of certainty in foreign language learning through the tools of the Linguistic Intervention Program - LIP. The research study examined the effect the program had on certainty in foreign language performance as well as durability of the LIP on foreign language performance – one year after the program. The focus was drawn on two kinds of certainty: a) normal certainty I1 and pathological certainty I3. The Linguistic Intervention Program represented a method of active social learning, of self-directed learning, a set of specifically designed techniques and strategies of foreign language learning; for instance: cognitive, relaxation, cooperative, communicative techniques, and the techniques specifically designed for social perception and intercultural communication. The Linguistic Intervention Program emphasized on a natural way of learning foreign language. The research sample included 396 subjects - university students - studying various teaching programs at the of the Philosopher in the city of , . The research tool of Certainty-Uncertainty Scale served the purpose. The participating, first, second, and third-year students, enrolled for the seminars of foreign languages for specific academic purposes. The outcomes of the research showed remarkable findings of the variable certainty – normal and pathological; associated with the dynamics and the stability of foreign language performance through the means of the LIP. The results proved statistical significance in I1 and statistically significant higher score in time durability. The examined variable I3 was referred to as a relatively stabile characteristic in foreign language performance.