Implementation of problem situations to form a foreign language communicative competence of prospective teachers in English tutorials

Abstract

Introduction. Implementation of problem situations to form a foreign language communicative competence of prospective teachers in English tutorials is the main aspect of professionally oriented training and can intensify the educational process, stimulate cognitive students’ interest, and motivate them to learn foreign languages. Purpose. The purpose of this research is to highlight the main characteristics, peculiarities and types of problem situations that are used for training a foreign language communicative competence, and clear out the basic requirements, rules and ways of creating and applying problem situations as well. It is stated that the problem situation contains a difficult theoretical and practical question which demands learning, expansion, research in ratio with certain conditions and circumstances which create this or that situation. Methods. The comparative analysis of the creation of problem and nonproblem situations is given and examples of problem situations according to the topics of the curriculum “English for Professional Communication” for students of pedagogical specialities are presented. The basic features of successfully developed problems are characterized. They are connected with a real life and motivation of students; description of several related phenomena and events; necessity of group decision-making; need for learning new key concepts; adaption with previous knowledge; integration of thinking etc. The scientists describe in detail the sequence of application of problem situations in the process of topic studying, as well as the technology of work at every stage of processing of the problem situation by prospective teachers in English tutorials. Results. The analysis has shown that the communicative situation which contains a problem and requires its successful decision, promotes independent search activity of students, stimulates their cognitive interest, provides development of critical thinking and creative abilities of the participants involved in the discussion.