Uncertainty and Linguistic Intervention Programme

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate the dynamics and stability of the personal variable – Uncertainty – in the process of foreign language learning through a linguistic intervention programme (LIP). It is focussed on investigating the influence of LIP on uncertainty in foreign-language utterance. We observe three degrees of uncertainty: normal uncertainty (N1), increased uncertainty (N2) and pathological uncertainty (N3). The LIP represents a method of active social learning, autonomous learning and also a set of strategies and specific methods of foreign language learning, i.e. decision making methods, identification methods, relaxation, co-operation and communication techniques. The focus of these techniques is to support, simplify and ease communication in a foreign language, and also to repress the uncertainty in an individual's performance. The LIP is based on the natural acquisition of a foreign language. The research was carried out at the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, in which 396 university students participated and in which the Certainty-Uncertainty Scale ( Kovac, 1969 ) was used. The results showed noteworthy findings in the direction of dynamics or the stability of uncertainty and also in the direction of supporting or stopping of uncertainty in the process of foreign language learning.