Foreign Language Competence Research Articles

Formation of the foreign language competence of future physical education teachers when working with digital didactic flash cards

The problem and the aim of the study. Modernization of higher education opens up new prospects for the use of electronic resources in ensuring the quality of foreign language education. The use of interactive tools (simulators, flash cards, virtual boards) meets the requirements for training programs of physical education teachers and the challenges of the international sports movement. The purpose of the work is to study the possibilities of using digital flash cards in training future physical education teachers to develop their foreign language communicative competence. Research methods. The study involved 54 first- and second-year students of Vyatka State University (Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology) (Russian Federation). Training program: 44.03.01 Pedagogical education, Physical education and sports (bachelor's degree level). The Quizlet online platform was used to work with digital flash cards. The test contains questions grouped into the blocks “Digital educational technologies” and “Foreign language in communication (physical education and sports)”. For statistical processing of data, the Pearson's chi-squared test was used. Results. The system of working with flash cards in foreign language professional communication of physical education teachers is described: studying the functionality, working with ready-made sets of cards, automating and improving lexical units, developing thematic sets. A special feature of the program is the adaptation of its content to the specifics of the field of study. In independent work and online collaboration, students of the experimental group used Flashcards, Speller, Scatter, Quizlet Live modes. Statistically significant differences in the qualitative changes that occurred in the level of foreign language training were determined (χ2 = 8.179; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the possibilities of including flash cards in the training of physical education teachers are formulated: competition and receiving positive emotions; resources for self-development, etc. Difficulties are also highlighted: low initial level of language qualification and digital skills; different motivation; dependence of the learning process on sports specialization.

Foreign military journalists in Manchuria in 1904-1905: features of daily activities

The author examines some aspects of the daily activities of foreign war correspondents who accompanied the Manchurian army in the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The article is based on texts published by journalists, materials from foreign periodicals, documentation from military and foreign ministries. Attention is paid both to the everyday peculiarities of the professional conditions of accredited journalists in Manchuria, and to the characteristics of the social environment, which had a significant impact on the process of collecting information in the theater of military operations. The issues of interaction of foreign correspondents with representatives of the Russian army, the local Chinese population and other reporters are touched upon, which is closely related to their possession of relevant foreign language competencies. The dynamics of the number of foreign military personnel in the theater of war and its connection with the course of hostilities are analyzed. The use of the historical and comparative method made it possible to identify common and special features in the situation of foreign reporters and other guests of Manchuria. The differences revealed in the characteristics of daily activities between foreign war correspondents and representatives of the Russian press, as a rule, were associated with a language barrier for foreigners and greater distrust of them on the part of censorship authorities. In comparison with military attaches, correspondents noted the complete independence of the journalistic corps in solving everyday issues in Manchuria. In the course of the study, several stages were identified in the dynamics of the number of foreign reporters in the theater of war. The correlation of the pace of correspondents' accreditations with events at the front has been revealed and demonstrated. It has been established that the 1904 campaign, especially its summer and autumn events, received the most attention from foreign journalists. For the first time, a range of issues is outlined for the study of which the legacy of foreign war correspondents may have the greatest scientific and cognitive value.

The use of innovative technologies for teaching the humanities

The study of the flipped classroom methods is important for improving the quality of education and the effectiveness of learning in the context of modern technological changes and growing interest in distance education. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the use of the flipped classroom model in learning a foreign language for professional purposes. Testing was used to diagnose the effectiveness of assimilation of educational material, which included various types of tasks: multiple response, error correction, matching, fill in the blanks, open-ended tasks, completed responses. The total number of tasks is 25 (5 for each type) and questionnaires to determine the level of satisfaction with educational video materials and online learning. Tests and questionnaires were pre-validated according to the research objectives. The obtained results (χ2emp = 8.095 > χ2 0.05 = 7.815) gave grounds to conclude that the blended learning model of flipped classroom in the development of foreign language competence is more effective than traditional learning. The experiment showed that this format helps students implement an individual learning trajectory, which contributes to improving academic performance. It was determined that the effectiveness of using this model depends on the quality of video materials and students’ ability to organize their own independent work. The prospects of further research фку the study of the influence of the application of the flipped classroom model on the students’ learning motivation.

Forming Foreign Language Communicative Competence of Future Ukrainian Armed Forces Officers by Means of Information and Communication Technologies

The article examines strategies employed in foreign language learning which involve employment of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the process of language acquisition in order to create, adapt, and efficiently utilize teaching resources that contribute to the formation of foreign language communicative competence of the future Ukrainian Armed Forces officers. It has been found that the proposed strategies increase the quality of education due to a high level of authenticity and informational relevance, form a stable positive motivation to master the language both in formal and informal settings, contribute to the creation of a situation of success. The findings of the research in introducing ICT in the system of officers language training are based on the experience of teaching the disciplines «Foreign Language» and «Foreign Language for Professional Purposes» during the bachelor's level of education to cadets of the 27 Automobile Transport Specialty at the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Army Academy. The sources analysis and the description of the empirical experience of the implementation of ICT tools into the course content are the main research methods employed in the article. The specifics of incorporating ICT in foreign language teaching are outlined in the article, specifying the didactic potential of the aforementioned technologies in increasing the intensity of the learning process, creation of more visual and interesting classes, ensuring instant feedback, enhancing motivation for learners’ cognitive activity, engaging more passive learners, activating learners’ mental abilities, fostering their abstract and logical thinking, and promoting individualization and intensification of learning through independent work with digital resources. Conclusion was made that due to personalization, accessibility, trust, flexibility, productivity, and interactivity, forming and active using of learners’ learning strategies utilizing various ICT in the process of language learning is favourable for acquisition of foreign language competence.

Developing oral competence within foreign language acquisition context

In the context of contemporary educational priorities and directions, foreign language competence is considered an integral asset for a successful career. In response, educators are tasked with employing effective pedagogical methods and instructional strategies that expedite the acquisition of language skills among their students. Their goal is to facilitate swift language mastery while ensuring the lasting retention of acquired knowledge, enabling its effective application in various communicative contexts. Concerning the evaluation of the effectiveness of foreign language learning, we emphasize that immersing learners in authentic communication situations greatly enhances productive learning. However, improving oral skills, particularly when encountering intricate psychological and cultural barriers, poses challenges that have yet to receive comprehensive examination. As criteria for determining the complex ratio of various factors in the speakerʼs communicative interaction with the language material, we propose a method that involves analyzing the gradual development of oral intentions, acts, and sequences. These stages include the initial phase, which entails delineating objectives, tasks, and the extent of communication; the second stage, focusing on the speakerʼs collection of information related to the language context; the third stage, oriented toward clarifying the communicative roles of participants and defining the socio-cultural context; and the fourth stage, where the dialogue seamlessly integrates into the sequence of communicative acts and conversational patterns. We assert that during the communication process, there arises a need to generate supplementary lexical resources. At this juncture, it is paramount for the teacher to foster the development of a mechanism enabling students to monitor and self-assess their language proficiency. The selected pedagogical methods should be thoughtfully structured to facilitate the transition of knowledge from the realm of comprehension to that of production, ultimately culminating in the capacity to think and articulate thoughts in a foreign language. Communicative competence in a target language extends beyond the confines of classroom instruction. Therefore, educators should design the learning process in a manner that fosters self-directed skill enhancement and nurtures studentsʼ intrinsic motivation for independent practice.

СУЧАСНИЙ СТАН І РЕЗУЛЬТАТ ПРОФЕСІЙНО-МЕТОДИЧНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ МАЙБУТНІХ ВЧИТЕЛІВ ФРАНЦУЗЬКОЇ МОВИ ЯК ІНОЗЕМНОЇ У ЗАКЛАДІ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ

The article is devoted to the study of the current state and results of professional and methodological training of the pre-service French teachers. The pre-service French teachers get a higher education according to the educational program “Foreign languages and literatures, methods of teaching foreign languages and foreign literature (French and a second Western European language)” in the specialty 014 Secondary education, specialization 014.023 French language and literature for the first (bachelor) level of higher education. To achieve the goal of the research, qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The qualitative methods included an anonymous survey of students in order to find out their attitude to the organization of the educational process, to demonstrate how the students evaluate the acquired methodical knowledge and skills in the process of French teacher’s professional and methodical activity in general secondary education institutions, to show students’ attitude towards the organization of pedagogical practice in the French language in institutions of general secondary education, as well as the assessment by students of the level of acquired methodical skills for carrying out the professional and methodical activity of a French teacher and the assessment by the teacher according to established criteria. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of reliability was used as a quantitative method to process the obtained results in order to determine the results of professional and methodological training and the professional and methodical competence formation of the pre-service French teachers. In the research, it was found that the professional and methodological training of the pre-service teachers of French as a foreign language lasts for four semesters. The professional and methodological training is carried out within the mandatory (curricular discipline “Methodology of teaching French in institutions of general secondary education” and practical training, which is implemented in two types of pedagogical practice) and optional disciplines. In order to expand the content of targeted training (in the period of 2021-2022 academic year), the preservice French teachers chose the following optional disciplines: “Testing in French language learning” and “Methodology for the formation of French-speaking linguistic and sociocultural competence”). Within the academic disciplines, the pre-service French teachers mastered methodical knowledge and skills of planning lessons by developing plans of the lessons’ parts and the whole French language lessons. They used various teaching aids, independently developed non-standardized tests for the formative assessment of the foreign language competence, and integrated linguistic and sociocultural competences. The preservice French teachers apply their knowledge and skills in the proposed conditions – training (during the educational pedagogical practice “Educational Studies (methodical aspect)”) and real (during the production pedagogical practice in an institution of general secondary education). In the process of professional and methodical training, current and summative types of assessment are applied. The criteria for control were established by the teacher. The results of the professional and methodological training of the pre-service French teachers during the educational process as well as the results of the exam and the results of their performance of tasks of various types of pedagogical practice were analyzed. The results were higher than 0.7 according to Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of reliability. This proves the sufficient level of formation of the professional and methodological competence of the pre-service French teachers under the specified educational program. On the basis of the conducted research, recommendations were formulated to increase the effectiveness of the professional and methodological training of the preservice French teachers: 1) widely use self-assessment and peer-assessment; 2) compare the students’ assessment with teachers; 3) analyze and interpret the obtained results; 4) systematically involve students in reflection, in particular methodical; 5) to involve the students in different types of pedagogical practice. It is promising to study the impact of the content and scope of professional and methodological training on the achievement of program learning outcomes within educational programs in the specialty 014 Secondary education for the training of the pre-service French teachers.

Conditions for the Formation of Foreign Language Communicative Competence of Technical Specialty Students in the Process of Studying a Foreign Language in Higher Educational Institutions

This article is devoted to the problem of determining the conditions for the formation of foreign language communicative competence of students of technical specialties in the process of learning a foreign language in higher education institutions (hereinafter – HEI). The purpose of the article is to characterize the conditions for the formation of foreign language communicative competence of students of technical specialties in the process of learning a foreign language in a HEI and to reveal the methodological features of ensuring these conditions in practice. To conduct this study, the following research methods were used: analysis of psychological, pedagogical and methodological literature, systematization and generalization of different views on the formation of foreign language communicative competence of technical students in the process of learning a foreign language in a HEI. Results. The article gives a brief description of the concept of «foreign language communicative competence», shows the need for the formation and improvement of foreign language communicative competence in the process of training students of technical specialties in the totality of its components. Based on the analysis of scientific research, which examines different approaches of foreign and Ukrainian researchers in determining the content and conditions for the formation of foreign language communicative competence, the conditions for the formation of foreign language competence of students of technical specialties were characterized and methodological features of their provision in practice were revealed. These conditions are: the continuity of foreign language training at HEIs, which takes into account the multi-level structure of professional training at HEIs (bachelor-master); the professional-practical orientation of foreign language learning for students of technical specialties within the framework of cognitive, activity and emotional-value components of professional training; a combination of competence (target component), communicative (methodical component) and personal-oriented (emotional-value component) approaches to the organization of the process of foreign language training of students of technical specialties; ensuring the information and content coordination of the educational discipline «Foreign language» with the educational disciplines of general professional and professional training; the use of group and individual-group methods of organization of learning, interactive learning methods, adequate to the activity component of the content of foreign language learning and emotional and value attitude to the profession in foreign language classes; the use of strategies for learning a foreign language in order to determine the individual trajectory of the student's educational development, ensuring the possibility of independently choosing the sequence and depth of studying the material. Conclusions. The author makes a conclusion that the implementation of the competency-based approach is becoming a factor in supporting a single educational, professional qualification, cultural and value space, a factor in Ukraine's integration into the global educational space, which opens up wide access to the educational space of the world community for modern Ukrainian students, and makes the problems of teaching foreign languages at a qualitatively new level extremely relevant and requiring detailed research.

The formation of foreign language competence of future teachers when working with flash cards

Problem statement . The modernization of higher education is a good ground for the use of electronic resources in ensuring accessibility, continuity and quality of teaching foreign languages. The use of interactive tools (simulators, flash cards, virtual whiteboards) meets the requirements to educational training programs for students of pedagogical directions and the challenges of modern society. A flash card is a card with a word, a concept, an image on one side and a translation on the other. The study aimed at substantiating the effectiveness of the use of flash cards for the formation of foreign language competence of future teachers. Methodology . Theoretical and methodological analysis and generalization were used to determine trends in the development of language education, the inclusion of informatization tools in foreign language activities and professional communication. The online platform Quizlet was chosen to work with ready-made flash cards and to create new thematic sets in digital format. The questions for the control work grouped into two blocks “Digital educational technologies” (50 points) and “Foreign language in professional communication” (50 points) were compiled. The study involved 54 students from Vyatka State University (the direction of 44.03.05 “Pedagogical education”, with two training profiles, bachelor's degree level). Pearson's chi-squared criterion was applied at the stage of statistical processing of the results. Results . The system of working with flash cards in the foreign language professional communication of future teachers is described: the study of the Quizlet functionality, working with ready-made sets of cards, automating and improving lexical units, developing their own thematic sets. In the course of independent work and network collaboration the students of the experimental group used Flashcards, Speller, Scatter, Quizlet Live modes. Statistically significant differences in the qualitative changes that occurred in the level of formation of foreign language competence were determined. Conclusion. The use of flash cards in the preparation of students of pedagogical specialties has a significant didactic potential for the development of their foreign language competence: the effect of immersion, competitiveness and obtaining positive emotions; resources for independent language learning in extracurricular time; overcoming the language barrier in the virtual gaming environment of information interaction. However, there are some drawbacks: monotony of forms for tests, lack of opportunity to practice pronunciation, partial support of operating modes in the mobile version.

Implementation of visual mind mapping strategy to improve students’ language competence

The opportunities of the educational process can be expanded through the use of innovative mechanisms. The aim of the work is to determine the effectiveness of teaching as a result of the implementation of the Visual Mind Mapping strategy to improve students’ foreign language competence. The aim was achieved using the general theoretical method of comparison, calculation of the concordance coefficient, the efficiency coefficient, the Whitney-Wilk test. Learning was ensured through the development of educational mechanisms, which consisted in the visualization of information and the development of intellectual activity. The study of new words, the use of digital technologies (Writer, Rosetta Stone, Busuu), the development of communication skills, and the development of professional skills were also provided. It was found among students that the use of Visual Mind Mapping contributes to obtaining a high level of knowledge in a shorter time. Focusing on Kirkpatrick model made it possible to establish that the majority of students acquired a high level of foreign language competence after testing their knowledge. The students have a positive attitude to learning using Visual Mind Mapping. The practical significance of the article is the possibility of involving innovative technologies for learning a foreign language. The prospects of further research are to compare the effectiveness of learning with the use of Visual Mind Mapping for junior and senior year students.

Theoretical Model for Developing Professionally Oriented Foreign Language Competence in the Field of Spa and Wellness Services

The issue related to the quality of the employees in tourism is one of the most significant factors for the certification of the places in the SPA and Wellness industry. The efficiency and benefits from the provided products depend to a great extent on the knowledge and skills of the people working in this sphere. The increasing requirements for the language competence of the specialists in SPA and Wellness predetermine the necessity of designing a modern model for building professional foreign language competence. The aim of this study is to suggest some contemporary approaches to improving the language preparation in English and Russian of employees working in the field of SPA and Wellness services. The suggested foreign language model is aimed at creating practical habits for using English and Russian language and developing some basic communicative competence needed for professional realization. The model of education meets both linguistic and methodological guidelines and the peculiar requirements for professionally oriented training in a foreign language for specific purposes.

The Today's Linguistic Paradigm: The Problem of Investigating Emotional Intelligence in the Learning of a Foreign Language

The relevance of the article is due to the increasing attention of researchers in the field of psychology and pedagogy to the problem of formation and development of emotional intelligence as a necessary component of the process of learning a foreign language. Success in professional and personal sphere to a large extent depends on the ability of a person to understand and accept the manifestation of their own and other people's emotional states. Social skills possessed by people with developed emotional intelligence include, first of all, the ability to control their own emotions and the emotions of other people. The development of such skills is especially necessary nowadays, when the use of digital technologies is growing and the value of interpersonal interactions is decreasing. The article defines the essence of the concept of "emotional intelligence"; defines approaches to the definition of the effectiveness criteria of teaching the English language and their relationship with emotional intelligence; investigates the emotional aspect of forming foreign language competences; investigates emotional intelligence in cadets and their relationship with foreign language competences. In our article the most effective way to develop emotional intelligence are the types and types of tasks that promote students' activity in dialogic and monologic statements, as well as in class discussions. In this organization of pedagogical activities students communicate and share their ideas in English.

The Enlightenment of the Foreign Language Competency Cultivation at West Point to the Reform of Foreign Language Curriculum in China’s Military Academies

Foreign language capabilities facilitate combat effectiveness. United States Military Academy at West Point is relatively experienced in cultivating the foreign language capabilities of the cadets since they believe US army is globally committed. The paper first makes a general introduction of the mission, the Overarching Academic Goal and the academic program, then details on the curriculum system of foreign languages and the student learning outcomes and summarizes the salient features of its cultivating of foreign language capabilities in five sections. In order to enlighten the foreign language course reform in China's military academies, five suggestions are drawn in the aspects of the scope of foreign languages, the class size, cultural education, military and political attainment and interdisciplinary integration.

Issues of equity and inclusion in Virtual Exchange

Abstract The increasing recognition of the limitations of physical mobility programs has led Foreign Language departments to consider online approaches such as Virtual Exchange (VE) and Blended Mobility as alternatives in international education. These online approaches have the potential to promote inclusion and diversity by providing opportunities for student cohorts who are unable to participate in traditional mobility programs. However, there are still challenges and barriers that need to be addressed, related to foreign language competence, digitalization, and structural gaps in educational systems. In this paper, I review the arguments and the evidence for and against the belief that VE can be a force for greater inclusion in international learning, before going on to explore the issue of equity of engagement in VE projects.

From GE to ESP: technology of educational work with professional authentic foreign language materials for junior medical students

Introduction. Research competencies, including the skills of working with professional foreign language literature, various authentic sources, the ability to work with specialized scientific databases forms the basis of modern professional training of medical students. Aim. Description of the author's model of working with authentic foreign language materials for junior medical students and justification of the technology of organizing educational activities using specially selected authentic materials at the stage of the transition from general foreign language disciplines to professional communication. The subject of the study was the stage of transition from the general course of a foreign (English) language (GE) to a professional one (ESP). Materials and methods. The research is based on the cascade principle of the formation of foreign language competencies of medical students. This principle presupposes the systematization and practical application of general language knowledge, on the basis of which professionally significant communication skills are formed. The methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, comparative studies were used, which made it possible to assess the relationship between the system of professional medical education and the use of authentic foreign language materials in this process. The empirical study was implemented by integrating professional questionnaires (needs analysis) [24] into D. Kirkpatrick's four-type model for evaluating the effectiveness of training during the transition from GE to ESP at the beginning and at the end of training. The study was conducted during one academic year (September 2022 – June 2023) in classes in the disciplines "Foreign language (General English)" and "English for professional communication (ESP/EAP)" at the Faculty of Medical Science (N. V. Sklifosovsky Institute of Clinical Medicine, Sechenov University). The respondents of the study were 80 medical students of junior courses (1st and 2nd year students) of the level of English proficiency "Intermediate" (B1+) and "Upper-Intermediate" (B2+). Results. The results of the study showed that medical students from the study group reacted positively to the introduction of professional authentic foreign language materials into the educational process. The developed model of designing educational work allowed to form and put into practice the technologies of the educational process relevant to the professional field of medicine, which increases not only the foreign language communication of students, but also their professional competencies. Conclusion. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the parameters of the developed model of the application of actual authentic materials into the educational process of professional training of medical specialists. The obtained results can be used in professional medical education, improving and improving the process of training professional personnel at the level of development of research and socially significant foreign language competencies.

Model Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah (Problem Based Learning) dalam Pembelajaran Bahasa Asing di Perguruan Tinggi

This research is a collaborative scientific and qualitative study (mixed method) using the concurrent transformative strategy method, which aims to obtain data and information related to the effectiveness of problem-based learning models in foreign language learning in higher education. The research was conducted at the Department of Foreign Language Education, Faculty of Language and Literature, State University of Makassar. The population of this study is all students in the even semester of the 2021/2022 academic year. This study's sample is all students in the second semester of the German, Arabic, and Chinese Language Education Study Program. Research data were obtained from participatory observations, tests and documentation. The instrument of this study is an observation sheet for learning activities and competency tests for foreign languages (German, Arabic, and Chinese). The qualitative data of this study were analysed using the Miles and Hubermann model, which consisted of four stages: data collection, data reduction, data presentation and conclusion. Meanwhile, the research data were analysed using IBM SPSS 26. The study results show that students' foreign language competence through a problem-based learning model is in the moderate category. The average effect of learning German for students was 78.87. The average score of students was 78.43, and students' Chinese outcomes were 78.95. Related to the effectiveness of problem-based learning models on foreign language learning, on German language learning, problem-based learning models are effective in listening competence, writing skills and speaking skills. Problem-based learning models could be more effective against reading competence. The problem-based learning model for Arabic and Chinese improves writing and speaking skills. The learning model could be more effective in listening and reading competencies.

THE INDIVIDUAL APPROACH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCES

The article given is dedicated to the problem of using individual approach in teaching with the following analysis of interconnection of this approach and forming of competences. The characteristic of approaches of modern scientists to the definition of a “competence” is given, the structure of the foreign language competence is analyzed. The substantiation of importance in differentiation of competences on the basis of a hard/soft basis is given, the analysis of forming soft competences is observed, the role of using individual approach while forming soft foreign language competences is highlighted.

Seafarers’ Readiness to Communicate in Professional Environment

The topic of formation of seafarers’ foreign-language communicative competence has always been relevant. Modern changes in the organization of the educational process due to crisis events such as the pandemic and hostilities have prompted search for new ways to increase the efficiency of teaching English to future seafarers at higher education institutions. The purpose of the study was to determine the components of readiness to communicate in the professional environment. Methodological tools for diagnosing the formation of various components of students' readiness for communication in the foreign language were developed. Surveys were carried out to collect primary information as well as tests to assess the state of development of foreign language competence and to find out weaknesses and strengths in the communicative activity of students. The result of the research was the development of criteria for assessing the formation of readiness of future seafarers for foreign language communication in the professional environment. We have identified the following components in a theoretical and empirical way: motivational, cognitional, emotional, volitional, linguistic, and social. Empirical studies have shown that the active motivation of students is not sufficiently developed, while the motivation to learn the language is at a high level; thus, the development of readiness to act will become relevant for teachers. After identifying the components of communication that need to be formed, we came to the conclusion that teachers should be ready to form them, be ready for changes in approaches to teaching, have motivation and certain abilities to change and introduce innovations. Thus, we consider the process of forming readiness for communication in the relationship between the readiness of the teacher and that of the student.

The Mingle Technique as an Additional Model for Developing Foreign Language Competence

The “Minglеˮ technique has the potential to develop both the speaking skills of foreign language learners and their accuracy in terms of grammar and vocabulary. The purpose of the present study is to present the technique in all its varieties, to outline its advantages and disadvantages, and to test its effectiveness in terms of developing accuracy in the formation of sentences in the present simple tense. The study was conducted with 88 fourth-grade students, divided into two groups – experimental and control during the academic year 2021/2022. The results of the study were analysed according to five indicators and the performance of the experimental group was on average 9.4% better than that of the control group. This difference gives reason to consider that the “Mingle” technique is an effective exercise that improves learners' ability to apply the knowledge related to the studied grammar. It also increases the opportunity for oral practice and gets learners moving in class.

Quasi-experimental study on fostering creativity through creative writing in German as a Foreign Language (GFL) in COVID-19

Background: In this paper, creative language teaching and learning will be discussed in the context of subject-based development of creativity that supports learning performance. Although there are several benefits of creative teaching and learning methods, creative writing tasks are not typical in foreign language education. The main focus of this study is developing a creative writing test in GFL education. Methods: The pilot study was implemented in a primary school in Hungary in 2020/2021 and introduces a model to enhance creativity in German as a Foreign Language (GFL) classroom through creative writing tasks. In the pilot experiment, pre- and post-test design was used. Results: Results of the study show that there is significant correlation between creative writing and creative thinking skills, measured with a Language Proficiency Test for Creative Writing Skills and the Test for Creative Thinking/Drawing Development (TCT-DP) by Urban and Jellen (1996). The results indicate that our creative writing skills assessment instrument is valid for measuring creative performance in GFL, however in the development of creative writing we could not prove significant changes in the experimental group, probably because of the online teaching situation during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Conclusion: Creative writing is an important tool for enhancing divergent thinking and foreign language competence. Through creative writing tasks, students engage with the language more intensively and their creative, imaginative thinking skills develop. For the evaluation of students’ creative texts analytical rubrics have been developed and they proved to be appropriate. However, despite the exciting and thought-provoking exercises, more motivation and criterion-oriented feedback is needed to support the creative learning process in an online learning environment.

Formation of foreign language competence of future lawyers/law enforcement officers: Contemporary challenges

The article highlights an increasingly popular English teaching form in 2021-2022. The authors realize the most effective ways and methodologies to form foreign language competence of future lawyers and law enforcement officers. The article reveals that these methodologies can overcome contemporary challenges, including the Pandemic and Global destabilization. The article under consideration aims to demonstrate pedagogical approaches, interactive applications, and digitalized resources that, in theoretical and practical terms, have a positive experience in training future law enforcement officers in disciplines such as "Foreign Language" and "Foreign Language for Professional Purposes" at higher educational establishments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. The study proves the author's method of forming foreign language competence of future lawyers/law enforcement officers using educational web technologies, which have the following components: pedagogical and organizational, users, language, social, and technical. The methodology expresses the following conceptual principles: multilevel nature of foreign language teaching which involves the formation of students' different communicative competencies per the European recommendations on language education; communicative orientation of learning foreign languages, which allows students to form competencies on which the success and effectiveness of intercultural communication depend; organization of foreign language training based on professionally-oriented material; integration of educational Web and pedagogical technologies (blended learning, methods of projects and case technologies, students' electronic language portfolio) which allow implementing the principle of individual approach to learning foreign languages; informal education in foreign language training at higher educational institutions with specific conditions of learning taking into account the gender approach in the process of forming the foreign language competence of future law enforcement officers. Based on the study, the authors concluded that the availability and prevalence of educational Web-technologies allow their use as an integrated part of foreign language training of non-philological students, especially in a blended learning format. Furthermore, the obtained experimental data allowed the formulation of methodological recommendations corresponding to the research results.