December 20, 2020 the Department of Foreign Languages of the Philology Faculty at the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University held online seminar entitled "Becoming a better teacher: exploring professional development".
The seminar was devoted to the problems of an effective methodology, opportunities for systematic self-improvement of teachers in foreign languages teaching of higher education in modern realities, improving the quality of teaching English, in particular, its theoretical and practical aspects of conducting independent work of students, using culture-based material, using effective online programs in using these types of work and recommendations for improving the directions of online foreign languages teaching and learning were considered.
The following teachers presented their topics of speeches:
1) Organization of self independent work of students on line – Otyzbayeva K.Zh, Dyussengaliyeva A.A.
2) Etnokulturnye komponenty na zanyatiakh inostrannogo yazyka [Этнокультурные компоненты на занятиях иностранного языка] – Zhussupova G.M.
3) Culture Component in Foreign Language Teaching – Kurmanayeva D.K.
Senior lecturers Otyzbaeva K. Zh. and Dyussengaliyeva A.A. in their speech in English on the topic "Organization of self independent work of students on line", the main emphasis was made on the independent work of students on which the educational process at the university is based. It is one of the main means of improving university education, improving the quality of training, because according to the speakers, it teaches them to replenish their knowledge and to navigate the flow of scientific information.
The speakers presented theoretical and practical material, where the main aspect was pointed to independent work - as a means by which you can teach students to study English systematically, actively and consciously, and for some students it can be carried out qualitatively only with a consulting teacher. The result of the practical part of the presentation was the statement that students' independent work must be planned, controlled, objectively and timely evaluated.
At the end of their presentation Otyzbaeva K.Zh. and Dyusengalieva A.A. were asked a question by a candidate of pedagogical sciences, associate professor M.Zh. Tussupbekova about the clarification of the concept "Making Wise Choices", which is one of the main aspects that are included in the process of developing an independent work, to which a detailed answer was given. Doctor PhD, acting associate professor of the department Kurmanayeva D.K. thanked for the provided SIW criteria, which are necessary for the first semester of this year at the bachelor's department.
The second speaker senior lecturer Zhussupova G.M. presented the speech entitled: “Etnokulturnye komponenty na zanyatiakh inostrannogo yazyka [Этнокультурные компоненты на занятиях иностранного языка]”
In the speech of G.M. Zhussupova the most relevant technologies in foreign languages teaching, such as cluster technology, syncwine technology or "Elfchen", project method, station teaching method, Wortigel method or Mind-mapping, and a number of electronic educational applications like Learning Apps, Kahoot, Quizlet were presented and described.
Master, senior lecturer Nurbekova G. Zh. gave a positive assessment of the speech and expressed the hope that the use of the ethnoculture component in the educational process will be continued by the teachers of the department, as this increases the motivation to learn a foreign language and significantly enriches the ethnoculture-based knowledge and ideas of students.
The third speaker - acting associate professor Kurmanayeva D.K. presented the speech entitled “Culture Component in Foreign Language Teaching”. She considered how to use the culture component as a didactic tool to meet the curriculum requirements. Region-based material was considered as a culture-based material, its implementation took place in the process of foreign language teaching at Zhezkazgan University.
The main idea of this presentation was that if the content of foreign language teaching is systematized and constructed on the culture/region-based materials, then the content of foreign language teaching will contribute to the development of multiculturalism and readiness for intercultural communication of students of non- linguistic educational programs, since the students will receive creative knowledge of local history and the culture of the Kazakh people. Taking into account the culture component in English language classes of non-linguistic specialties is implemented by using various texts of ethnoculture content in the learning process.
Senior lecturer Otyzbayeva K. Zh. asked questions about the practical material, which provides information about the historical monuments of the Zhezkazgan region and the ways of using this material by ENU students. Comprehensive answers were given to these questions.
The fourth point of seminar was a discussion of the textbooks planned for publication in 2021:
1) Textbook of c.p.s, acting associate professor Mukhtarkhanova A.M. for specialties "Kazakh tili zhane Adebieti [Қазақ тілі және әдебиеті]", "Orys tili zhane Adebieti [Орыс тілі және әдебиеті]", "Philology [Филология]" for bachelor's specialties. A detailed analysis of the textbook was presented, where the lexical material and all types of work on the texts presented in the textbook were considered.
2) Study manual by D.E. Sagimbayeva, D.K. Kurmanayeva, G.Z. Tazhitova. and N.S. Kassymbekova entitled “English course book “Environment and Natural resources protection” for Master students of “Management and Engineering in the field of Environmental Protection specialties”, intended for master students of “Management and Engineering in the field of Environmental Protection” Department. The authors noted the advantage of this textbook, which lies in the fact that the manual will use the articles of the teaching staff of this department to analyze the main aspects of academic writing. Some examples of the units were considered.
Summing up the results of the seminar, the participants expressed a unique positive opinion about the relevance of the issues considered, their novelty and the value of the information received for further practice.
