ISSN 0798 1015

Vol. 38 (Nº 45) Año 2017. Pág. 26

Professional Teaching Competence in the Aspect of Multilingual Education

Competencia docente profesional en el aspecto de la educación multilingüe

Negmatzhan ALMETOV 1; Ainur ZHORABEKOVA 2; Dauletkhan BOLYSBAYEV 3; Lazzat BULETOVA 4; Irina KORNILKO 5

Recibido: 11/06/2017 • Aprobado: 26/06/2017

Contents

1. Introducction

2. Methodology

3. Results

4. Conclusions

Bibliographic references

1. Introducción

New decade opens new possibilities in development of Kazakhstan. The problem of revival and development of national school is quite urgent among a series of measures, oriented on ensuring internal political stability, unity of the nation, participation of each citizen of Kazakhstan in economic growth of the country. Reforming and reorganization should correspond to the issues of satisfaction of ethnocultural needs of the representatives of different ethnoses and, at the same time, to national, state interests of modern development of all the society. Multilingual education is an effective way of updating of the national school in compliance with new possibilities of development of Kazakhstan in the decade forthcoming. The figure of a teacher is undoubtedly in the centre of all the activities on introduction of multilingual education, and many things in this key direction of development of ethnocultural education depend on his/her personality and professionalism.

Organization of multilingual education generates a number of new pedagogical problems among which it is necessary to single out a problem of professional training of a teacher to realization of the considered direction of pedagogical work.

Special training of teachers, ready to work in conditions of multilingual education is not currently conducted in institutes of higher education of the country. At experimental schools there is a high necessity for the experts, capable to teach subjects in nonnative language.

1.1. Issues in multilingual education

The personnel issues in multilingual education at base schools are solved in the following ways:

a) professional teachers who frequently know the language not so well, are trained for teaching the subject in the second (third) language;

b) linguist-teachers are involved in multilingual teaching in primary education;

c) retraining of graduates of institutes of higher education, able to teach a subject in Kazakh (Russian) language is carried out.

Work with each of these categories of teachers during their training for multilingual education is connected with some difficulties. Some teachers know the subject very well, but do not know the language. The others know the language perfectly, however their knowledge of the subject and abilities for its teaching are not sufficient. Some teachers, knowing the language and the subject, are not focused on pedagogical work with learners, where teaching traditionally is carried out in the native language.

Meanwhile, readiness for teaching a subject not in the native language is not just proficiency in this language, but mastering the methods and techniques of teaching a subject in another language. The system of training (or retraining) of teachers for multilingual education is quite necessary, therefore. It should comprise:

- intraschool system of development of professional skills of teachers and other pedagogical workers;

- interschool, zonal and regional system of improvement of professional skills and retraining of pedagogical workers;

- improvement of teacher’s skills within the framework of pedagogical cooperation between schools of different regions of the country;

- the system of distant education on the basis of information and communicative technologies;

- development of teacher’s professional competence in the system of cooperation “school - institute of higher education”;

- interaction with scientific production, educational, ethnocultural centres;

- organization of effective self-educational activities of teachers.

The intraschool system of development of professional competence of teachers is already functioning at Saremi school-gymnasium #1 located in Sairam area of South Kazakhstan region. It comprises:

- a standing scientific and methodical seminar on multilingual education;

- organization of courses, seminars and trainings on multilingual education on the basis of school with involvement of leading experts;

- research activities of teachers;

- stronger content of school methodical work in the field of multilingual education;

- acceptance of the activities by school administration directed on activization of self-educational activity of teachers, creation of the spirit of creativity and cooperation.

We recognize that the competence-based approach should be applied as the basic one in formation of readiness of teachers in the aspect of multilingual and bilingual education. As a methodological principle it’s getting the privileges in the theory and practice of professional training of the pedagogical personnel.

Scientific and theoretical analysis of the publications on the problem researched, testing, a method of examinations, a method of rating and self-evaluation, a method of expert evaluation, the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the empirical data.

Multilingual education implies teaching the subjects in two or more languages without translation, where the natural language environment gives the possibility to master at a good level not only the languages the teaching is carried out in, but also to acquire the content of the subjects (Aitaliyeva et al, 2005).

At schools of small ethnoses of the Republic of Kazakhstan (schools with Uzbek, Uigur and Tadjik languages) teaching traditionally has been carried out basically in a language of the ethnic minority. The state (Kazakh) and official (Russian) languages were taught as school subjects. However practice has shown inefficiency of such approach as teaching in a native language does not promote high-grade integration of school graduates into social, cultural and economic space of the country. Graduates who have got education in a native language face the difficulties during entrance examinations in institutes of higher education, in further education, at employment. With support of OSCE High Commissioner on affairs of national minorities at schools of small ethnoses of the Republic of Kazakhstan during several years an experiment on introduction of the model of multilingual education is being carried out, therefore.

A sufficient level of readiness of school teachers for teaching the subjects in the second language and their knowledge of the language is one of the conditions of efficiency of multilingual education. But readiness of a teacher for multilingual education cannot be characterized only by knowledge and abilities. An approach to formation and development of readiness of teachers for multilingual education, that is focused only on knowledge and abilities cannot stimulate self-development, pedagogical creativity and innovation, and provide variability of educational services.

Readiness of a school teacher for multilingual education is considered in our research in the context of competence-based approach.

2.1. Competence-based approach

Competence-based approach is one of the basic conceptual ways of modernization of national education systems in contemporary world. The aims and the content of the general and vocational training are defined on the basis of competence-based approach.

The concept of competence, according to I.G. Nikitin's statement, comprises not only cognitive and operation-technological components, but also motivational, ethical, social and behavioural components. “The competence, according to the author, is a professional term … . The competence is an ability of a person to operate successfully and independently in any sphere. That is competent, whose activity is adequate to the current challenges” (Nikitin, 2005).

According to A.V.Prisyazhnaya (2005) “application of competence-based approach implies both for teachers and learners gradual reorientation of the dominating educational paradigm from primary transmission and mastering the knowledge, abilities and skills to creation of conditions for mastering a complex of competences, promoting formation of personality, abilities to adapt in the conditions of multifactorial sociopolitical, market-economic, information and communication space”.

The “competence” is interpreted by the author as a level of development of personality or as an educational result. According to her belief, “the competence is perceived in pedagogical science as the integrated quality (characteristic) of personality, defining a circle of its powers and functions in the field of this or that activity” (Prisyazhnaya, 2005, p.73).

We support the position of V.Meskov and Yu.Tatur: “… nowadays we can observe the essential factors inducing to the shift from the qualifying approach in vocational education to the competence-based one. Introducing the concept of competence, we get an opportunity to reveal the integrated characteristic of personality in which not only knowledge, abilities and skills are considered, but also motivation to activity, and practical experience, and necessary experience of intelligence development, and personal qualities, and also the degree of mastering cultural and ethical standards”. The authors state that “the competence-based approach formulates the results of education not in the terms of knowledge-abilities-skills, but readiness of a graduate to carry out his/her professional activities taken in its synthesized complexity” (Meskov, 2006).

In publications “competence” is also defined as awareness, competency, ability. Professional competence is defined as the characteristic of an expert as a personality, expressed in the unity of:

- theoretical knowledge;

- practical readiness;

- ability to carry out all kinds of activities.

Professional competence comprises:

- professional knowledge, abilities and skills;

- orientation of a person (motivation, valuable orientations);

- ability to overcome stereotypes, to feel challenges, to show insight and flexibility in thinking;

- character traits (independence, single-mindedness, strong-willed qualities).

Moreover, the analysis of professional readiness of a teacher for multilingual education by means of competence-based approach is highly required. It will make possible to focus all the activities for professional development not only on knowledge and abilities, but also on development of the integrated characteristics of teacher’s personality. We have also made an attempt to work out and apply the technique of monitoring the professional competence of a teacher in the aspect of multilingual education, as it is important to monitor the dynamics and to estimate the results of teacher’s development in the direction researched.

Taking into consideration the stated above reasons concerning the professional competence, and also analyzing the scientific publications and pedagogical activities of teachers on teaching the subjects not in the mother tongue, we have tried to reveal the specifics of competence in the aspect of bilingual and multilingual education.

We believe that competence of a teacher in the aspect of multilingual and bilingual education is crucial for:

- complete entrance of a teacher into the multilingual educational environment;

- qualitative performance of the pedagogical functions in the course of multilingual education;

- psychological comfort (general state of health);

- creation of the necessary psychological atmosphere for interaction of cultures in polylingual environment;

- mutual understanding, dialogue, organization of pupils’ activities, control;

- creative self-development;

- prevention of professional disorder in new working environment.

At the same time, the analysis of the structure of teacher’s activities in the field of polylingual education makes it possible to assert that competence of a teacher in the given aspect comprises:

Knowledge of:

- the actuality, purpose of multilingual education;

- the essence, principles and approaches to multilingual education;

- the forms, methods and means of multilingual and bilingual education;

- the specific ways of diagnostics and estimation of the results of multilingual education;

- the curriculum content in the second (third) language (on condition of their distinctions);

- the challenges of presentation of the teaching material in the second language, its comprehension by learners and ways of overcoming the difficulties;

- the goals, principles, directions, forms and methods of polycultural education of school learners;

- the methods of self-appraisal in the aspect of multilingual education, ways of their further development.

Skills:

- to teach the subject in the second (third) language;

- to organize different forms of instructional work on mastering the syllabus content by school learners in the second (third) language;

- to create the atmosphere of psychological safety and conditions for self-realization of a school learner in conditions of multilingual education;

- to estimate the results of teaching objectively;

- to apply knowledge on methods and techniques of multilingual education in non-standard situations;

- to organize and conduct out-of-class activities for learners in the second (third) language;

- to involve parents in complete participation in polylingual and polycultural education of school learners;

- to create necessary lingual, polycultural educational environment;

- to be engaged in self-education, creative activities in the field of multilingual education.

Abilities:

- to carry out all kinds of pedagogical activities connected with multilingual education (organizing, communicative, constructive, projective, creative, etc.);

- to overcome discomfort, to create favorable psychological atmosphere for multilingual education;

- to interact with school learners in the course of teaching in the second language;

- to comprehend weaknesses of methods and techniques of multilingual education, one’s own errors and to eliminate them;

- to develop personally in the field of multilingual education;

- to be engaged in creative activities in the field of multilingual education.

The analysis of the advanced pedagogical experience of the schools of Southern Kazakhstan makes it possible to single out the following directions and ways of development of professional competence of a teacher in the aspect of multilingual education:

Activities for a teacher:

- development of professional lingual competence (mastering the second (the third) language for free teaching the subject);

- comprehension of the subject content in the second (third) language;

- assimilation of methods and techniques of multilingual education;

- creative activities for methodical support of lessons for subject teaching in the second (third) language;

- discussion of methodical learning aids in “a narrow circle”, their reviewing, “mini-lessons” and demonstration lessons;

- development of knowledge, abilities and skills in the aspect of multilingual education.

Ways of development of teacher’s competence:

- self-education;

- interaction with colleagues, native speakers and bearers of cultures;

- familiarization with other cultures, values;

- studying and generalization of the experience of creatively working teachers in the field of multilingual education;

- establishment of teacher’s creative laboratory;

- research activities (techniques should not be imposed, and it’s up to the teacher to try the best forms and methods, to be able to experiment, prove and show all the advantages of the approach);

- completing the courses, participation in seminars, trainings;

- interaction with school learners, their parents, people of different age groups and social categories;

- self-estimation of the activities and forecasting of their further development.

3.1. Data processing

Gathering the data on professional readiness of teachers for multilingual education.

During the research special monitoring of the levels of teacher’s readiness for multilingual education has been carried out. In the process of designing the technique for monitoring professional teacher’s competence in multilingual education we took into consideration the research works on issues of monitoring and estimation of education quality (Simonov, 2009; Agranovich, et al, 2003; Tolebayev, 2005; Kyveryalg, 1980; Almetov, 2011; Zhorabekova, 2015, Toibekova, et al, 2016).

During monitoring the methods of testing, rating and self-appraisal, expert assessments have been applied. The data have been registered in specially designed tables - a chart of teacher’s professional-significant qualities (in diagnostic indicators of readiness for multilingual education) (Table 1).

Table 1 - A chart of teacher’s professional-significant qualities (in diagnostic
indicators of preparedness for multilingual education).

Full name ____________________

Subject ______________________

Language of teaching ___________

* Note: the diagnostics should be carried out twice - at the beginning and at the end of the monitoring research.

Having generalized the data of the charts of professionally significant qualities of a teacher (in diagnostic indicators of readiness to multilingual and bilingual education) presented in table 1, a diagnostic chart of the level of readiness of school teachers for multilingual and bilingual education has been designed (Table 2).

Table 2 - A diagnostic chart of the level of preparedness
of school teachers for multilingual education.

School № ______ Area ____________

Processing the data, presented in the diagnostic chart of the level of readiness of school teachers for multilingual education (table 2) allows to group teachers according to the levels of readiness for multilingual education (Table 3).

Table 3 - Distribution of teachers according to the levels of preparedness
for multilingual education (during initial and final stages of monitoring).

School № _________ Area _________

Comparing the data concerning the levels of teacher’s readiness at the beginning and the end of the experiment makes it possible to design a table of distribution of teachers according to the levels of readiness for multilingual education at the beginning and the end of the monitoring (table 4).

Table 4 - A comparative table of teachers’ distribution according to the levels
of their preparedness for multilingual education (at the beginning and the end of monitoring).

Positive dynamics in development of school teacher’s professional competence in the aspect of multilingual education has been achieved as a result of purposeful system of the following organizational, pedagogical and administrative activities:

- organization of creative groups generating progressive ideas on promotion of multilingual education, and a group of enthusiast teachers-innovators;

- scheduled taking of the courses of multilingual education in the regional institute of advanced training for pedagogical workers;

- cooperation of schools with departments of institutes of higher education, appointment of scientific advisers at schools from among professors and senior lecturers of institutes of higher education;

- organization of regular functioning intraschool scientific and methodical seminars on multilingual education, where once a month the actual issues of introduction of the program of teaching the subjects in the second language will be discussed;

- individual consultations of teachers of experimental classes with multilingual education by scientists-methodologists;

- regular reporting by the teachers conducting lessons on the basis of technique of multilingual education at quarterly school staff meetings;

- review of methodical learning aids and demonstration lessons of teachers at the meetings of school methodical associations of teachers of the related subjects;

- creation of an electronic database of teaching and methodical materials on multilingual education;

- systematic testing of teachers on their knowledge of the language and the content of subjects in the second language;

- monitoring of educational achievements and productivity of multilingual education (the results of pedagogical activities of teachers).

A comparative analysis of teachers’ distribution according to the levels of their readiness for multilingual education at the beginning and the end of monitoring is resulted in table (Table 4).

It is reasonable to present the data of the table in a form of the diagramme (Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Comparison of the data concerning the levels of preparedness of teachers at the beginning and the end of the experiment.

Analysis of the results of research makes it possible to draw some conclusions concerning development of teacher’s professional competence in the aspect of multilingual education.

Teacher’s professional competence in the aspect of multilingual education implies the integrated characteristic of teacher’s personality, characterizing professional-pedagogical readiness for teaching subjects in the second language (the state, official, foreign), and expressed in the unity of theoretical knowledge, practical readiness and ability to carry out all kinds of activities.

Teacher’s professional competence in the aspect of multilingual education includes: professional knowledge, abilities and skills; orientation of personality (motivation, valuable orientations); ability to overcome stereotypes, to feel the challenges, to have insight, flexibility of thinking; character traits (independence, purposefulness, strong-willed qualities).

Development of school teacher’s professional competence in the aspect of multilingual education is ensured by intraschool and out-of-school forms of professional and personal development of teachers, stimulation and motivation of their self-development. Thus taking the special courses on multilingual education is quite urgent nowadays. It is characterized by starting, directing and orienting to self-development character. Pedagogical and experimental research activities under the direct guidance of scientific advisers from among the experts of institutes of higher education, professional interaction at seminars and conferences, exchange of experience have great value in formation of teacher’s readiness in the considered aspect. The technique suggested for monitoring and assessment of teacher’s professional competence in the aspect of multilingual education serves as an important tool of intraschool control of teacher’s activity and his/her efforts in professional self-development in the researched direction.

4.1. Recommendations

Recommendations on development of professional competence of teachers in the aspect of multilingual education:

1. To pay attention to creation of effective intraschool system of development of professional skills of teachers and other pedagogical workers by school authorities.

2. To create a system of distant multilingual education on the basis of information and communicative technologies.

3. To reinforce cooperation “school - institute of higher education”, interaction of schools with research-and-production, educational, ethnocultural centres on introduction of multilingual and bilingual education.

4. To stimulate pedagogical work, professionalism of teachers working in the sphere of multilingual and bilingual education.

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1. Department of Pedagogy and Musical Education, M. Auezov South Kazakhstan State University, Professor, Shymkent, Kazakhstan, n_almetov@mail.ru

2. Department of Foreign Languages, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University, PhD, Astana, Kazakhstan, ainur-zhorabekova@mail.ru

3. Department of Fine Art and Disign, M.Auezov South Kazakhstan State University, PhD, Shymkent, Kazakhstan, daulet.bolysbaev.74@mail.ru

4. Department of Pedagogy and Musical Education, M.Auezov South Kazakhstan State University, PhD, Shymkent, Kazakhstan, buletova05@mail.ru

5. Department of Pedagogy and Musical Education, M.Auezov South Kazakhstan State University, PhD, Shymkent, Kazakhstan, irina-k775@mail.ru