SCAFFOLDING STRATEGIES AS AN EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING ESP

Анотація

In today’s world of integration and globalization, the English language learning has become an integral part of professional tertiary education. Learning English by non-language students has a professional-oriented nature and is aimed at expanding the vocabulary of special and professional terminology, intensification of students’ actions in relation to general language competence, application of their knowledge in oral and written contacts of professional communication. The article focuses on the problem of teaching ESP in higher school as an integral part of professional training of future specialists. The study considers the notion of scaffolding and efficiency of scaffolding strategies related to education process, particularly ESP. The article determines the role of scaffolding schemes in developing students’ speaking skills in the situations of general and professional commuication, individualizing the learning process and reducing students’ anxiety level, as well as considers the problem of selecting special scaffolding technologies for developing and activating ESP students’ grammar skills. Strategies that facilitate the learning process for students and contribute to its effectiveness are of macro- and micro-level. Macro-level strategies include organizational ways to prepare students for the discipline English for Specific Purposes (Profession-Oriented English) and optimize this process. Thus, macro-level scaffolding strategies are based on the General English language competence acquired by students in high school, and the study of special professional subjects in higher school. Micro-level strategies relate directly to the stages of the learning process and include techniques that will facilitate more effective input of professional-oriented vocabulary, comprehension, memorization and output, i.e., reproduction in the situations of professional communication, development and activation the students’ grammar skills, taking into account the needs of ESP students and the level of their foreign language proficiency.