Use of the project method in the development students' independence in foreign language lessons

First of all, a foreign language teacher teaches learners the ways of speech activity, therefore, the goal of training is communicative competence.

The main idea of such an approach to teaching a foreign language is to shift the emphasis from various types of exercises to the active thinking activity of students, which requires proficiency in certain language means for its registration.

Only the project method can allow solving this didactic problem and turning foreign language lessons into a discussion, research club.

The design method appeared in America in 1919. This method is based on the ideas of Dewey, Lai, Thorndike and other American scientists.

The main idea is as follows:

• 1.    With great enthusiasm, the child performs the activity that he himself freely chooses;

• 2.    The activity is sometimes not built in the mainstream of the academic subject.

• 3.    The slogan of this activity: “Everything from life, everything for life.”

The project method, as a pedagogical technology, includes a target orientation, scientific ideas on which the system of teacher and student actions is based, assessment criteria and a qualitatively new result.

According to the number of project participants, individual, pair and group participants are distinguished. Group ones are most often used in our practice.

In this case, it is necessary, from a methodological point of view, to organize the activities of the project participants in a group of students, and the role of the teacher-coordinator in this case is especially important.

The group method of projects has the following rules and principles:

• 1.    There are no leaders in the team. All team members are equal.

• 2.    Teams do not compete.

• 3.    All team members should enjoy communicating with each other, because they complete the task together.

• 4.    Everyone should be active and contribute to the common cause.

• 5.    All team members are responsible for the final result.

Groups of students are formed taking into account psychological compatibility, while in each group there is a strong student, average, weak. The group selects one task, but when it is completed, roles are assigned. Each student receives an independent section of work in the project.

In the course of the project, the students come to the conclusion that the success of the entire project depends on the success of each, therefore, each participant is actively involved in the search for new information, in the “acquisition” of knowledge. While working on a project, students learn to work in a “team”, to take a responsible attitude to the performance of their area of work, to evaluate the results of their work and the work of their comrades. And this is a huge incentive for the active assimilation of knowledge.

By mastering the culture of fulfilling project tasks, the student learns to think creatively, to plan his actions independently, predicting possible solutions to the tasks facing him, to implement the means and methods of work that he has learned.

The role of the teacher also changes when using the project method. It is different at different stages of design. The teacher acts as a consultant, assistant, observer, source of information, coordinator.

The main task of the teacher is not to transfer specific knowledge, but to teach how to work to obtain knowledge.

To convey the ways of working, algorithms are developed for solving such typical tasks as identifying a problem, finding an approach to solving the assigned tasks, working with information sources, critical analysis of the text, and describing the results of activities.

Separately, it should be said about the coordination of projects and the organization of external evaluation, since it is well known that the best improvisation is the one that is well prepared. Therefore, if a teacher decides to use the project method when studying a section, a question of the program, he must think carefully, develop, calculate everything.

If it is assumed that students should formulate a problem according to the situation they have proposed, the teacher himself must predict several possible options. Students can name some of them, the teacher leads the children to others with leading questions, situations.

Students are also invited to make an advertising poster, booklet, playbill or album with short texts, drawings, photos, postcards, reflecting the most essential content of the topic, by the time they finish studying the topic.

This may well be formalized as a project assignment, if given at the very beginning of the study of the topic and build the entire study process as aimed at the implementation of the project.

For example, if the topic is “US Cities,” students are assigned the task of making a “US Cities” flyer.

The project method is student-centered learning aimed at the development of the student. In cooperation with the teacher and other students, the motivation for learning improves, the stress is relieved, the belief in one's own success increases, thus, the results that can be obtained after applying this technology are as follows:

• •    lasting and deep assimilation of knowledge;

• •    a high level of independent work of students;

• •    a high level of scientific knowledge in students' knowledge;

• •    Ability to work in a group, lead a group discussion;

• •    rallying the children's team;

• •    motivation for collective achievement.

Problems that can be solved using the project method:

• •    low level of active, independent work of students;

• •    overload of teachers and students.

Thus, the following conclusions can be drawn:

• 1.    At the center of the educational process is the student, his cognitive and creative activities.

• 2.    The role of the teacher in such an educational process is extremely responsible, but it is different than in traditional teaching.

• 3.    Responsibility for the success of educational activities schoolchildren take on themselves to a large extent.

• 4.    The main goal of such training is the development of the intellectual and creative abilities of students, so that the student of the school is capable of selfrealization, independent thinking, and making important decisions for himself.