Modeling Teacher’s Multicultural Identity through Studying a Foreign Language

Abstract

The concept of modeling teacher’s personality, which concerns inclusive identity, refers to the formation of individual’s social maturity and spiritual affluence and readiness to evaluate multicultural and language situations that take place in modern society. This research aimed to make up a model of formation of a personality of a teacher. It covers the conditions and principals of pedagogical process that create the opportunity to form a teacher of a new type. Theoretical and empirical methods were used in the process of research. Results: the model of formation of multicultural competence of teachers in the course of studying a foreign language in university was developed.

Keywords: University education, language education, competence-based education, teacher

Introduction

The problem of modeling the identity of a teacher, his professional competence, a social maturity

and spiritual wealth is receiving considerable attention with world globalization that takes place and is

followed by growing of mobility and a stream of knowledge. All these circumstances questions new

demands to the personality that has to be not only highly educated and dynamic, but also competent,

ready to promote changes in society, capable to assess multicultural and language situations, and to

rationally apply knowledge.

Multiculturalism is a prevalent worldwide societal phenomenon. Aspects of our modern life, such

as migration, economic globalization, multicultural policies, and cross-border travel and communication have made intercultural contacts inevitable (The Oxford Handbook of Multicultural

Identity, 2014). The linguistics can and has to help with the solution of many problems connected with

cross-cultural communication, and the most sensitive area of these problems in any language is its

pragmatic level fully revealing the relation between a language sign (statement) and a context

(situation) including the speaker (Kondrateva et al., 2016). The subject "Foreign language" is

integrative on the purpose of training and interdisciplinary according to the content. Foreign language

communicative skills as one of components of professional and pedagogical competence plays one of

the leading roles in formation of multicultural competence of a teacher demanded by today's features of

society. Foreign language learning enhances children’s understanding of how language itself works and

their ability to manipulate language in the service of thinking and problem solving (Cummins,

1981).Teaching English in schools and universities in the republic of Tatarstan (Russia); English

language system is imposed on bilingual language base of training. The situation at which three

languages enter interaction, contact is created (Madyakina et al., 2016). Multilingualism is the natural

potential available to every normal human being rather than an unusual exception. Given the

appropriate environment, two languages are as normal as two lungs. (Cook, 2001). According to

Michał B. Paradowski, people who know two or more foreign languages better understand and

appreciate people of other countries, thereby lessening racism, xenophobia, and intolerance, as the

learning of a new language usually brings with it a revelation of a new culture (Paradowski, 2010).

Methodological framework

The theoretical and technological base will expedite development and proof of experimentally

modeling of individual and multicultural teacher of new type in the process of studying a foreign

language in University. The research was based on the leading theories and concepts in the field of

pedagogics, psychology and cultural science: the theory of the personal focused and activity approach

to education and training (Verbitsky, 1991; Fuller, 1970); theory of communication (Vedenina, 2000);

theory of a professional orientation of training (Isaev, 2002); theory of cultural training (Vereshchagin,

Kostomarov, 1990); concepts of education and psychological support (Konnetskaya, 1997; Hymes,

1967); concept of a humanization of teaching and educational process (Valeeva, 2015), concept of

dialogue of cultures, ideas of polycultural education (Bibler, 1990; Galskova, 2004); concept of three-

level structure of the language personality (Karaulov, 1987); works of Russian and foreign authors

about improvement of foreign-language education (Safonova, 1972; Gardner & Lambert, 1972).

Theoretical and empirical methods were used in the process of research: the analysis of literature,

methodical documentation, normative legal acts and theses on the research problem; synthesis of

European and Russian pedagogical experience; supervision; testing; questioning; method of experts;

experimental work; statistical methods of processing of experimental data.

The first stage (2013) – historical and pedagogical search. At this stage the problem, a working

hypothesis have been formulated- to make up a model of formation of a personality of a teacher

capable to assess multicultural and language situations, which is possible if during the language education they will get knowledge on culture and history of England in context of comparison with the

history and culture of Russian and Tatar nations.

The second stage (2014) – analysis and synthesis. At this stage conceptual and methodological

bases of modeling of multicultural identity of future teachers in the course of foreign language have

been developed. The technology was developed; the didactic conditions promoting effective realization

of modeling became known; the diagnostic tools for determination of levels of formation of

multicultural identity of future teachers were defined.

The third stage (2014 - 2016) – skilled and experimental. Within this stage skilled and experimental

work has been developed; in experiment 50 students participated. In the experiment 50 students took

part – students of 1-3 years of education at Kazan Federal University, whose future occupation is to be

English language teachers. 25 people were selected to a control group (random selection), 25 people

were at an experimental group (random selection). Students were assessed both during the study at

university and during the internship at schools (7 secondary schools at Kazan, Russia) where they

worked as teachers of a foreign language.

Results

The model of formation of multicultural competence of teachers in the course of studying a foreign

language is developed on the basis of anthropological and culturological approaches; the development

of future teachers’ multicultural competence was measured in structural (experimental group 25%

higher, than control group) valuable attitude, respect of traditions ability to promote intercultural and

multicultural education during language teaching course (experimental group 21% higher, than control

group), multicultural dispositions readiness to promote intercultural and multicultural education during

language teaching course (experimental group 27% higher, than control group) and functional

characteristics through teaching performance of students during the practice period measured through

the obtained results (experimental group 40% higher, than control group). So obtained during specially

organized education of students, the predictive-level model of formation of multicultural competence is

presented at all 25 students who took part in experimental group and it is 23% higher than of students

in the control group, also it should be noted that students of experimental group demonstrated up to

10%, higher level of language knowledge (Fig.1).

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Discussion

It is widely known that people who know two or more foreign languages better understand and

appreciate people of other countries. This can be easily explained by the understanding of the fact that

language itself is the reflection of history and culture of the nation. During our research we decided to

strengthen the effect of language education towards lessening racism, xenophobia, and intolerance, be

preparing teachers with a revelation of a new culture.

It has been established that contents, the technique of modeling of teacher’s personality and

problems of language education are organically combined with overall objectives of the personal

focused and competence-based approaches in training. Natural communicative functions of language

culture allow considering system of teaching a foreign language as a basis of broad development of the

student’s identity in the context of dialogue of cultures. We suggested students’ communicative

situations on the basis of comparative history and culture learning. By this the potential of the subject

for formation of outlook, civil consciousness and readiness for interpersonal and multicultural dialogue

was strengthened; the emotional and valuable reflection was achieved through critical overview, more

than that, esthetic culture was actively enrolled into the process of learning. Thus, the discipline

"Foreign language" was providing not only situational based knowledge or language structure learning

but the formation of multicultural competence as a component of professional maturity.

The technology of modeling teacher’s identity represents the set of three blocks: block of a

pedagogical task: "a subject – process – a product"; block of a method or way: "means – methods";

block of conditions: "requirements, standards, form". An educational and methodical complex,

accompanying material, the list of communicative, managing, information, regulatory and personal

components of multicultural competence, and presents the substantial basis of formation of

multicultural competence of future teachers.

The surprising result was that students who participated in the experiment had shown deeper

knowledge of English language. It also should be mentioned, that school students at classes where lessons were taught by students from experimental group (two month period at the third year of

university education) during the practice Language period demonstrated higher activity and interest at

home task, preparing better knowledge achievements, more active class participation. Atmosphere at

the lessons was more friendly and creative.

Conclusion

The technology of modeling of multicultural identity of future teachers in the course of a foreign

language was developed on the basis of language teaching trough historical and cultural research of

English, Russian and Tatar heritage and reality This became possible through effective forms and funds

(role-playing games, trainings, situations of professional communication and activity), methods

(communicative, interactive, design, problem- solving, the bringing-up training), providing

multicultural identity of a person.

The essence of multicultural identity of future teachers, both its structural (knowledge, skills

dispositions) and functional (high level of multicultural way of teaching performance) characteristics

were discovered and achieved.

Didactic conditions of realization of technology are specified: updating of universal and

professional values in communicative situations; ensuring motivation of future teachers to mastering

speech and communicative culture; creation of the productive teaching and educational environment

stimulating creative activity of future teachers.

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