Pedagogical Sciences/ 2 The problems of the Specialist Training

Levchyk I. Yu.

Ternopil national pedagogical university named after Volodymyr Gnatiuk, Ukraine

Teaching Psychology English in the Process of Training of the Future Psychology Specialists

The traditional approach to English language training has done well to meet the needs of non-professional students. Today's global economy requires career-specific language that includes workplace culture and jargon for safe, effective delivery of professional services and the ability to coordinate research and treatment across borders. The ability of internationally acclaimed English tests of competency to train for or measure this is questionable, although they serve their purpose as preparation for advance language training. Current methods of instruction most commonly used today for future psychologists focus primarily on English language while secondarily embedding Psychology terminology in the lessons. These teaching strategies of lessons replete with medical terminology and simple dialogues about visits to the doctor's office and minor illnesses fail to meet the needs of the profession. The author has stresses on the importance of developing of a new methodology: a paradigm shift. Psychology English should be taught from the perspective of Psychology and health care first and foremost while reinforcing vocabulary acquisition, grammar and structure secondly.

The most important difference lies in the learners and their purposes for learning English. Students learning English for specific purpose are usually adults who already have some acquaintance with English and are learning the language in order to communicate a set of professional skills and to perform particular job-related functions. Therefore such a program is built on an assessment of purposes and needs and the functions for which English is required.

Learning English for specific purpose concentrates more on language in context than on teaching grammar and language structures. It covers subjects varying from accounting or computer science to tourism and business management. Its focal point is that English is not taught as a subject separated from the students' real world (or wishes); instead, it is integrated into a subject matter area important to the learners.

However, English for specific purpose and English as second language diverge not only in the nature of the learner, but also in the aim of instruction. In fact, as a general rule, while in English as second language all four language skills; listening, reading, speaking, and writing, are stressed equally, in English for specific purpose it is a needs analysis that determines which language skills are most needed by the students, and the syllabus is designed accordingly. And this program, might, for example, emphasize the development of reading skills in students who are preparing for graduate work in business administration; or it might promote the development of spoken skills in students who are studying English in order to become tourist guides.

As a matter of fact, ESP combines subject matter and English language teaching. Such a combination is highly motivating because students are able to apply what they learn in their English classes to their main field of study, whether it be accounting, business management, economics, computer science or tourism. Being able to use the vocabulary and structures that they learn in a meaningful context reinforces what is taught and increases their motivation [1].

There is no doubt that English for Psychologist falls within the category of discipline-specific language learning or English for Specific Purposes.

Taking students to the level of professional language is a very demanding task. The problems that have arisen came mainly from two sources. Firstly, students that already had some level of English were not quite happy to begin studying again medical terminology with others without any previous knowledge. Secondly, the university authorities were not sure whether medical language should be given a special status and as a result quite a few universities or colleges are providing special Medical Terminology training. Paul Jurov’s four-year experience showed that this is a very serious matter and should form an integral part of the university curricula. The special language terminology in the 3 and 4 semesters is preparing for new things in their professional life. He emphasizes that students should make a Personal Project, Personal Presentation, Simultaneous Translation of the other students Projects and make discussions in English [3].

We are left with the question: how is the decision achieved for curriculum design? Is this a top-down model of decision-making wherein academics and policy makers who are far removed from the medical field and awareness of student needs dictate curriculum or is the curriculum a bottom-up response to needs emanating from students, faculty and potential employers? Where is the evidence?

Traditionally, language learning has been taught by methods of listening to a lecturer and taking notes, and occasionally interacting in communicative activities of listening, writing, and speaking. While the learner-focused curriculum has arisen in post-modern education as the result of research into learner outcomes. It focuses on the learning needs and future goals of the student. It finds meaning from student feedback: student and teacher input. It provides directionality for the curriculum and drives it and forms the basis of post-modern curriculum design. It speaks to student motivation and student success [2].

References:

1. Fiorioto Lorenzo Teaching English for Specific Purposes. Available at www.usingenglish.com

2. Hull Melodie Whose Needs Are We Serving: Is The Design Of Curriculum For English For Medical Purposes Decided? Available at www.usingenglish.com

3. Jurov Paul Professional Medical English Language – New Methods In Teaching / Trakia Journal of Sciences, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp 41-45, 2008