Interactive Techniques for Teaching Ukrainian as a Foreign Language: From Theory to Practice

Abstract

In the article, the authors offer a brief overview of the theoretical basis of interactive teaching methods and share their own experience in teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language to students passing language courses for foreigners at Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University. The authors focused on those tasks for teachers of Ukrainian as a foreign language, which are uttered and explained in the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education”, namely, the formation of Ukrainian-language competencies in foreign students as a prerequisite for professional training in Ukraine.
The authors present their own ideas on the use of role-playing games in the study of Ukrainian as a foreign language with students from Central Africa and Asia. They also underline some differences in the results of using these techniques when working with students from different countries. Particular attention is paid to the interactive reception of cinquain, which is not very common and typical in foreign language classes with adult students. Information and communication technologies are presented as those that ensure interaction of participants in the educational process, increase the effectiveness of foreign language learning, take into account individual needs and abilities of the individual, ensure continuity and independence of learning. Examples of the use of the university’s virtual learning environment Moodle, video communication platforms, “tag cloud” and other electronic applications are given. The article can be useful not only for a small group of specialists in teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language, but also for teachers of any other foreign language and in some way it encourages colleagues to share their own experience and practice of using interactive techniques in foreign languages.