Teaching mediation in EFL classes at secondary schools in Lithuania and Poland : challenges and perspectives

Abstract

Straipsnyje analizuojamas vertimo užduočių ir jų tipų taikymas per anglų kalbos pamokas Lietuvos ir Lenkijos vidurinėse mokyklose. Nustatyta, kad vertimo užduotys yra reikšminga kalbos mokymo proceso dalis, kurioje svarbų vaidmenį atlieka tarpininkavimo (vertimo raštu ir žodžiu) užduotys. Vertimo užduotys yra naudingos plėtojant užsienio kalbos įgūdžius, t. y. mokinių anglų kalbos žodyno ir kalbėjimo gebėjimus, taip pat loginį mąstymą. Pagrindinis tyrimo tikslas – išanalizuoti vertimo užduočių sritį anglų kalbos pamokose ir atskleisti dominuojančias tarpininkavimo (vertimo žodžiu ir raštu) užduotis Lietuvos ir Lenkijos vidurinėse mokyklose. Pedagoginės literatūros ir Europos Sąjungos dokumentų analizė pateikė įvairios informacijos apie vertimo žodžiu ir raštu užduotis, vertimo mokymą(-si) vidurinėse mokyklose ir tokių užduočių poveikį ir naudą mokiniams. Tyrime dalyvavo 40 anglų kalbos mokytojų iš Lietuvos (20) ir Lenkijos (20) vidurinių mokyklų. Respondentų pedagoginio darbo stažas svyravo nuo 0 iki 21 metų ir daugiau.[...]

This research examines the issue of types and frequency of mediation activities in EFL (English as a foreign language) classes at Lithuanian and Polish secondary schools. Mediation (translation and interpretation) plays an important role in EFL classes: mediation activities are useful for developing many skills in foreign language learning, such as expanding students’ vocabulary and speaking skills, applying their grammar knowledge in practice and developing students’ mental skills. The research was carried out with 40 EFL teachers from Lithuania (20) and Poland (20). The other group of participants consisted of 300 10th–12th form students from three Lithuanian and three Polish secondary schools. This age of students was not chosen accidentally: as the students of this age prepare for their final examination of English, it is important to become familiar with the tasks and the criteria of State Examination of English. The instrument used in the data collection was a specially designed questionnaire-survey for students and EFL teachers at secondary schools in both countries. The system of foreign language teaching in Lithuania and Poland was examined and teaching material discussed. The results of the study show that although the idea of mediation tasks was introduced in the major document which regulates the process of teaching languages, that is Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (CEF) in 2001, these tasks are not so widely used in Lithuania as in Poland. Lithuanian teachers of English use foreign textbooks of English which contain many activities devoted to reading, writing, speaking and listening, but translation practices are excluded. Thus, during the process of teaching English in Lithuania translation activities are often disregarded and/or replaced by exam-orientated ones. Contrary, Polish teachers prefer national textbooks for teaching English (most of them written by Polish authors). [...]