Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
UNWLA 100
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH IN UKRAINE: A PROGRESS REPORT BY LAURIE MOODY This past summer, I set off for Ukraine with a dual purpose: one to serve on the faculty of the Summer Institute on Current Methods and Practices in TESOL and the other to observe actual university English languages classes taught by Ukrainian professionals. My original intent in making these observations was to get an understanding of traditional language teaching methodology in Ukraine. Both because of the isolation imposed by the Soviet government and because of the policies imposed on the education system by Communist doctrine, language education, as well as all education, developed in a very different manner from that of the western world. In some ways the resultant system was successful. In the field on English language instruction, the fact that students actually acquired a high level of proficiency in the British variant of English without ever having interacted with a native speaker seemed to indicate that elements of that instructional process would be worth examining. Unfortunately, I arrived too late — too late in the year to have the oppotunity to visit a wide variety of classes, and too late in time to catch a glimpse of classes unaffected by Western influences. The political and economic changes as well as newfound freedoms which are having such a drastic impact on Ukrainian life in general are also affecting the entire system of educa tion. Formerly, educational policy was completely regu lated from the Ministry of Education. Now the Ministry seems to have much less influence than in the past. This is due in part to the fact that its official position is to give the universities and other institutions of higher education more freedom in the hope that they will be able to develop economic autonomy. Sensing this power vacuum, the teachers in the English language field have taken the initiative to implement new ideas in their classrooms. As a result, language teaching methodology varies from institution to institution. How much centra lized control will be imposed in the future remains unknown, but undoubtedly, the greatest tool for control will be a Ministry-mandated testing system. At present, the whole issue of testing is in flux. Hopefully, the classroom teachers will have a say in the changes in the testing system as it develops. Until some order is restored however, change, and its unwelcome corollary uncertainty, will continue. Admittedly, my classroom observations and informal talks with both teachers and students were limited in scope and do not constitute a definitive study of English language teaching in Ukraine. Nevertheless, I would like to make observations in two areas which are having a direct impact on how the English language is taught in Ukraine: 1) the prominence of the British Council in the area of teacher training and material dissemination and 2) the apparent need for more American language and culture programs for teachers of English at all levels. The British Council provides English langauge teacher training almost everywhere in the world. One of its aims is to promote English as a world language. It is not, however, either a philanthropic or a wholly go vernmental agency. It functions primarily as an advocate for British culture and British industry. In this role, it promotes English language texts published in Britain by operating well-stocked libraries for teachers and teacher trainers, by offering courses in language teaching methodology, and by providing class sets of texts to elementary, high school and university teachers. All of the teachers I observed had availed themselves of the British Council library at the Kyiv Polytechnic University, Greeting song for the Summer Institute faculty by English language faculty of the Vinnytsia Pedagogical Institute. 20 ’’НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, БЕРЕЗЕНЬ 1996 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28-29 
30-31 
32-33 
34-35 
36-37 
38-39 
40 
