CASE-STUDY AS AN INNOVATIVE METHOD IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

Gaukhar Akhmetova

(Arkalyk, Kazakhstan)

Nowadays English language plays a lot of roles in the modern era of globalization. Regardless of how one views English as a second language, globally, a lot of people are interested in acquiring English proficiency.

Many students learn better from examples than from logical development starting with basic principles. The use of case studies can therefore be a very effective classroom technique. The case study method is an active learning method, which requires participation and involvement from students in the classroom. The method of case-study provides students with an excellent opportunity to apply creatively the language material on the basis of their professional knowledge and allow them to adapt themselves to the real-life situations. The case method combines two elements: the case itself and the discussion of that case. Cases provide a rich contextual way to introduce new material and create opportunities for students to apply the material they have just learned. Effective cases are usually based on real events, but can be drawn from both the present and the past. A decision-maker faced with the situation described in a case can choose between several alternative courses of his action, and each of these alternatives may be supported by a logical argument. During the classroom discussion students carry out analytical work of explaining the relationships among events in the case, identify options, evaluate choices and predict the effects of actions.

A good case should meet the following requirements:

- comply with a clear aim of creation;

- have an appropriate level of difficulty;

- to illustrate several aspects of economic life;

- do not become outdated too quickly;

- to be relevant today;

- to illustrate typical situations;

- develop analytical thinking;

- to provoke a discussion;

- have multiple solutions.

Additionally the following steps should be executed during the case study introduction class:

1)   read the case study thoroughly with your students. Here the teacher can deal with any lexical or grammatical issues. You may also like to ask your students to represent the background information in a visual form;

2)   provide the students with some input on how they should analyze the case study:

-  read the case several times;

-  define the main issues/problems;

-  set out objectives;

-  identify solutions;

-  select the best solution;

-  decide on how the solution should be implemented;

-  draw up an action plan to implement the chosen solution.            

3) pre-teach the language required to discuss the case study. Note that it is important to select the skill you would like to focus on and teach the specific language. The advantages of the case-study method include:

• using the principles of problem-based learning — obtaining skills to solve real problems, the ability of a group to work in a single problem field, while the learning process essentially simulates the decision-making mechanism in life; not only knowledge and understanding of the terms, but also the ability to operate with them, building logical solutions to the problem, to argue their opinion;

• obtaining team job skills (Team Job Skills);

• development of skills of the simplest generalizations;

• obtaining presentation skills;

• obtaining the skills of a press conference, the ability to formulate a question, argue the answer.

The standard procedure for using case study method at lessons involves the following aspects:

1) students need to come to class prepared to discuss the case (students will understand the case better, if they are given careful introductory directions);

2) unless there are specific pedagogical reasons, key facts should be introduced in the written case and not added during the discussion. The safest way to discuss a case is to be sure that everyone has a clear understanding of the facts;

3) cases need to be complete enough so that the problem can be defined;

4)  the size of the group should allow for free exchange among all participants.

5) facilitators need to be objective without being emotionally invested in the case. They should be aware of the larger goals of the case. The facilitator has to make the classroom safe for conversations. This doesn’t happen right away. Students have to get to know each other and develop a certain level of trust;

6)  facilitators should ask carefully designed questions. The first question that the teacher asks is crucial. The primary criterion is to get students to talk, preferably thoughtfully.

7) role-playing can help clarify some concepts by engaging students in problem solving from the perspectives of different key players.            

A classroom case discussion is usually guided by the facilitator. Students are expected to participate in the discussion and present their views. In some cases, the teacher may adopt a particular view, and challenge the students to respond. During the discussion, while a student presents his point of view, others may question or challenge him. Case facilitators usually encourage innovative ways of looking at and analyzing problems, and arriving at possible alternatives. The interaction among students, and between the students and the facilitator, must take place in a constructive and positive manner. Such interactions help to improve the analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills of the students. During the controversy students must be careful that the contributions they make to the discussion are relevant, and based on a sound analysis of the information presented in the case.         

Case studies can be especially effective if they are paired with a reading assignment that introduces or explains a concept or analytical method that applies to the case. The amount of emphasis placed on the use of the reading during the case discussion depends on the complexity of the concept method. If it is straightforward, the focus of the discussion can be placed on the use of the analytical results. If the method is more complex, the teacher may need to walk students through its application and the interpretation of the results. In order to start the discussion in class, the teacher can start with an easy, noncontroversial question that all the students should be able to answer readily. Analysis of theoretical sources and pedagogical practices in teaching the English language makes it possible to determine the direction for investigation of the most efficient approaches and ways of solving the problem of development of the problematic active basis of teaching in the context of the case method implementation, namely: the necessity of development of the students' abilities to formulating an objective their own abilities, to cope with the process of working out professional tasks-activation and intensification of intellectual activities both of teachers and students’ direction of the intact training process to the intensive thinking of the students’, efficient realization of the students' creative activities formation process by means of developing their analytical constructive skills.

References:

1. Ellet W. The Case Study Handbook: How to Read, Discuss, and Write Persuasively About Cases. // W. Ellet/ Harvard Business School Press, 2007 – 273 p.

2. George, A.L., Bennett, A. Case studies and theory development in the social sciences. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2005.

3. McKay, S. Researching second language classrooms. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2006.

4. Patricia A. Duff. Case study research in applied linguistics. N. Y.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2008. P. 233.