A foreign language as an effective means of optimizing students’ scientific research activity at higher educational institution

Abstract

The article provides a substantive analysis concerning organization of students' research activities in the context of the foreign language professional education system. It has been noted that the discipline "Foreign language" is a necessary and important part of the scientific research activities of future specialists, as it optimizes access to foreign scientific information, allows the use of Internet sources, stimulates the development of international scientific contacts and expands the possibilities of improving the students' professional level. The article deals with the organization of students' scientific research work in a foreign language: the didactic functions and key elements of research activities have been highlighted; the problems of forming students' scientific research competence have been discussed; some forms of students' scientific research work in foreign language classes have been presented; the criteria and indicators of students' research skills formation have been revealed. The result of the study is the consideration of the students' research activities development, including the following stages - preparatory, main and final ones with a complex of tasks for each of them. The analysis of the practical research confirmed that it is advisable to organize special training of students for scientific research activities. One of the effective means of developing students' scientific research competence is different types of tasks as the basis for analyzing specific methodological situations in foreign language classes. As a conclusion, the author notes that scientific and research competence creates favorable conditions for the development of a future specialist's professional competence, as well as positively affects the development of the cognitive sphere of the personality, his/her independent thinking, planning and implementation of their professional activities. Encouraging students to conduct their own research in a foreign language, optimizing the use of foreign language authentic sources in the specialty will contribute to the education of students who can participate in international conferences, internships abroad, which in turn leads to the formation of highly qualified and mobile specialists.