mmunicative Competence in Training Future Language and Literature Teachers

Introduction

The need of communication training for language and literature teachers is determined by several aspects, that are key ones in quality management of educational activities in higher education (Vaganova et al., 2020). Firstly, it concerns education humanization, appealing to personality and creative potential requiring a high level of opinions about values and meanings. Secondly, training a language and literature teacher implies the development of communicative abilities and motivation for pedagogical communication in addition to linguistic and literary competences. Thirdly, a competency-based approach in education, where communicative competence is a component of general competence of education programs (Hаlian, 2016; Kazibekova, 2019).

The importance of communicative competence in an individual’s professional activity is emphasized by many scientists. Communicative abilities of teachers as one of the important components of their professiogram are highlighted in the study of L. Poperechna (2012). О. Korniiaka (2012) focuses on the necessity of the development of communicative competence at different stages of an individual’s professional growth. There are studies determining and proving that communicative competence is the most important component of successful communication (Fedorenko, 2002).

We maintain that the research on communicative competence of a future language and literature teacher should be conducted in the context of developing language personality, since a psycholinguistic approach to examining personal values is based on the concept “language personality”. It reveals the conceptual apparatus and main stages of investigating it – from philosophical thoughts about a linguistic expression of “national soul” and “instinct of mind” of Gumbol’dt V. Fon (1985), “language ideas” and a nation’s “feeling for the language” of I. Boduen de Kurtene (1963) to “linguistic instinct” (Scherba, 1974), “language ability” (Leontev, 1999), “language personality” (Karaulov, 2010; Bogin, 1986) and other scholars’ concepts.

The modern trends of examining language personality are reflected in such aspects of the research as “speech personality” (Prokhorov, 2006), “communicative personality” (Bespamyatnova, 1994) and “emotional language personality” (Shahovskiy, 2018). Currently psycholinguistic studies are oriented towards investigating not only individual language personality, but the entire community of their representatives (Alptekin, 2002; Baker, 2011; Bradford et al., 2000; Hymes, 1991). They reflect the impact of the culture and language picture of the world on language personality since it develops both linguistic consciousness and cultural-ethnic self-awareness, world-view and understanding of the world. It is presented in such concepts as “ethno-semantic personality” (Vorkachev, 2001), “dialect personality” (Nefedova, 2001).

A teacher delivers ethno-cultural traditions to pupils through the means of communication. It results in the formation of the system of evaluations, values and ethical standards, characteristic of language personalities of a particular community. Thus, communicative skills of a teacher come to the forefront. It is emphasized by the scientists in the context of examining the role of communicative skills and communicative competence in increasing the efficiency of educational process (Dumitriu et al., 2014). Implementation of discussion technologies in a personality-centered professional education is of specific scientific interest (Klinkov et al., 2020).

The outlined theoretical aspects make it possible to state that the research on communicative competence of future language and literature teachers is topical and timely.

Hypothesis. We assume that the examination of communicative competence in the structure of training language and literature teachers will allow obtaining significant empirical results which will contribute to efficient interaction of future teachers with participants of educational process and demonstration of ethno-cultural and social tolerance.

Purpose is to conduct empirical research on the components of communicative competence of future language and literature teachers at the stage of their studies in a higher education institution.

the purpose of the study, the procedures used and the results obtained.

Methodological Framework of the Research

Methodological foundations of the empirical research on communicative competence of future language and literature teachers at the stage of their studies in higher education institutions are the complex of successive measures using psycho-diagnostic instruments. This methodology was approved by the researchers in examining personal determinants of responsibility of future teachers (Hаlian, 2019a; Hаlian, 2019c), in the studies on sensory regulation in situations of uncertainty (Halian, 2016; Popovych et al., 2020c), motivation of professional development of future teachers (Halian, 2018; 2019b; Popovych et al., 2019a), in the experimental research on educational and professional training of future professionals (Popovych & Blynova, 2019; Popovych et al., 2020a; 2020b; 2020d) and also in estimating mental states of expectation in different activities (Khmil & Popovych, 2019; Popovych et al., 2019b; 2020e). All the above-mentioned experimental and empirical studies contain the element of communication, tolerance and motivation of degree-seeking students.

Participants. The first-third year students of Drohobych State Pedagogical University named after Ivan Franko and Kherson State University took part in the research, their total number being 93 persons. The students were seeking the degrees “a teacher of the Ukrainian language and literature” and “a teacher of foreign language and literature”. The average age of the sample was 20.14 years (SD=1.68, the range of 18-23 years).

The sample had a homogeneous composition consisting of females.
Organization of Research. Psycho-diagnostic instruments to measure the research parameters were used during the term (the academic year of 2019 – 2020).
Professional activity of a teacher implies the development of the need for communication as a personal disposition. The test “Methods for identifying the need for communication” (“INC”) (Orlov, 1998) was used to diagnose the need for communication.

Communicative competence of a teacher manifests itself through communicative tolerance. Tolerant and intolerant attitudes of personality are considered its empirical indicator. In order to diagnose communicative tolerance of future language and literature teachers the test “Methods for diagnosing general communicative tolerance” (“GCT”) (Boyko, 1998) was used. The major diagnostic constructs of this method are the following scales: rejection or lack of understanding of other people’s individualities; using oneself as a standard for evaluating other people’s behavior and thinking; rigidity or conservatism in evaluating other people; inability to conceal or smooth over unpleasant feelings when perceiving unsociable qualities of partners; aspiration to change and re-educate partners; aspiration to adjust partners to one’s own standards and make them “comfortable”; inability to forgive other people’s mistakes or unintentional inconvenience; intolerance of physical or mental discomfort caused by other people; inability to adapt oneself to other people’s character, habits and desires.

Diagnostics of general tolerance was performed simultaneously. The diagnostic constructs of the method are: a general index of tolerance; ethnic and social tolerance-intolerance; tolerance as a personality trait. The express-questionnaire “Tolerance Index” (“TI”) (Soldatova, Kravtsova, Khukhlaev, Shaygerova, 2002) was used for diagnostics.

The method “Mehrabian Affiliation Tendency Questionnaire” (“MAFF”) (Mehrabian, 1994) was used to diagnose two generalized stable motifs belonging to the structure of affiliation tendency: need for acceptance and avoiding rejection. The scale titles of the questionnaire: “need for approval” and “fear of rejection”.

Procedures. The research was organized by the scheme of ascertaining experiment. Diagnostic profiles were performed by the following methods: “GCT”, “TI”, “INC”, “MAFF” and psychological content parameters were determined. Sincerity and non-randomness of the answers were ensured by voluntary participation of the research participants in the experiment and confidentiality of the results.

The obtained results were interpreted individually by each method, thereafter we searched for casual connection between the mental phenomena under study. The depth of correlation between individual features of the phenomenon under study and their structure was determined by means of factor analysis.

Statistical Analysis. Statistical processing of the empirical data and graphical representation of the results were performed by means of the statistical programs “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences” v. 21.0 and “Microsoft Office Ехсеl 2007”. We also used factor analysis with a Varimax rotation. Arithmetic mean value of parameters (M), standard error (Sx), mean-square deviation (SD), dispersion (D); asymmetry of values (A) and excess (E) were calculated. Differences between values of parameters at level р≤.05 considered statistically significant.

Results and discusión

Firstly, we diagnosed the need of future language and literature teachers for communication. To do this we used “Methods for identifying the need for communication” (Orlov, 1998). The obtained results proved a high (41.20%) and a medium (52.94%) level of the respondents’ need for communication (see Table 1). Significant differences between the indexes of future language and literature teachers of the first and third years of study were not established. Therefore, we did not have to perform individual analysis by the years of study.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics of the empirical results by the method “INC”.

It was necessary to analyze the content of this need, since the need for communication is an indicator of communicative competence of personality, though it is considered “passive”. We assumed that the components of communicative competence of language and literature teachers are: tolerance on the whole and communicative tolerance in particular, and also the need encouraging individuals to communicate.

We examined communicative tolerance of future language and literature teachers. We showed that 47.05% of the research participants of the sample demonstrate high communicative tolerance. This integral personality trait in 35.29% of the research participants is at a medium level. And 17.64% of the research participants demonstrate communicative tolerance. The results obtained by individual scales of the method are quite significant (see Table 2).

Table 2. Descriptive statistics of the empirical results by the method “GCT”.

We state that no differences in the manifestation of communicative competence between future language and literature teachers of the first and third years of study were established (see Fig. 1). By a general index of communicative tolerance, a high level (40.83 points) of its manifestation prevails in the first-year students, and a medium level (58.82 points) prevails in the third-year students. The disparity in the indexes of differences goes beyond the limits of a standard deviation. We explain it by the fact that a personal level of tolerance depends on different factors: communication experience, personal values, interests, attitudes, stereotypes of behavior and culture are among them. More over, the factor of competitiveness is also important. There is no motif of competition in the first-year students (90.00% of them pay for their education). Therefore, their relationships concern the problems characteristic of their sub-culture, and it unites them. The third-year students compete for the right to be better for mercantile reasons (30.00% of them receive grants). In addition, more extensive experience of communication causes the necessity to struggle for their “place in the world”.

Figure 1. The correlation of the obtained empirical mean values between the first- and third-year students by the method “GCT”

Note: 1 – general index of communicative tolerance; 2 – rejection or lack of understanding of other people’s individualities; 3 – using oneself as a standard for evaluating other people’s behavior and thinking; 4 – rigidity or conservatism in evaluating other people; 5 – inability to conceal or smooth over unpleasant feelings when perceiving unsociable qualities of partners; 6 – aspiration to change and re-educate partners; 7 – aspiration to adjust partners to one’s own standards and make them “comfortable”; 8 – inability to forgive other people’s mistakes or unintentional inconvenience; 9 – intolerance of physical or mental discomfort caused by other people; 10 – Inability to adapt oneself to other people’s character, habits and desires.

By the method “Tolerance Index” the first-year students also demonstrated a higher level of tolerance (90.67 points), when compared to the third-year students (their average index of tolerance is 81.73 points) (see Table 3).

Table 3. Descriptive statistics of the empirical results of the first- and third-year students by the method “TI”.

Qualitative analysis of the obtained results by the scales revealed some tendencies in the behavior of the academic degree seekers. For instance, the largest number of the third-year students (40% of the research participants) try to adjust a partner “to their own standards”. They do not consider their individual features and do not conceal their hostility towards their “unsociable” qualities. The first-year students are more tolerant of it. Some of them demonstrate rigidity in communication, inability to forgive and try to re-educate their partner.

Thus, they combine both intolerance and tolerance characteristics. It shows that they tolerate in some social situations and demonstrate intolerance in others. In our opinion, the choice of tolerance or intolerance tendencies is related to their life orientations.

The conclusions drawn by us encouraged to search for the motifs of behavior of future language and literature teachers. Using the method “Mehrabian Affiliation Tendency Questionnaire” we diagnosed two generalized stable motifs, entering the structure of affiliation motivation: need for approval and fear of rejection. Descriptive statistics of the obtained empirical results are given in Table 4. The obtained empirical values prove insignificant prevalence of such a motif as “fear of rejection”.

Table 4. Descriptive statistics of the empirical results by the method “MAFF”.

The results we obtained while comparing the affiliation motivation of the first- and third-years students are somewhat different. In particular, the motif “Need for approval” and the motif “Fear of rejection” are represented equally in the first-year students (see Fig. 2).

Figure 2. The correlation of the motifs by the method “MAFF” in future language and literature teachers of the first year of study.
Note: M – arithmetic mean; S – standard error; SD – mean-square deviation; D – dispersion; A – asymmetry of values; E – excess.

The motif “fear of rejection” prevails in the third-year students (see Fig. 3). In addition, there is high dispersion by this motif in the first-year students, while dispersion is high by both motifs in the third-year students. It proves an unstable tendency by these scales in the respondents under study.

Figure 3. The correlation of the motifs by the method “MAFF” in future language and literature teachers of the third year of study.
Note: M – arithmetic mean; S – standard error; SD – mean-square deviation; D – dispersion; A – asymmetry of values; E – excess.

We used factor analysis in order to estimate systemic personality formations, developing communicative competence of future language and literature teachers. It allowed identifying correlations between individual features of the phenomenon under study and their structure. The scales of the methods described above were the basis for factor analysis (see Table 5).

Table 5. The matrix of factor loadings of communicative competence of future language and literature teachers of the first and third years of study.

The obtained results proved the availability of six factors determining the content of communicative competence of young people seeking academic degrees. Factor 1 “Communicative intolerance” explaines 23.94% of the dispersion. Factor 2 – “Communicative dominance”, with the index of dispersion of 14.65%. Factor 3, called “Communicative anxiety”, indicates to the inclination of the research participants to conscious life (13.05% of the dispersion). Aspiration for self-development is reflected in Factor 4 – “Ethno-social compromise”, with the dispersion of 12.47%. Factor 5 “Communiative helplessness” explains 10.72% of the dispersion. Factor 6, with the index of dispersion of 10.706, is called “Need for communication”. In total the six factors cover 85.54% of the dispersion, proving reliability of this structure (see Fig. 4).

Figure 4. The factor structure of communicative competence of future language and literature teachers.

The factor analysis conducted by us (see Table 4) proved the prevalence of communicative intolerance (F1) in the structure of communicative competence of future language and literature teachers. Inability to forgive other people’s mistakes (.874), inability to consider individual features and needs of people around them (.840) and aspiration to adjust them to their own “standards” (.758) generate intolerant behavior of young people (.866). Communicative dominance (F2) acquires characteristics of a personality trait (.778) and is a consequence of their self-assertation (.852), based on an undeveloped ability of evaluate (.773). Finally, it causes communicative anxiety (F3) in young people, determined by fear of rejection (.811) and lack of understanding (and often – rejection) of other people’s individualities (.762). However, all this occurs against the background of ethnic (.788) and social (.794) compromise (F4). Tolerance of other people’s way of life, behavior, habits and feelings is a condition for displaying their general tolerance (.580). It is especially important in the context of religious, ethnic and other social poly-structured contemporary world communities. Inability to conceal and smooth over unpleasant feelings, arising in communication with “toxic” partners (.892) with the affiliation motif “need for approval” (.572), make an impression of communicative helplessness (F5) in the research respondents. However, in spite of intolerance of physical and mental discomfort, caused by people around them, young people have the need for communication (.907). It is proved by Factor 6 (F6) of the structure of communicative competence in factor analysis. Therefore, we consider it as a potential communicative ability of future language and literature teachers. Under conditions of continuous self-education, readiness for changes, constructive attitude towards one’s own mistakes, expanding self-interaction, interacting with the world and other people (Tytarenko et al., 2012) there will be improvement in communicative competence of young people. It has been proved by the studies actualizing humanistic ideas in education and implying involvement of a teacher into developing professional qualities influencing the efficiency of interpersonal interaction (Ahavelian, 1999). Moreover, communicative competence prevents emotional exhaustion of future teachers at work, that was emphasized in the studies by L. Bakic-Tomic, J. Dvorski and A. Kirinic (2015). The obtained results prove the need for specialized work with students aimed at overcoming cognitive problems and developing a necessary level of communicative competence. An academic subject aimed at developing communicative competence could be introduced into educational process (Primov, 2019). This work requires the integral approach with the emphasis on the development of motivational and pragmatic, value level of abilities.

I. Ramirez Berdut and O. Laurencio (2015) showed in their research that communicative competence not only contributes to the development of speech, but also maintains the formation of the system of values. While developing communicative competence, it is necessary to consider gnostic (ability to understand others), expressive (ability to express oneself) and interactive (ability to organize interaction with others) components of communication process. It was established that communicative competence implies not only language skills, but also the skills and abilities to transform them into communication events (Bagarić et al., 2007).

Conclusions

1. The need for communication is one of the fundamental ones in the development of a human as a social entity of behavior. Interaction with surrounding people, emotional and confidential communication is a factor of personal growth, a means of developing communicative competence.

2. Communicative competence is leading in professional training of future language and literature teachers. Factor analysis was used to determine its structure consisting of six basic factors (93.64%): F1 “Communicative intolerance” (4.069; 23.938%), F2 “Communicative dominance” (2.491; 14.651%), F3 “Communicative anxiety” (2.219; 13.054%), F4 “Ethno-social compromise” (2.119; 12.465%), F5 “Communicative helplessness” (1.822; 10.717%), F6 “Need for communication” (1.820; 10.706%).

3. In the structure of communicative competence of future language and literature teachers communicative tolerance reflects the need and content of communication, the desire to communicate with others. A low level of communicative tolerance in some research participants is considered as a stimulus for self-development in perception and interaction planes.

4. Affiliation motivation is an important component in the development of communicative tolerance at the stage of training in a higher education institution. During this period an individual’s internal need for affiliation is often blocked with fear of rejection, causing different types of communicative intolerance.

5. Our hypothesis has been confirmed, the obtained data prove the importance of considering communicative competence as a component of professional training of future teachers, communicative tolerance and affiliation motivation being basic for it.

Acknowledgments. The research was conducted within the framework of fundamental scientific practical themes of the Department Practical Psychology of Drogobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University and Department of General and Social Psychology of Kherson State University, the state registration number is 0119U101096.