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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.53.05.31
How to Cite:
Slyvka, L., Sivkovych, H., Budnyk, O., Tytun, O., & Boichuk, A. (2022). Students’ healthy lifestyle formation in english classes
(using materials of Polish and Ukrainian authors). Amazonia Investiga, 11(53), 320-331. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.53.05.31
Students’ healthy lifestyle formation in english classes
(using materials of Polish and Ukrainian authors)
Формування здорового способу життя студентів на заняттях англійської мови
(із використанням матеріалів польських та українських авторів)
Kształtowanie zdrowego trybu życia studentów na lekcjach języka angielskiego
(z wykorzystaniem materiałów autorów polskich i ukraińskich)
Received: May 1, 2022 Accepted: June 2, 2022
Written by:
Larysa Slyvka129
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1865-6326
Halyna Sivkovych130
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2770-7113
Olena Budnyk131
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5764-6748
Oksana Tytun132
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7926-1630
Alla Boichuk133
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6340-1894
Abstract
The article aims to present the comparative
results of a study of the formation of a healthy
lifestyle among students of some pedagogical
specialties; to analyze the content of the students’
healthy lifestyle formation in English lessons,
and to present materials on health issues from the
works of Ukrainian and Polish authors which
could be integrated into the content of English
lessons. The following research methods were
used: analysis of scientific literature, surveys,
quantitative and qualitative analysis of the
obtained results. Motivational-value, cognitive
and behavioral-activity criteria for the formation
of a healthy lifestyle for students are determined.
The participants of the study were first-year
students majoring in “Biology” (n=34, the
experimental group – EG) and “Primary
Education” (n=86, control group – CG) at Vasyl
Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
(Ukraine). The pedagogical possibilities for
solving the outlined tasks through teaching
English are proved. It was found that “health
improvement” is possible under the following
129
PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ukraine.
130
PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ukraine.
131
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ukraine.
132
PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ukraine.
133
PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ukraine.
Slyvka, L., Sivkovych, H., Budnyk, O., Tytun, O., Boichuk, A. / Volume 11 - Issue 53: 320-331 / May, 2022
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pedagogical conditions: systematic and
purposeful inclusion of healthy lifestyle issues in
the content of education, use of additional
literary works, especially by Ukrainian and
Polish authors, and writing effective teaching
aids on techniques for the use of additional
literature in the process of healthy lifestyle
formation in both classroom and extracurricular
work.
Keywords: Healthy lifestyle (HLS) formation,
English lessons, Polish and Ukrainian authors.
Streszczenie
Cel artykułu ‒ przedstawić porównawcze wyniki badań kształtowania się zdrowego trybu życia studentów
niektórych specjalności pedagogicznych; zanalizować treści kształtowania zdrowego trybu życia studentów na
lekcjach języka angielskiego; zreprezentować materiały prozdrowotne z dzieł autorów ukraińskich i polskich,
które docelowo można wkomponować do treści zajęć z języka angielskiego. Zastosowano następujące metody
badawcze: analiza literatury naukowej, ankietowanie, analiza ilościowa i jakościowa uzyskanych wyników.
Zdefiniowane są kryteria ukształtowania zdrowego trybu życia studentów: motywacyjne, wartościowe,
poznawcze, behawioralne i czynnościowe. W eksperymencie brali udział studenci pierwszego roku kierunku
“Biologia” (n=34; grupa eksperymentalna ‒ GE) i “Oświata podstawowa” (n=86; grupa kontrolna ‒ GK)
Prykarpatśkiego Uniwersytetu Narodowego imenia Wasyla Stefanyka (Ukraina). Udowodniono możliwości
pedagogiczne w rozwiązywaniu określonych zadań pod czas prowadzenia lekcji języka angielskiego.
Stwierdzono, że wypełnenie tej dyscypliny treścią prozdrowotną jest możliwe w następujących warunkach
pedagogicznych: systematyczne i celowe dołączanie tematów, dotyczących zdrowego trybu życia, do treści
kształcenia; właściwe wykorzystanie dodatkowej literatury, w szczególności materiałów autorów ukraińskich i
polskich; tworzenie podręczników edukacyjnych i metodycznych dotyczących technologii korzystania z
dodatkowej literatury w kształtowaniu zdrowego trybu życia w procesie edukacji i pracy pozalekcyjnej.
Słowa kluczowe: kształtowanie zdrowego tryb życia (ZTŻ), zajęcia z języka angielskiego, autorzy polscy i
ukraińscy.
Introduction
The health of the younger generation has been
and should remain a priority investment in the
welfare of every nation (Al-Shehri, 2002). Due to
the influence of bad ecological and social
situations in many countries of the world, there is
a deterioration in health, an increasing number of
chronic diseases, and declining indicators of
physiological and mental development of
modern youth. At the same time, the
effectiveness of students’ education is
determined by their ability to work, and their
health in general. Experiences of loneliness,
frustration and so-called stress diseases
(cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, stomach
diseases, visual impairment) can be observed in
students’ environments. Hyper dynamic due to
the priority of “digital life” and excessive use of
gadgets caused an informational impact on the
minds of the young by means of the media, which
often impose bad habits, promote the
consumption of fast food, etc.
In the context of the study, we will consider
another aspect of the problem, namely, Russia’s
large-scale military invasion of Ukraine in
February 2022, which has led to a significant
deterioration in the physical, mental, social, and
spiritual health of most citizens. Periodic (and in
some regions of the country systematic) shelling
of civilian objects as well as the sounds of air
alerts have a negative impact on the moral and
emotional being of people. Ukrainians feel great
support from all over the world, including Poles,
who are close neighbors. Therefore, the study
focuses on the works of scientists from Ukraine
and Poland, dealing with the problems of
forming healthy lifestyle habits.
It is extremely important to determine the main
directions of the university’s work on updating
the content of education in the context of the
introduction of healthy lifestyle technologies (St
Leger, 1997). As we are convinced that the life
and health of children and youth are the highest
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values and indicators of a civilized society
(Budnyk & Mazur, 2017). Therefore, students’
healthy lifestyle (HLS) formation is an important
component of the educational process at any
institution of higher education. This allows
students to preserve and strengthen their own
health and prepares them for health promotion in
their forthcoming professional activity
(Smolinska et al., 2020).
The authors identify some aspects of applying the
potential of the content of the humanities (in
particular, English) for the development of
healthy lifestyle habits in university students (on
the example of an educational institution in
Ukraine).
The purpose of the article is to present the
comparative results of the study of the formation
of a healthy lifestyle among students majoring in
“Biology” and “Primary Education”, to analyze
the technologies of students’ HLF formation in
English lessons and to present health-preserving
works of Ukrainian and Polish authors which
could be integrated into the content of English
language classes.
Literature Review
The issue of HLS formation of children and
young people is within the scope of many
scientists’ research. In our paper, we address
some of the most influential ideas. Thus the
works of O. Svyrydenko (2010), who analyzed
the pedagogical conditions for healthy lifestyle
education of teenagers at sports centers for
children and youth, are of great value.
O. Danysko (2015) summarizes the latest
scientific approaches to the problem of healthy
lifestyle formation among the young generation
and specifies methodological and theoretical
approaches to the formation of a healthy lifestyle
among schoolchildren by means of physical
education and sports. P. Mazur et al. (2018)
devoted their work to promoting a healthy
lifestyle among schoolchildren (comparative
study between Poland and Ukraine).
Some papers are dedicated to various aspects of
teaching the students of higher education
institutions (HEIs) the fundamentals of a healthy
lifestyle. V. Blanchard (2006) studied the health
knowledge of student teachers. V. Bobrytska
devoted her doctoral dissertation to theoretical
and methodological basics of pre-service
teachers’ healthy lifestyle formation in the course
of learning Natural Sciences. The author noted
that the process of HLF involves the
implementation by every student of their
professionally motivated, conscious, long-term
activities aimed at improving their inherited
health reserves and correcting their individual
lifestyle (Bobrytska, 2006, p. 11‒12). The same
ideas are presented by O. Bondarenko (2008),
who researched the formation of valeological
competencies of pedagogical university students
in the process of their professional training, and
L. Bezluga (2009) who considered the issue of
self-directed work organization in the field of
health culture formation among HEI students.
W. El Ansari et al. (2011) assessed health
promoting behaviours and lifestyle
characteristics of students at seven universities in
the UK, and compared differences in these
parameters between males and females.
O. Sokolenko (2008) highlighted the role of
HEIs in the formation of the students’ healthy
lifestyle. The scholar notes that good health and
a high-level health culture are prerequisites for
the effective performance of future professional
health-promoting educational activities
(Sokolenko, 2008, p. 3‒4). L. Dudorova (2009)
characterized the educational conditions for the
formation of pre-service teachers’ need in HLS
in the process of Physical Education. T. Ivanenko
(2011) studied the semantic-methodical aspects
of the formation of female university students’
positive evaluative attitude to health-improving
activities. V. Yefimova (2013) analyzed the
content of pre-service Natural Science teacher
training as regards the performance of health-
promoting techniques.
O. Martyniv (2015) defines the essence of the
content and structure of health care culture,
theoretically substantiates and experimentally
verifies the effectiveness of the implementation
of a set of pedagogical conditions and models of
students’ health care culture on the basis of
interdisciplinary integration. V. Llorent-Bedmar
& V. Cobano-Delgado (2019) studied the health
education training of university students taking a
degree in early childhood education. Many
scholars have found out that keeping a healthy
lifestyle and a responsible attitude toward their
own health positively affect students’ behaviour
and actions. The research of N. Kravchuk (2017)
is in line with I. Mardarova (2019) who
emphasized the importance of efficient
educational strategies and application of
techniques in the formation of students’ HLS.
Therefore, the problem of the formation of
students’ HLS is of great scientific interest. At
the same time, there are few works presenting the
comparative analysis of the techniques of
forming students’ health-preserving
competencies. And this area of the research is, in
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our opinion, quite promising. Among the surveys
of this format, the article by M. Oliiar et al.
(2020) takes a special place, as it highlights the
comparative results of a study of the readiness of
pre-service primary school teachers’ and
physical education teachers’ for health
promotion in educational institutions.
H. Sivkovich et al. (2020) devoted their work to
the comparative results of the study of the
readiness of students majoring in “Primary
Education” and “Preschool Education” to carry
out health work in professional activities.
Despite the significant contribution of modern
scholars to the development of study of the
problem of students’ HLS formation, we should
admit a lack of works presenting a comparative
analysis of the relevant pedagogical process and
suggest constructive ways of improving it. In
addition, the potential contribution of the so-
called “unhealthy” subjects to students’ HLF is
poorly understood.
Methods
Research Design
Choosing between quantitative and qualitative
methods, which are very popular in designing
research and data analysis (Eyisi, 2016), we
focused in our study on a mixed approach. The
quantitative data (developed questions), enabled
us to determine students’ attitude to the issue of
a healthy lifestyle and to assess the amount of
their knowledge. We also employed qualitative
methods to interpret students’ opinions on the
problem and summarise their experience.
Descriptive statistics were used to summarise
and systematise the survey data, to transform
their qualitative characteristics into quantitative
(numerical) ones. Visual methods (tables) were
used in the process of data description.
Traditional quantitative methodology (Shyroka,
2011) was applied to obtain reliable and valid
results of the analysis of students’ answers which
were passed through the developed scaling
procedure and given numerical values, after
which the results were processed in the same way
as quantitative ones, statistically.
Sample
The study involved randomly selected first-year
students majoring in “Biology” (n=34,
experimental group – EG) and “Primary
Education” (n=86, control group ‒ CG) at Vasyl
Stefanyk Precarpathian National University. The
initial survey was conducted in September-
October 2020. We developed questionnaires for
the students and performed statistical analysis of
survey data. The study traced the motivational-
value, intellectual-cognitive and behavioral
criteria for the formation of a healthy lifestyle
among students. To achieve the aims, the authors
of the paper used a set of research methods:
theoretical (summarisation; analysis and
synthesis), empirical (observation, questionnaire,
and interview), and visual (tables, diagrams).
Instruments and Procedure
The data collection included the use of a
questionnaire that contained closed-ended and
open-ended questions.
Data Analysis
The data analysis process was divided into
several stages. At the first one, the students
completed questionnaires and we conducted
conversations and observation. After that, the
authors of this research discussed the results of
students’ responses to open-ended questions.
They collected quantitative data from the
questionnaire surveys in the form of an excel
sheet and analysed them statistically, providing
percentages. At the final stage, all qualitative
data obtained from the respondents (in the
process of observation and conversation) were
interpreted using a comparative method of
analysis and coding techniques.
Ethical issue
In accordance with the ethical principles of
scientific research, we informed the students
majoring in “Biology” and “Primary Education”
about the purpose of our survey, moreover we
stressed that they had the right to refuse to
participate in the experiment at any time. The
questionnaire, to which the consent form was
attached, did not contain any identifying
information.
Results
Ukrainian scientists V. Bobrytska (2006),
L. Dudorova (2009), N. Kravchuk (2017),
V. Yefimova (2013), L. Slyvka (2014) identified
the following criteria for the formation of
students’ HLS: motivational-value, cognitive
and behavioral. The motivational-value indicator
reflected students’ awareness of their needs,
interests, values regarding health and a HLS. In
other words, it determined the students’ views on
the value of health, their desire to get social-
hygienic knowledge and master healthy lifestyle
skills, to succeed in life and professional activity,
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as well as their ability to abandon pernicious
habits. The cognitive component highlighted the
accumulated intellectual potential of students in
the field of healthy lifestyle organization, that is,
a combination of psychological, pedagogical and
special knowledge necessary for strengthening
and preserving one's own and other people’s
health. The behavioral criterion combined
students’ gnostic, prognostic, evaluative, design,
communicative etc. skills and abilities, focused
on a healthy lifestyle. It monitored the students’
capacity for the implementation of a healthy
lifestyle, their awareness of educational and
preventive techniques, participation in health
initiatives in their social environments, and their
desire to fill their own leisure time with physical
activities, useful things, work, creativity etc. This
criterion showed the level of students’
involvement in the holistic system of HLS or its
elements, as well as their readiness for the
preservation and promotion of health.
The initial survey was conducted in September-
October 2020. Its results showed that the level of
HLS formation among the first year students of both
majors was almost the same by all criteria. Thus, the
majority of students in both groups (92% in EG and
94% in CG) recognized the importance of keeping
a healthy lifestyle in maintaining and strengthening
their health (Table 1). The respondents’ opinions on
the close connection between a person’s quality of
life and a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle were also
unanimous. 86% of the students in EG and 82% of
the students in CG gave positive responses to this
question. Almost all respondents gave negative
answers to the questions “Would you like your
children’s future teacher to smoke (92% in ЕG,
94% in CG) or drink alcohol (100% in EG, 100% in
CG)?” Only 8% of the students majoring in
“Biology” and 6% of “Primary Education” students
wrote that smoking was not a problem for them.
These results show that their future children’s
health is a value for the students, they are prejudiced
against a potential mentor of their own children who
has bad habits and would be a “negative example”
for them.
Table 1.
The results of the survey according to the motivational-value criterion.
Question option
EG, %
CG, %
Do you think that keeping a healthy lifestyle is important for maintaining
and strengthening one’s health?
92
94
Do you believe that a healthy (unhealthy) lifestyle affects a person’s quality
of life?
86
82
Would you like your own children's future teacher to smoke?
‒ yes, I would
‒ no, I wouldn’t ‒ the teacher’s smoking is not a problem for me
0 92 8
0 94 6
Would you like your own children’s future teacher to drink alcohol?
‒ yes, I would ‒ no, I wouldn’t
‒ the teacher’s drinking alcohol is not a problem for me
0 100 0
0 100 0
Source: The survey was conducted by the authors of the article
The “cognitive” dimension of the formation of
students’ healthy lifestyle was determined by
their responses to the questions presented in
Table 2. 100% of the students from both groups
proved the necessity of knowledge about a
healthy lifestyle. 42% of the respondents from
ЕG and 38% from CG understood the concept of
a “healthy lifestyle” and knew its components.
36% of the participants from EG and 34% from
CG were able to name the important forms of
sport and healthy behaviour. When discussing
the arguments against smoking and alcohol use,
we received the following answers: “smoking
causes disrespect to tobacco users” (12% from
EG and 10% from CG), “smokers and alcohol
drinkers often suffer from headaches” (14% from
EG and 8% from CG), “smokers and alcoholics
do not form strong families” (6% from ЕG and
8% from CG). Less than a third of the students
from both groups were able to describe such
concepts as “adequate nutrition” (24% from ЕG
and 18% from CG), “health reserves” (12% from
ЕG and 14% from CG), “risky behavior” (16%
from ЕG and 18% from CG), “responsive
behaviour” (20% from ЕG and 14% from CG),
“ways of resisting social pressure” (12% from
ЕG and 10% of CG). The students named the
following negative effects of smoking: high
blood pressure (20% from ЕG and 16% from
CG), laryngeal tissue irritation ((22% from ЕG
and 12% from CG), eye irritation (16% from ЕG
and 18% from CG), vascular disease (28% from
ЕG and 30% from CG), and respiratory disorders
(16% from ЕG and 14% from CG).
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Table 2.
The results of the survey according to the cognitive criterion.
Question option
EG %
CG %
Do we need knowledge about a healthy lifestyle?
100
100
How do you understand the concept of a “healthy lifestyle?” Name its
components.
42
38
What are the important forms of sport and healthy behaviour?
36
34
Name harmful factors affecting human health: ‒ smoking causes disrespect to tobacco users
‒ smokers and alcohol drinkers often suffer from headaches
‒ smokers and alcoholics do not form strong families
12 14 6
10 8 8
Describe the concepts: ‒ adequate nutrition
‒ health reserves
‒ risky behavior
‒ responsible behaviour ‒ ways of social pressure resistance
24 12 16 20 12
18 14 18 14 10
What negative effects of smoking do you know?
‒ high blood pressure
‒ laryngeal tissue irritation ‒ eye irritation
‒ vascular disease
‒ respiratory disorders
20 22 16 28 16
16 12 18 30 14
Source: The survey was conducted by the authors of the article
The next set of questions met the behavioral
criterion (Table 3). The students had to choose
between the healthy lifestyle components they
performed in everyday life. The results of our
study show that personal hygiene skills (skin-,
teeth-, hair care, etc.) received high and medium
levels of formation (76% from EG and 82% from
CG), while only half of the students (52% from
ЕG and 51% from CG) kept work and rest
regimes – they altered their mental and work
activities, ate regularly, and had sufficient rest.
34% of the students from EG and 36% of the
teachers from CG mastered nutrition skills –
healthy eating, the ability to determine and
maintain the quality of food etc. 36% and 32% of
the “Biology” students and 40% and 32% of the
“Primary Education” students did their morning
exercises regularly and were engaged in physical
culture and health activities.
Table 3.
The comparative data on the formation of students’ healthy lifestyle skills.
Healthy lifestyle skills
Percentage of students according to the levels (%)
EG
CG
High
Sufficient
Low
High
Sufficient
Low
‒ I do my morning exercises
‒ I regularly go in for sports, play games,
do physical work
14 12
22 20
64 68
20 14
20 18
60 60
‒ I alter my mental and work activities,
eat regularly and have sufficient rest
16
36
48
17
34
49
‒ I’m aware of healthy eating, can
determine and maintain the quality of
food
14
20
66
14
22
64
‒ I understand the basics of personal
hygiene, take care of my skin, teeth, hair,
etc.
36
40
24
42
40
24
Source: The survey was conducted by the authors of the article
We also note that among the respondents there
were students who did not identify themselves
with the role of a teacher and “a model of healthy
lifestyle” for their future schoolchildren. 6% of
the students surveyed from EG and 4% from CG
wrote that they smoke a few cigarettes a day,
20% from EG and 16% from CG replied that they
smoke a few cigarettes a week. 12% from ЕG and
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14% from CG confessed that they sometimes
drank alcohol with their friends; the number of
those who drank alcohol at celebrations was 46%
and 48% respectively. Only 2% of the students
from each group were interested in health-
promoting literature, none of the respondents
could remember a book or an article highlighting
the educational principles of healthy lifestyle
formation.
Analysis of the state of the respondents’ healthy
lifestyle formation showed that, on the one hand,
they understood the value of health and
adequately assessed the impact of people’s
lifestyle on their quality of life. The motivational
value set of answers proved this fact. On the other
hand, students’ knowledge of a healthy lifestyle
and ways of maintaining it was fragmental and
insufficient. Besides, many students did not keep
a healthy lifestyle.
We explain this fact with insufficient attention to
the problem of healthy lifestyle formation among
university students, and a traditional approach to
teaching and education. Besides, health issues
are included in the content of studies of some
special disciplines. These are: Anatomy,
Physiology of Children with the Basics of
Genetics and Valeology; Life Safety, Civil
Protection; The Basics of Medicine; Valeological
Education etc. (Sivkovich et al., 2020, p. 90), –
their potential for the formation of a healthy
lifestyle among students is limited. The results of
the study prompted us to make some changes in
the content of the studies of students majoring in
“Biology”. We decided to fill the content of the
English language studies with health-preserving
information. At English classes the students
received health-promoting knowledge from
various sources (textbooks, manuals, scientific
research) written by Ukrainian and Polish
authors. The students majoring in “Primary
Education” studied English according to the
traditional program.
Later, in April-May 2021, we conducted the final
stage of the survey and conversations, which
showed that the number of EG students with a
high level of healthy lifestyle formation reached
52%, while in the CG such students accounted
for only 24% (Table 4). These students
understood the importance of a healthy lifestyle,
had deep knowledge of the relevant conceptual
and terminological apparatus, developed positive
motivational and value orientation to keeping a
healthy lifestyle. The students with an average
level of healthy lifestyle formation did not have
clear ideas of health-preserving behaviour, did
not fully realize the importance of sufficient
knowledge of ways of maintaining,
strengthening and forming health. There were
36% of the first-year students in EG and 32% in
CG who indicated an average level of healthy
lifestyle formation. 12% of the respondents from
the experimental group and 44% of the
respondents from the control group were enrolled
in the group with a low level of HLS formation.
These students showed little interest in health-
related problems, had fragmentary and one-sided
knowledge of how to maintain and enhance
health, and developed unhealthy lifestyle skills.
Table 4.
Comparative data on the healthy lifestyle formation of students according to the results of the final survey
(%).
Percentage of students by levels
EG
CG
High
Average
Low
High
Average
Low
52
36
12
24
32
44
Source: The results of the study were obtained by the authors of the article
Thus, in the result of our experimental work we
found out that EG students showed higher
indicators of healthy lifestyle formation when
compared to the students from the control group.
Discussion
O. Sokolenko notes that first-year students’
awareness of health as a value is very often
insufficiently formed and they do not know how
to assess their own health adequately (Sokolenko,
2008, p. 11). Thus, low indicators of students’
HLS formation according to the motivational
value criterion (Table 1) at the ascertaining stage
of the research were, to some extent, predictable.
During their studies at the university, the students
form a different active attitude to life, differing
from that of the schoolchildren: the students
assess their capabilities in a different way, they
have a desire for self-education and
self-improvement. Ultimately, this leads to the
understanding of health as a value and develops
a sense of responsibility for its maintenance
(Sokolenko, 2008, pp. 3‒4). Our work, focused
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on the formation of Biology students’ ideas about
health as a value, culminated in the ascertainment
of positive dynamics of the formation of HLS on
the motivational value criterion, as evidenced by
Table 4.
The results of the study presented in Table 2
showed that only 10‒25% of the students in both
groups had some knowledge in the field of health
preservation. The low level of the cognitive
criterion on the formation of students’ healthy
lifestyle at the initial stage of their studies at
university is explained by the fact, that the
content of school curricula presents
interdisciplinary integration of the relevant
educational vector very sporadically (Martyniv,
2015, p. 6).
The low rates of formation of students’ HLS by
behavioral criteria, presented in Table 3,
confirmed the conclusions of some scientists
(Sivkovich et al., 2020, p. 94) that even a certain
level of knowledge about the appropriateness of
diet, nutrition, the harmful health effects of
smoking or alcohol consumption etc., does not
always result in sufficient individual activity for
a healthy lifestyle.
Thus, we can conclude that the above differences
in the levels of healthy lifestyle formation of
students of EG and CG, which were identified by
the results of the final questionnaire, are not
accidental – they are a consequence of the
implementation in the experimental group of
certain educational prerequisites for healthy
lifestyle formation.
One of these prerequisites concerns the integrity
and continuity of the process of forming a system
of knowledge, skills and abilities to organize
students’ HLS. In their works many scientists
constantly emphasize the need to comply with
this educational precondition. L. Dudorova
believes that HLS formation is an
interdisciplinary problem. Therefore, institutions
of higher education should ensure this process
takes place by implementing the interaction of
many academic disciplines and students’
activities (Dudorova, 2009, p. 32). The use of
interdisciplinary integration techniques to
deepen students’ knowledge and skills about
health and a healthy lifestyle is effective
(Martyniv, 2015, p. 3).
The English language course has great potential
for the students’ healthy lifestyle formation.
Scientific works by I. Avdieienko and O. Skryl
(2012), and by I. Gribkova (2013) indicate this.
The researchers emphasize that in English
classes, alongside the formation of language and
speech competencies, students can consolidate or
deepen their knowledge of the basic principles of
health maintenance, get acquainted with the
world’s latest studies in this field and, by means
of communication, share the acquired
health-preserving experience. Therefore, a
student’s work with health-preserving texts can
be a starting point for the formation of his
motivation for his own health improvement.
Another educational precondition for students’
healthy lifestyle formation is, according to
L. Slyvka (2019), the introduction of high quality
health maintenance information into the training
courses and use of additional literature that
would contribute to the “diversification” of the
content of education. Adhering to this
prerequisite, in English language classes we used
the works by K. Bargiel-Matusiewicz &
R. Dziurla (2019), A. Bogacz (2009), J. Drabik
& M. Resiak (2009), S. Palamar et al. (2020),
J. Szymborski et al. (2009), T. Vorontsova &
V. Pononarenko (2011), B. Woynarowska
(2011) and K. Zajączkowski (2005). We should
add that English classes for the students majoring
in Biology were conducted according to the
content of the English language course
“Speakout” by A. Clare & J. J. Wilson (2015).
The health topics of the above literature were
logically integrated in the topics of the sections
of this publication.
Thus, while studying the topic “Free time”, the
students spoke about their leisure time activities.
Music fans gave examples of the impact of music
on health and well-being. The content of the
dictation which we conducted during the study of
the topic “Rest”, was filled with information
about safe and dangerous situations during active
rest. While studying the topics “Transport” and
“Travelling”, the students discussed traffic rules.
The topic “Health” covered the issue of making
decisions about having a responsible attitude to
their own and other people’s health. During
round table discussions, which we organized to
study the topic “Healthy Food”, the students
shared experiences of choosing healthy goods,
gave examples of buying products for healthy
eating and announced different ways of cooking
healthy food. The topic “Diseases” provided the
students with knowledge of the rules of personal
hygiene, told them about the impact of healthy
behaviour and good habits on people’s health,
about the positive impact of an active lifestyle on
the quality and duration of human life, about the
risks and dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and drug
addiction, about alternatives to bad habits –
games with friends, playing sports, pursuing
hobbies etc. When studying the topic “Living in
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a big city”, the first-year students learned to make
decisions about their own safe behaviour in view
of situations involving strangers, simulated
appeals for help to various services in case of
dangerous situations. The topics “Mass Media”
and “The Internet” served to form students’ ideas
about the rules of online communication safety,
the consequences of reckless behaviour on the
Internet etc.
The study of these topics contributed to the fact
that students majoring in Biology, when
compared to the students majoring in Primary
Education, showed a higher rate of knowledge of
health preserving content by almost 30%
(Table 4). This positive result was also due to the
fact that we tried to ensure the cognitive activity
of EG students, introducing into the content of
English classes discussions, debates,
role-playing games, work with authentic
scientific and popular science sources etc. These
activities, as noted by scientists, stimulate
creative and critical thinking of students and their
ability to analyze, summarize and compare
different points of view (Avdieienko & Skryl,
2012, p. 10‒11).
As a result, the EG students proved that the
information they had received and the format of
its representation helped them perceive the
concept of a healthy lifestyle more consciously,
and developed in them a responsible attitude to
their own health. About 50% of the students from
this group said they were interested in finding the
information they needed to stay healthy. Our
observations are consistent with the study of
S. Palamar et al. (2020), who believes that
properly organized educational activities on the
formation of a healthy lifestyle motivate students
of higher education institutions to pursue
self-education and self-improvement.
Conclusions
Students’ healthy lifestyle formation is an
important issue that needs to be properly
implemented in higher education institutions
(Tsependa & Budnyk, 2021). However, it is
carried out mainly during the study of the
so-called “health-preserving” disciplines. Their
number in university educational programs is
small. Besides, the objectives of these courses are
not focused on the formation of a HLS among
students. As a result, the formation of a HLS
among students is very low, as evidenced by the
results of the initial survey.
Motivation is the basis for students to acquire
knowledge about maintaining and strengthening
their own and other people’s health. Appropriate
knowledge is a means with which to form the
intellectual potential of the individual regarding
the organization of healthy living and the
foundation of a healthy lifestyle.
To fill the gaps in students’ knowledge, it is
necessary to saturate as many educational
courses as possible with health-preserving
content. This makes it possible to expand the
boundaries of the educational environment,
which would increase the desire of preservice
teachers to gain more knowledge about health
and its preservation and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Learning English takes a special place in the
implementation of these tasks, as students’
language and speech competence can be
developed by means of topics with health
maintenance content. The positive dimension of
using the opportunities of this course is further
enhanced by the fact that the content of English
classes can be filled with information from
additional literature. It “diversifies” the content
of learning.
Texts by Ukrainian and Polish authors used
during English lessons (K. Bargiel-Matusiewicz
& R. Dziurla; A. Bogacz; J. Drabik & M. Resiak;
S. Palamar et al.; J. Szymborski et al.;
T. Vorontsova & V. Pononarenko;
B. Woynarowska; K. Zajączkowski) helped to
increase the level of knowledge and skills of
students from the experimental group in the
context of having a responsible attitude to their
own and other people’s health, traffic rules and
safe and dangerous situations during active rest,
to healthy food and a balanced diet, personal
hygiene, the risks and dangers of alcohol,
tobacco, drug use, safety rules for online
communication etc.
It is proved that the effectiveness of HLS
formation of students depends on compliance
with the following educational conditions:
systematic and purposeful inclusion of health-
preserving topics in the content of education,
filling the content of academic disciplines with
interesting, diverse, health-oriented information,
use of additional literature by Ukrainian and
Polish authors and lastly the creation of
educational and methodical manuals about the
techniques for the use of additional literature on
HLS formation during the educational process
and in extracurricular work.
Conflict of interest – The authors declare that
there is no conflict of interest.
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/ May 2022
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