Teacher development

Let me introduce myself. My name is Elena Malinina. I`m 26, married. I have been working at NNGASU for 3 years and work with first, second year students. I use such course books as Total English and manuals on Civil Engineering written and published by the members of our chair. Along with teaching I carry out scientific work in the field of methods of teaching English, pedagogical skills and psychology of upbringing. The focus of my research is made on the foundation of culturally aware person through the means of studying a foreign language.
At our university extra curricular activity is of special importance. We have a system of so called tutors who help students arrange their free time as a part of their students’ life. Therefore we as teachers don’t restrict ourselves to just development and training of the language skills. We are trying to stir the interest fist and for most for our native culture and language with the help of special quizzes, language contests, evenings of poetry followed by further discussions, philosophical disputes, etc. All this is to make up the foundation for further successful language studies. And it’s like planting the first seeds into the soil.
The general purpose and initial conviction is that learning a language is not just a hard work and regular training but a pleasure getting rid of routine, finding friends, acquiring new experience, broadening the mind and exploring the world of people. As for the practical aim and objectives we want to develop the skill of communication, to give students the chance to discover their own capabilities in the other words to familiarize them with themselves and to look at themselves from the other point of view.
Moreover we’d like to teach them the skill of independence and self-reliance not only where studies are concerned but in their living. Course if a person is confident enough and he is used to relying on himself he will ever be able to find a solution both in professional sphere and in life situations.