The opportunities of interactive technologies for enhancing the self-actualization of non-linguistic students studying a foreign language (exemplified by business game)

Abstract

The article is devoted to studying the opportunities of interactive technologies for enhancing the self-actualization of non-linguistic students studying a foreign language, exemplified by the method «business game». Interactive technologies form the learning environment where a student acts as a subject of multidirectional interaction «student — teacher» / «student — student». They contribute to forming the deliberate student’s competency and to taking the full advantage of their creative and mental potentials. Business game is intended to improve the skills of foreign language communication, to develop the social competency, to raise the proficiency in the foreign language not only as a subject of study but also as a mean of professional communication. There are the main aspects of business game which form the mechanism of enhancing the self-actualization of non-linguistic students studying a foreign language: individual constituent, collective constituent, feedback, emotional background. Individual constituent is internal conditions, collective constituent is external stimulating conditions. The author demonstrates how the role ranking in business game helps activate the cognitive interest of students and their readiness to search for the creative non-typical solutions of problematic situations. Business game mobilizes the mechanisms of students’ interpersonal perception — identification and empathy. Feedback makes cognitive, communicative and personal-conceptual aspects of study more active, actualizes the personal and group forms of reflexion. The emotional constituent of business game is the emotional atmosphere which by means of positive emotional experiences can contribute to enhancing the motivation for learning-creative activities and cognitive interest, to developing students’ needs for personal growth and self-fulfilment. Business game is a powerful motivational resource for enhancing the self-actualization of students studying a foreign language.