TOLERANCE DEVELOPMENT IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS BY MEANS
OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE
The problem of tolerance in the youth environment is one of the urgent, controversial and current problems. If we try to briefly characterize the essence of tolerance, then we should first of all emphasize that this is the quality of culture (moral, legal, political) of every society, any social stratum, every citizen, regardless of gender, age, ethnic, confessional or racial identity. The problem of tolerance in the modern world is a topic of discussion of socio-political, religious, scientific communities in our country and abroad.
An important role in this block is to impose the study of foreign languages as a means of communication between people from different countries and peoples. Language learning, coupled with cultural and social values, can and should be a powerful means of understanding among peoples.
Key words:Tolerance, integration, globalization, interaction, mobility, multicultural community, equality, human and cultural identity.
INTRODUCTION
The processes of integration and globalization in the modern world lead to an increase in the intensity of interaction between different States and cultures. The increasing mobility of the world’s population turns many countries into multicultural communities, the harmonious development of which is possible only on the principles of equality and equivalence, tolerance of different reflections of human and cultural identity.
However, in parallel with the pluralistic worldview, there are contrast views on human society: the ideas of nationalism, chauvinism and cultural exclusivity; racist, religious-extremist, neo-fascist theories are being created with the basis of social intolerance that is widespread. International practice has identified tolerance as a necessary condition for communication between people of different cultures, ethnic and religious groups. The cultivation of tolerance at the level of individual and social consciousness is a necessary condition for the creation of a democratic state. The formation of tolerance and attitudes of tolerant consciousness acts as a condition for the successful development of modern multi-ethnic society, and as a social order to the education system. In this sense, the education of tolerance can be considered one of the parts of the modernization of education.
The concept of «tolerance» is in the wide use in connection with the strengthening of UNESCO in the terms of normalization of international relations. According to the definition given in the Declaration of principles of tolerance (signed on 16 November 1995 in Paris by 185 UNESCO member States, including Kazakhstan), tolerance means «respect, acceptance and correct understanding of the rich diversity of cultures of our world, our forms of expression and ways of manifestation of human individuality. It is facilitated by knowledge, openness, communication and freedom of thought, conscience and belief. Tolerance is harmony in diversity. This is not only a moral duty, but also a political and legal need. Tolerance is a virtue that makes peace possible and helps replace the culture of war with a culture of peace.»
This term is understood differently by different people, determining by their historical experience. Depending on the culture, language, it presents the different meaning. In English, tolerance means «readiness and ability to perceive a person or thing without protest». The French interpret this term as «respect for the freedom of the other, his way of thinking, behaviour, political or religious views.» In Chinese, tolerance, forgiveness, gentleness, forbearance, compassion, benevolence, patience. In Belarusian-tolerance it is used as a characteristic of a person, but more often as a characteristic feature of the Belarusian ethnic group.
MAIN PART
Tolerance in the common sense is defined as perseverance, perseverance and endurance in some business, work and as the ability to tolerate. The term «tolerance «comes from the Latin tolerantia, which means «patience». Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language under the editorship of D. N. Ushakov defines tolerance as derived from the French. The basis of this concept, used directly in Russian, is primarily the position of respect for other religious beliefs. In one of the most concise definitions given by the encyclopedic dictionary, tolerance is understood as «tolerance to other people’s opinions, beliefs, behaviour»[1, 14].
Tolerance is a multidimensional concept. It can be considered not only as a regulator of interpersonal, international and inter — confessional relations, as a principle of civil and legal behaviour, as a socio — political imperative of the human community, but also as an ethical and philosophical category, as a cultural norm and moral value.
Twentieth-century dictionaries define «tolerance» as tolerance of other people’s behaviour, feelings, opinions, that is mainly about religious tolerance.
In accordance with the Declaration of principles of tolerance … the value and social norm of civil society manifested in the right of all individuals of civil society to be different, ensuring sustainable harmony between different faiths, political, ethnic and other social groups, respect for the diversity of different world cultures, civilizations and peoples, readiness for understanding and
cooperation with people who differ in appearance, language, beliefs, customs…
The characteristic of the definition of «tolerance» is modified in the preamble of the UN Charter:»… be tolerant and live together in peace with each other as good neighbors.» Here, the concept acquires not only an effective, socially active colour, but is also considered as a condition for successful socialization (integration into the system of social relations), which consists in the ability to live in harmony with both your inner world and the world of people (micro — and macroenvironment).
The problem of tolerance in the modern world is a topic of discussion of socio-political, religious, scientific communities in our country and abroad. Today, when the world community is experiencing significant and ambiguous changes, and ethnic and religious conflicts in a number of countries pose a serious threat to stable progressive development, Kazakhstan demonstrates the ability to systematically solve the problems arising in this area. Our country has managed to develop an effective model of civil peace and harmony, contrasting it with the destructive ideology of the superiority of some peoples over others. Without a doubt, all educational organizations are one of the most important institutions of education of this quality of the moral aspect. The main documents in our work on this issue are «a Comprehensive program of education in educational institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan», «the Concept of the state under youth policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan». The basis for the improvement of youth policy in Kazakhstan was the creation of the necessary conditions for young people to receive a decent education and employment in own specialty.
Currently, in the pedagogical process the teacher faces a difficult task, which is not only to familiarize students with the diversity of cultures, but also in the education of respect and tolerance towards other cultures. In addition, the teacher should be able to explain the term «tolerance». We are talking not only about the formulations associated with this term, but also about familiarity with all the nuances of tolerance. For the successful assimilation of the term «tolerance», it is necessary to understand what a tolerant person is, and for this the teacher needs to tell about the qualities that are characteristics of such a person [2, 10].
An important role in this block is to impose the study of foreign languages as a means of communication between people from different countries and peoples. In the modern world, language is the factor that ensures stability in society. For a long time we learned language for the sake of language, forgetting that there is an inextricable link between the components of the triad: language — culture — communication. It is well known that the language barrier is not the only obstacle that representatives of different cultures have to overcome in the process of communication, there is always a cultural barrier behind the language barrier. Many people today recognize that the main reason for misunderstanding in intercultural communication is the difference of national consciousness of communicants, not the difference of languages. Language, thus, is «not only a means of communication and expression of thought, but also the accumulation of cultural values. Knowledge of any other language is the key to the culture of another people speaking that language. The language reflects the experience of the people, its history, material and spiritual culture «[3, 10].
In this regard, it is necessary to develop a deeper understanding of the culture, way of life and thoughts of other peoples. Language learning, coupled with cultural and social values, can and should be a powerful means of understanding among peoples. It is no coincidence that one of the most important goals and the result of teaching foreign languages today is not only and not so much communicative competence, but also the formation of students’ respect for other cultures and people, readiness for business cooperation and interaction, joint solution of human problems. At the same time, the learning process itself should turn into intercultural learning, into learning to understand someone else.
A foreign language lesson is a crossroads of cultures, a practice of intercultural communication, because each statement in a foreign language reflects the specifics of a foreign culture. Foreign language is one of the main elements of education of students ‘ personality. Studies in the field of socio-cultural studies clearly show that it is the means of the language studied that can contribute to the development of students ‘ qualities such as tolerance and impartiality to representatives of other countries and cultures. The study of a wide range of cultures of both native and target languages contributes to the formation of students’ tolerance, as well as creates favorable conditions for cultural self-determination of the individual.
Foreign language as an academic subject has a huge developmental and educational potential. Like no other subject, is able to cultivate respect for people of other nationalities, tolerance for dissent and develop intercultural communication skills.
The work on the formation of tolerant consciousness in the young generation should be multifaceted and multidirectional. It is especially difficult to form a tolerance for the «other» when it comes to national and religious differences. It is no secret that a kind of biological instinct of rejection and aggression works in relation to something unfamiliar, incomprehensible, «alien»: not like someting, so-«bad», «unacceptable». And the most important step in the process of forming a tolerant consciousness should be the psychological transformation of the «stranger» — into the «other», this is what is interesting. The key to this transformation can and should be a kind of «approach» to the national peace of other people in its various manifestations.
The content of various subjects, especially foreign language, where the image system directly and especially strongly affects the emotional world of the individual, its value orientations — gives many opportunities to address the problem of tolerance.
The purpose of teaching foreign language culture is to form a person not so much as a carrier of knowledge, but as a person of culture, the development of his spiritual strength, abilities, education of his morally responsible and socially useful person; and the content of education is culture as a system of spiritual and material values, accumulated by society in all spheres, from life to philosophy.
Communication in English is an intercultural interaction. It is very important to convey to the student that a foreign culture is not worse or better than ours—it is simply different, and you need to be tolerant and understand of these differences. It is at the lessons of a foreign language that it is easier to turn to the dialogue of cultures, especially when representatives of different nationalities are presented in the audience. Young people of different nationalities study in each group. Therefore, the use of the technology of dialogue of cultures is one of the most important means of education of tolerance in the classroom of a foreign language. Dialogue of cultures is an exchange of opinions and experience, comprehension of values and traditions of other people. In this case, there is a multifaceted process of learning a foreign language through the prism of multicultural traditions of our country.
Teaching foreign language communication in the context of the dialogue of cultures involves the interrelated solution of the following communicative, educational developmental tasks, namely:
1. Cognitive (cultural) aspect:
— enhancing students’ knowledge of the culture of English-speaking countries;
— familiarity with the culture of the country of the studied language by comparing previous knowledge and concepts with the newly obtained, with knowledge about their country, their features;
— development of the ability to represent their country and culture in terms of foreign language and intercultural communication. (Presentation of their nationality and some aspects of culture, the history of things).
2. The educational aspect:
— formation and development of communicative culture, development of oral and written speech culture in English;
— development of the ability to read authentic texts of linguistic and cultural content with different educational strategies;
— development of the ability to translate and use the dictionary 3. Developmental aspect:
— development of linguistic-cultural and speech observation; creative imagination, associative and logical thinking in the conditions of foreign language educational communication; — development of communication skills, independence, ability to cooperate.
4. Educational aspect:
— formation of students’ ideas about the dialogue of cultures as a consciously elected philosophy of life, requiring its participants respect for other cultures, language, ethnic and racial tolerance, readiness to study the cultural heritage of the world, to spiritual enrichment of the achievements of other cultures, a deeper understanding of their native culture through the context of the culture of English-speaking countries;
— education of patriotism, a sense of pride in their culture, their country.
The principle of education in the context of the dialogue of cultures creates conditions for studying the culture of the countries of the studied language based on world culture and rethinking of national culture in the mirror of world culture, the result of which is mutual understanding.
The importance of country studies, which is aimed at the formation of linguistic and communicative competence, and hence — tolerance towards another national world, is very important. Such topics as» Family culture of the peoples of Kazakhstan and English-speaking countries»,» national cuisine of the peoples of Kazakhstan and the countries of the studied language»,» Ethnic values of world religions»,» Etiquette and customs of different people», contribute to the comparative analysis of students of different aspects of their own culture and culture of the countries of the studied language.
Based on the developments of scientists, there are several levels of tolerance:
civilization – the absence of violence in the contacts of different cultures and
civilizations;
— international-conditions for cooperation and peaceful coexistence regardless of their size, economic development, ethnic and religious affiliation of the population;
— ethnic-tolerance to other people’s lifestyle, customs, traditions,, opinions and ideas;
— social-partnership interaction between different social groups of the society, its power structures, when the necessity of such cooperation and respect for the positions of the parties are recognized;
— individual-respect for another person, understanding that there are views different from their own.
It is an indisputable fact that tolerance at the civilized, international and ethnic levels is possible only if it is available at the individual level, because it is the Foundation of all other, higher levels.
Based on this, it is necessary to determine what are the qualities of a tolerant person, which allow to carry out successful communication both at the level of microsocium, and in politics and dialogue of cultures. One of the first generalized characteristics of a tolerant personality was offered by the American psychologist Gordon Allport. He highlighted the following parameters:
— self-orientation (a tolerant person is more focused on personal independence, less on belonging to external institutions and authorities);
— the need for certainty (recognizes diversity, is willing to listen to any point of view and feels less discomfort in a state of uncertainty);
— less commitment to order (a tolerant person is less focused on social order, less pedantic);
— ability to empathy (propensity to give more adequate judgments about people);
— preference for freedom, democracy (it does not matter hierarchy in society);
— self-knowledge (a tolerant person is well aware of his / her merits and demerits and is not inclined to blame others for all the troubles);
— responsibility;
— security (a sense of security and the belief that the threat can be dealt with). [4, 120].
The above parameters of a tolerant person concretize educational goals and allow to present the factors necessary for the formation of such a person, and to find methods to achieve the goal, which is the education of a tolerant person.
In the English language course, there are a significant number of topics in the study of which it is necessary and possible to emphasize the problem of education of tolerance. For example, at the elementary level-a «description of appearance.» In the introduction of vocabulary on this topic, as well as in the preparation of dialogues are usually used images of people with different skin colours, dressed in national costumes, and always with smiling faces. Students call eye colour, hair, answer the question » Do you like them?», «And why?» they come up with which of them they would like to be friends and why. When studying the topic of «Living together» at the average level, we touch on the social sphere of activity, relationships in the family, with friends, as well as cultural characteristics of both the native country and the countries of the learned language.
Intercultural communication can be realized only on the heritage of one’s own people, the culture of one’s native land. Thus, students develop the ability to represent their country and their small homeland in the conditions of intercultural communication. Therefore, along with the education of respect for another culture in the classroom children are more deeply aware of their native culture. For example, after reading and discussing the material about British holidays, children are invited to compare similar Kazakh holidays and traditions of their celebration.
In monologues on a given topic, students Express their opinion (tolerance is not only acceptance of other cultures, but even acceptance of other people’s opinions). Drawing up and telling dialogues also fosters tolerance among students, because the participants of the dialogue may have different points of view on a given situation, and only by respecting the opinions of each other, you can come to the solution of the proposed problem.
And, of course, the most extensive opportunities for the formation of tolerance are presented to us by the subject of lessons: the UK and its constituent countries (this is a multinational state, each country that is part of it remembers and honors its traditions, while respecting its neighbor, brother); themes “London”, “USA”, “our Cities”, “Kazakhstan”, and others. All this allows students to get to know the countries of the learned language, to get acquainted with their history, political system, cultural traditions, and daily life of people and so on. Such knowledge creates the basis for a respectful and, therefore, peaceful attitude to the culture of these peoples and countries. At such country lessons linguistic dictations, quizzes and crosswords are also used.
Students also receive information about the sights of English-speaking countries when watching videos and presentations, compare them with the domestic famous and interesting places and come to the conclusion that each country has its own values and is proud of them. Students in the classroom singing authentic English songs, watching authentic movies.
Getting acquainted with the culture of other countries and people, the student should see the respect of the teacher to the people — the native speaker of the language and his knowledge of the country, its history, culture and place in the world.
CONCLUSION
The possibilities of tolerance education at the lessons of a foreign language are laid down in the lexical material. For example, the proverb «My home is my fortress» reflects respect for private, family life. Studying such topics as» environmental Problems «and» Sport», the main attention is paid to the idea that only with the unity of views on the safe development of the whole society can achieve well-being on our planet, and sport can be the initial idea that can unite all Nations.
English-speaking countries is successfully carried out by the method of project work, both in primary school and in middle school and in high school. This method provides an excellent opportunity for self-expression, self-realization, promotes the unity of the group, the ability to work together, to express their opinion and to defend it in a reasoned, tactful way. It uses both group forms of work and work in pairs, as collective discussion, joint research of the problems put forward help to penetrate deeper into another culture, to find common and specific, to look for conflict-free ways of solving problems. Such work is usually of great interest to children of different levels of training, stimulates the study of regional studies materials, additional literature (on an exciting problem); strengthens interpersonal relationships, promotes tolerance towards people living in the territory of English-speaking countries; shows the level of importance of their culture and life priorities.
We always discuss with students the traditions of Christmas and New year in different countries, spend holidays such as Halloween, Nauryz, Ayt (the traditional holiday), make greeting cards, posters, and hold special holiday themed lessons.
Teaching English in the context of the dialogue of cultures contributes to the education of a person of culture, committed to universal values, absorbed the wealth of cultural heritage of the past of its people and the peoples of other countries, striving for mutual understanding with them, capable and ready to carry out interpersonal and intercultural communication, including by means of the English language.
The implementation of training and education in the context of culture contributes to the better assimilation of educational material, increase communication and cognitive motivation, provides the possibility of simultaneous access to the language and culture, has a positive effect on the emotional state of students, contributes to the formation of tolerance of young people to the bearers of any cultural, religious, ethnic traditions, education of the personality of the XXI century.
Modern higher education should be focused not only on the training of a specialist as a professional, but also on the formation of his relevant values, ideals, worldview, the development of the ability to interact productively with others and social responsibility to society, i.e. tolerant personality of a student.
REFERENCES
1. Berdichevskii L. A., Solovieva N. N. Dialogue of cultures at the level of native and foreign languages / / Foreign languages at school. — 1993. — № 6. — P. 12-15.
2. I. Yu., Kasatkina TOLERANCE EDUCATION AT FOREIGN LANGUAGE LESSONS // Scientific community of students XXI century. HUMANITIES: collection of articles on the Mat.
XLII international. stud. scientific.- prakt. Conf. № 5 (42). URL:
https://sibac.info/archive/guman/5(42).pdf (date accessed: 03.02.2019)
3. Declaration of principles of tolerance [Electronic resource]: adopted by UNESCO General conference resolution 5.61 of 16 November 1995 // Declaration. — The United Nations. — UN, 2016.
— Access mode: http://www.un.org/ru/documents/decl_conv/declarations/tolerance
4. Pedsovet.su Tregubova O. I. » Tolerance. Bases of education of tolerance of pupils».
М.Х.Кылышпаева, С.Х.Кылышпаева
Воспитание толерантности у студентов вуза средствами иностранного языка Жетысуский государственный университет им. И.Жансугурова, г.Талдыкорган, Казахстан Преподавание английского языка в контексте диалога культур способствует воспитанию человека культуры, приверженного общечеловеческим ценностям, впитавшего в себя богатство культурного наследия прошлого своего народа и народов других стран, стремящегося к взаимопониманию с ними, способного и готового осуществлять межличностное и межкультурное общение, в том числе средствами английского языка.
Осуществление обучения и воспитания в контексте культуры способствует лучшему усвоению учебного материала, повышению коммуникативно-познавательной мотивации, обеспечивает возможность одновременного обращения к языку и культуре, положительно воздействует на эмоциональное состояние студентов, способствует формированию толерантности молодых людей к носителям любых культурных, религиозных, этнических традиций, воспитанию личности XXI века.
М.Х.Кылышпаева, С.Х.Кылышпаева
ЖОО студенттерінің толеранттылығын шет тілдері арқылы тәрбиелеу І.Жансүгіров атындағы Жетісу мемлекеттік унивеситеті, Талдықорған қаласы, Қазақстан
Еліміздің білім беру жүйесінде әлемдік деңгейге жету үшін жасалынып жатқан талпыныстар әр-түрлі әдіс-тәсілдерін қолдана отырып, терең білімді, ізденімпаз, барлық іс-әрекеттерінде шығармашылық бағыт ұстанатын толерантты әрі креативті жеке тұлға тәрбиелеу ісіне ерекше мән берілуде.
Еліміздің ұлттық білім беру жүйесінде «Қазақстандық патриотизм» ұғымы қолданылып келеді. «Қазақстандық патриотизм» арқылы Отан, туған жер, ел, атамекен, мемлекет, туған өлке, халқы туралы түсініктер оқу-тәрбие үрдісінде, сабақтан тыс іс- шараларда Отан сүйгіштік сезімді дамыту, ұлттық салт-дәстүрді сақтау, мемлекттік рәміздерді құрметтеу, ана тілін қадірлеу сияқты сезімдерді оқушылар бойында қалыптастыру жүзеге асырылуда.