Effects of Short-Term STEM Intervention on the Achievement of 9th Grade Students in Mathematics

Author(s): Amra Duraković,Dina Hamzić / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2022

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the STEM approach on students’ achievements in processing teaching topics from Algebra. A quasi-experimental design was used with an experimental and control group. The research was conducted on a sample of 73 ninth-grade students (aged between 14 and 15). STEM approach was performed in teaching the experimental group, while the control group was taught in a traditional way. The obtained results showed that the STEM intervention had a positive impact reflected in significantly better results on the achievement tests. The girls performed better than boys on all tests.

Етнонимът „българи“ в ранносредновековните арменски текстове

Author(s): Peter Goliyski / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2022

The standard form Bulghar, with which Bulgarians and the Land of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) are recorded in medieval Armenian texts, has been established as traditional only since the 11th century. Until then, there were several attested variations, while the oldest form in the earliest Armenian texts was Bulkar, with “k” instead of “gh” (Movses Khorenatsi’s “History of the Armenians”, circa 482 AD), with parallel variants Bolkar and Blkar in the expanded version of the geography Ashkharats’uits’ of Anania Shirakatsi, who lived in the 7th century AD. This characteristic of the earliest Armenian records of the name “Bulgarians” puts an end to the speculation that the form Bulghar in some copies of the history of Movses Khorenatsi proves that his “Bulgarian passages” are a late interpolation making their reliability disputable. On the other hand, the parallel forms Bulkar, Bolkar and Blkar in Ashkharats’uits’ are a valuable indication that different Proto-Bulgarian groups have pronounced the name “Bulgarians” differently. The last leads to the hypothesis of the existence of dialectal differences among the Proto-Bulgarian tribes in the 7th century and even earlier.

Reflections on Some Instances of Translanguaging in Written Bulgarian Discourse

Author(s): Maria Kolarova / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2022

The use of translanguaging strategies in written Bulgarian discourse is continually expanding and this expansion ultimately affects the Bulgarian language system in one way or another. The present paper focuses on 42 instances of translanguaging taken from Bulgarian-language lifestyle magazines and online advertisements. On the one hand, the aim is to illustrate the interrelatedness between translanguaging and linguistic creativity and, on the other hand, to identify what economy effects could be achieved by applying translanguaging strategies in written Bulgarian discourse. The collected samples have been classified and described in such a way as to see how the phenomenon of translanguaging has currently affected the Bulgarian language system.

Разработка опросника для изучении языковых биографий носителей унаследованного языка

Author(s): Leonid Moskovkin,Bernhard Brehmer,Tatiana Kurbangulova,Tatiana Lypkan / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2022

The purpose of this study is to identify the pieces of biographical information that are most relevant for the study of Russian as a heritage language. It builds on a review of questionnaires for studying linguistic biographies that are currently used in articles and methodological materials by different researchers. We perform a critical analysis and comparison of these questionnaires, which aims at a more systematic and condensed approach to the gathering of relevant sociolinguistic data. This comparison showed that the most relevant types of biographical information are the following: (a) general biographical information, including data on the acquisition and proficiency in the languages of the participants, (b) information on language use in different communicative domains by the informant, (c) data on the attitudes of the informant towards the heritage language, and the language of the country of residence, (d) data on the informant's self-assessment of proficiency in the heritage language in general and mastery of basic skills. The research results can be useful not only for studying heritage languages, but also with a little refinement to studies on second and third language acquisition.

The Benefits of Lexical Approach in Quizlet-Based Vocabulary Learning

Author(s): Olga Chaikovska / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2022

In the present experimental study second-year students majoring in “Agricultural Engineering” and “Electrical engineering” revise for the Unified Entrance Exam to join the Master course. Both groups learn vocabulary through the online vocabulary learning platform Quizlet. In contrast, to control group the experimental group entered not isolated words, but words in chunks according to the lexical approach. To compare students’ progress in vocabulary acquisition the Student’s t-test was used. The results show that the first hypothesis should be taken into consideration: there is a significant difference in the average indicators in the groups. Learning words in chunks had a significant effect on the test scores and, consequently, increases the chances to pass the Unified Entrance Exam and do postgraduate studies.

Gamification in language Teaching at the University Level: Learner Profiles and Attitudes

Author(s): Denitza Charkova / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2022

In instructional settings, the term gamification refers to the use of game-based elements to increase learner motivation and involvement. This study aimed to get insight into how adult learners of English perceive gamified activities incorporated into their English language course, and whether player types as defined by Bartle (1996) - explorers, achievers, socializers, and killers – affect student attitudes to specific gamification elements (rules, time limit, challenges, leaderboard, awards, bonuses, and badges). The results showed a high level of student support (97%) for gamified language instruction. A significant difference was observed between player types regarding their attitudes to certain gamification elements and player types. Challenges were highly rated by the explorers (p = 0.006); leaderboards by the killers (p = 0.049), and time limit by the achievers (p = 0.009). The conclusion is that player types and preferences should be surveyed and considered when designing gamified learning activities.

Съвременната българска литература за деца и формирането на умения за четене с разбиране в начална училищна възраст

Author(s): Neli Ivanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2022

The article focuses on Methodology and Literature education of pedagogy students - the most expected future primary school teachers, as a prerequisite for the effective formation of the reading comprehension skills of primary school students. The necessity of deep knowledge of contemporary child literature as well as the classic works for children is underlined

Diagnosis as a Tool for Monitoring the Effectiveness of Addiction Prevention in Adolescents

Author(s): Olga A. Selivanova,Natalia V. Bystrova,Irina I. Derecha,Tatiana S. Mamontova,Olga V. Panfilova / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2022

The article presents the results of analytic-diagnostic work which was carried out on the basis of the educational institutions of Tyumen region with 250 respondents (aged 14 – 17 years old) in order to reveal the structural and content features of resistance as predictors of its development in order to improve the effectiveness of prevention work with addicted teenagers. We used Pearson’s χ2 criterion to evaluate significance of the differences between qualitative characteristics of the sample falling into one or another category (as revealed by testing) and theoretical number which could be expected in the studied groups of teenagers if the null hypothesis is true; we determined the most significant characteristics of resilient teenagers with high level of resilience.

Werbung im Wirtschaftsdeutsch-Unterricht

Author(s): Gergana Fyrkova / Language(s): German Issue: 4/2022

Werbung im Wirtschaftsdeutsch-Unterricht eröffnet große Chancen für einen attraktiven und zugleich pragmatischen Zugang zu einer Fremdsprache. Wegen ihrer interdisziplinären Besonderheit ist sie ein ideales Format zur Vertiefung der sprachlichen und kommunikativen Kompetenzen und zum Erwerb von Fachwissen über das Wesen der Werbung, über Gesellschaft, Kultur und Mentalität. Werbung kann die Neugier auf das Zielsprachenland und seine Bewohner wecken, motivieren, Emotionen hervorrufen, Gelegenheiten zum Sprechen und Schreiben schaffen und kulturelle Besonderheiten analysieren. Sie ist deshalb so interessant und ergiebig für die Wissensvermittlung, weil sie sprachliche, ästhetische, soziale und wirtschaftliche Themen miteinander verknüpft. Eine Reihe von Möglichkeiten für die Didaktisierung der Werbung ergeben sich aus ihrer narrativen Ausprägung und ihrer Position an der Grenze zwischen Kunst und Wirtschaft.

Има ли място музиката в обучението по чужд език?

Author(s): Penka Kaneva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2022

The results of a survey conducted in 2022 with teachers and foreign language university lecturers are presented and analyzed in the article. The opinion of the respondents regarding the use of musical activities in foreign language learning is taken, and their expertise in the field is studied. Conclusions that would be useful for methodology experts are derived. The survey is a part from a more comprehensive research on the relationship between music and language development, good practices for applying music activities in early foreign language teaching and learning and unused opportunities for including music in the teaching process and language learning.

Чуждоезиковото обучение – цел на инженерното образование и инструменти в образователната среда

Author(s): Tsvetelina Vukadinova,Senia Terzieva,Juliana Javorova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2022

The article presents a study concerning the development and testing of innovative educational approaches for developing language competences of engineering students. The study was carried out among 1st and 2nd year students of the specialty „Technical Mechanics“ at the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (UCTM) – Sofia, Bulgaria. An original bilingual educational tool was developed for this purpose. It was designed to support and improve the learning process in specialized foreign language classes.

Reconstructing the Mathematics Curriculum for Post-16 Students: a Comparison of the Approaches in England and Bulgaria

Author(s): Phil Budgell / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2022

A major reform of the Mathematics curriculum was published in England in 2016, implemented in 2017 and examined in 2019. In Bulgaria, the analogous reform was published in 2018, will be implemented in 2020 and examined in 2022. This paper takes the framework developed by Budgell and Kunchev (2019) and seeks to interpret the new curricula in terms of the Students, the State and the Curriculum with an introduction to Assessment. In terms of the Curriculum, the paper examines, at the highest level, General and Specific Objectives; followed by Overarching Themes; then the Topics covered and finally the Detailed Content Statements for each topic. The paper concludes that the real differences between the teaching of Mathematics in England and Bulgaria lie not in the Mathematics itself but in the overall curriculum and assessment frameworks within which Mathematics is taught.

Професионална квалификация по религия за учители нетеолози: добра практика на УниБИТ

Author(s): Georgeta Nazarska / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2022

The article describes as a “good practice ” the experience of University of Library Studies and IT – Sofia, in conducting two courses for the acquisition of “Teacher of Religion – Islam and Non-denominational Education” additional professional qualification during 2018/2019 and 2020/2021 academic years. The results of the courses are analyzed through pedagogical diagnostics and commented on in comparison with the current European experience for training teachers in “Religion – Islam”.

Институционални механизми за генериране на образователните неравенства

Author(s): Elena Lavrentsova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2022

The article is dedicated to one of the fundamental social problems – the problem of inequality in the field of education and the mechanisms of its reproduction. The author's view of the problem is related to understanding the evolution of the institute of education in the light of the accompanying scientific discourse, which usually starts with the issue of equal access to educational resources, and then emphasizes on discussing the possibilities for equality of educational outcomes. The author traces several main stages that reveal the progressive movement of the institutional nature of education, especially in the direction of expanding its accessibility, openness and efficiency, which at the same time remains firmly embedded in the existing system of stratification. Attention is paid mainly to the analysis of the way in which the institutional instruments in the form of selection and differentiation are materialized in the complex mechanisms and realities of the pedagogical process and contribute to the exacerbation of educational inequalities.

Sustainable Professional Development Through Coaching: Benefits for Teachers and Learners

Author(s): Irina Ivanova,Penka Kozhuharova,Rumyana Todorova / Language(s): English Issue: 5/2022

Rapid changes in society and education, and the demand for high professional standards as a prerequisite for successful student learning, necessitate a constant update of teachers’ professional knowledge and skills. In this context, coaching is seen as a powerful tool for self-development and self-actualization, which unlocks learners’ potential and maximizes their achievements. The article focuses on ensuring sustainability in teachers ’professional development and improving teachers’ competence by introducing them to basic coaching skills which they can use to improve learners’ results and their relationships with educators. The discussion is based on data from the implementation of a coaching-based teaching methodology comprising3 modules which deal with different aspects of coaching. The modules were piloted and evaluated on the basis of their overall effectiveness, and teachers ’and learners’ development. The participants in the study included 39 educators working in educational institutions in 6 European countries. The analysis is based on data collected by means of questionnaires for the participants, post-piloting focus-groups and individual interviews. The findings suggest improvement in teacher – student relationships, creativity, motivation, goal-setting, and job satisfaction. In terms of benefits for teachers, the highest values were given to the development of professional competence, and improving the effectiveness of teaching. In terms of module content, the participants preferred the linear progression from general to specific, thus choosing to focus on coaching essentials and basic coaching skills before moving on to their application inworking with learners. In their feedback the participants singled out the topics of self-reflection, active listening and focusing on solutions as most interesting and useful. As for modules’ usefulness for learners’ development, the highest values were given to learners’ ability to set goals, followed by improving creativity, improving communication, and increasing motivation.

Стратегии за управлението на качеството на образование

Author(s): Snezhanka Dobreva Georgieva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 5/2022

The quality of education is the main objective of the policies of the different levels of government – national, regional, local and institutional. In the article, based on the areas of quality and their characteristics according to the state educational inspection standard, variants of strategies relevant to achieving this main goal are summarized as a vision for the development of institutions, part of the system of preschool and school education. Other specific strategies are also offered, according to the state of quality in the institution and the measures to increase it. Needs for developing long-term plans are identified and practices for integrated approaches to achieving quality education are analyzed. Attention is paid to the role of cooperation in school organizations, the commitment and motivation of pedagogical teams to achieve institutional goals. In this regard, emphasis is placed on the integrated interaction between the participants in the educational process when choosing an appropriate strategy or a set of strategies depending on the conditions of the institutions' functioning and the achieved results of the activity. Attention is paid to the role of the survey of the satisfaction of teachers, parents and students with the quality of the educational service and the participation of interested parties in quality assurance as a basis for the effectiveness of the development strategies of the institutions.

В НОВИТЕ БРОЕВЕ НА СПИСАНИЯТА НА ,,АЗ-БУКИ“ ЧЕТЕТЕ

Author(s): Albena Simova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 5/2022

Помниш ли, помниш ли… от Димчо Дебелянов (Опит за стилистичен анализ)

Author(s): Albena Baeva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2022

In the article an attempt is made for a stylistic analysis of the poetic work of Dimcho Debelyanov “Do you remember, do you remember the quiet yard”. The analysis determines the stylistic contrasts, which are connected in mutual relations. The analysis is supplemented by a description of the verse structure of the elegy. An attempt has been made to connect the two levels in order to show more closely the semantic load of the poetry.

Не заради човека, а заради ползата – литературното образование в риск

Author(s): Natalia Hristova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2022

Drawing on the research of Martha Nussbaum, the article focuses on the “devastating” crisis experienced by modern education systems entailing their consistent subordination to the dominant economic logic and the resulting neglect of the literature and humanities in the school curricula. According to Nussbaum, should this trend continue to prevail, very soon the education systems will be simply producing generations of efficient machines incapable of human empathy and devoid of any critical reflection. Literary education, Nussbaum emphasizes, can not only help cultivate empathy and humane attitude towards the other, but also become one of the main factors in developing these traits. Stimulating the active emotions and imagination of the children, literature encourages them to think about others, about strangers with whom their real life experience will not give them the opportunity to meet. Reading literature helps one to build an inner intuition for the common human vulnerability, and thus counteracts the temptation to respond to human imperfections and weakness by pursuing total control.

Равнище на езиковата подготовка и култура на студентите педагози

Author(s): Neli Ivanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2022

The problems related to the level of language preparation and culture of the regular and part time students in the pedagogy degree course from Sofia university “St. Kl. Ohridski’’ as potential future primary teachers are discussed in the article. The analysis is based on a test study data from a research made in February-May 2022. The conclusions and generalizations from the analysis are focused on the further improvement of the students’ language preparation.