History of The English Language Chair

The English Language Chair was founded in 1973. At that time, it was called the Chair of Foreign Languages and was headed by Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor V.B. Andronova. Then, for over 15 years the Head of the English Language Chair was Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor O.Y. Leontieva, the author of scientific and methodological works, an experienced manager and a respected leader for her colleagues, as well as a highly qualified teacher for many students. Since October 1999 the Chair has been headed by Professor, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences T.A. Shcheblykina.

The staff of the English Language Chairc consists of 10 teachers, including one Professor, eight Candidates of Sciences and Associate Professors and one senior teacher. They provide studying for full-time and part-time students at the faculties of History, Psychology and Sociology, Law, Arts, Preschool Education, Physical Education and Sport, as well as part-time students of the faculties of Physics, Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Primary Education. The teachers work with postgraduate students of all forms of education.

The staff of the Chair are actively engaged in scientific activity under the theme “Comparative, textological and linguopoetic research that aims to provide methodological and methodical support for teaching English at school and university.”

The teachers of the Chair hold English practical classes for non-philological specialties. In recent years, they have developed new theoretical courses, such as: “Academic and professionally-oriented communication (English)”, “Business foreign language”, “Culture of international business communication” and others.

The staff of the English Language Chair take an active part in the life of students, involving them in cultural, political and economic activities.

Since 2002 on the basis of the English Language Chair there has been an English conversational club called “Miracle”. All students and anyone who loves English can visit it. The club's activities contribute to the deepening of knowledge in communication, culture and history of English-speaking countries, their traditions and symbols. Club meetings are held on the occasion of national, state holidays, anniversaries as well as memorable dates and improve the erudition of visitors.

The teachers of the English Language Chair supervise students’ scientific reports and research projects in English, participate in the organisation of students’ competitions and English olympiads, act as independent reviewers of students’ master's theses. Moreover, every year they arrange an inter-university scientifically-practical conference called “Modern trends in the research of young scientists”.

Under the guidance of the teachers of the Chair, students conduct research activities, participating in all-Ukrainian and international conferences and seminars, such as an academic exchange program called “Fulbright” (Kyiv), “AISEC”, “KSE” (Kyiv). Furthermore, every year the staff take part in regional competitions “The best young scientist of Kharkiv region, major in humanities” and district festivals “Person of the Year” in the nomination “Scientists”.

All teachers of the English Language Chair continuously improve their professional level, attend Longman and Oxford methodological seminars held in Kharkiv regional offices, develop and publish methodological recommendations and manuals and participate in scientific conferences as well.

Besides that, the staff improve the training of specialists taking into account the process of international integration of Ukraine and our domestic higher education system in European space. To ensure proper preparation of students for scientific and practical activities, work programs of the disciplines are updated annually with respect to the current trends in industries, globalization, employers’ needs and the latest competitive trends in the labour market.

To improve the quality of educational process, the teachers actively use modern information technologies and involve students in the constant use of English online sources of information. Educational work and research activities in the language environment contribute to both effective education of future professionals and development of their competitive language competencies and skills.

The staff of the Chair have mastered modern teaching methods aimed at encouragement of individual and team work of students and promote critical thinking development.

Important peculiarities of the organization of educational process in master's and postgraduate studies are intense attention to research work, emphasis on practically-oriented educational process, conducting master classes and other forms of meetings of applicants with experts and scientists.

Strategic directions of the development of the English Language Chair. 

The basic directions of the Chair development provide realization of the following activities:

• internationalization of the educational process: providing teaching of English at the level of international standards taking into account the results of international exams in assessing speech competencies of students;
• expanding the online component in teaching English;
• creation of modern educational and methodical literature on the basis of information technologies, namely electronic textbooks of the developed courses on the platforms of distance learning and video lectures;
• development of tasks for independent study of students on the basis of online content with respect to tasks and purposes of new programs of disciplines;
• improvement of the organization of internal quality control of teaching through mutual visits.