Abstract:

The object of the study is foreign language teaching to Generation Z students, and more specifically, teaching and learning of Spanish as a foreign language. The article summarizes modern foreign language teaching approaches, paying special attention to Interactive methods and the ways to apply them in Spanish classes at the Engineering Academy of RUDN University.

The students of engineering specialties are between 17 and 23 years of age, their level of Spanish language is from A1 (Beginners) to B2. Compared with traditional teaching, interactive teaching is in line with recent research on the relationship between teaching methods and the Theory of Generations founded by William Strauss and Neil Howe.

Most of the modern students are representatives of the Generation Z (Gen Z) that refers to young people who were born between the late 1990s and early 2000s and are clearly different from those that came before. Based on studies exploring Generation Z, we conclude that they are tech-savvy, pragmatic, open-minded, individualistic but also socially responsible; they spend their free time online, communicate more often digitally and frequently use a smartphone over computers and other devices. Today’s students can multi-task faster and they have shorter attention spans than their predecessors.

The authors consider foreign language teaching methods and resources taking into account the above-mentioned characteristics of modern students. The methodology is an active learning procedure with integration of Information and Communication Technologies. The research also contains analysis of Spanish digital resources, which contribute to improve students’ learning processes. Interactive methods give way to the students’ activity, creating an enabling environment for the students’ initiative and inspiring their independent search. The results of the research can be used in teaching Spanish as a second language.

Keywords:

Gen Z, Spanish language, teaching, methods, educational activities.