Irina P. Rednikova

The relevance of this study is explained by the need to teach future IT specialists the skills and abilities necessary for communication in a foreign language. At the same time, it seems that the choice of educational trajectory largely depends on the pedagogical conditions of a particular educational institution and country of study – something course developers often tend to neglect. One of such conditions is the educational environment. This study aims to work out an approach for developing emergent oral speech in IT students in the near-to-native language environment. An experimental approach was chosen as the methodology of the study, which included experiential learning. The developed course was tested on 23 Innopolis University first-year students through experiential learning. A total of five tests were conducted. The results of the tests were subjected to statistical analysis that consisted of three parts: checking the normality of data distribution (Shapiro-Wilk test), analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measurements, and post-hoc analysis using paired t-tests with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. It was found that the skill of unprepared speech was actively formed throughout the course and even in its early stages. A certain slowdown occurs only towards the end of the course. Statistically significant emergent speech development from test to test indicates that the course is effective. In experiential learning, a correlation was also found between such particular-methodological principles as learning in a near-to-native language environment and the principle of intensity, which ensure faster acquisition of spontaneous speech skills under time constraints. In addition, it was found that the combination of such pedagogical conditions as the prevalence of group and pair work during the class, continuous speech practice, and the student/ teacher ratio of speaking time in favor of the former, as well as simultaneous performing oral speech tasks by students of a group provides a faster mastery of spontaneous speech by IT students in a near-to-native environment. Theoretical significance of the study is in the introduction of a new concept “near-to-native language environment” and the justification of the need to create a set of conditions for spontaneous speech development in IT students in the near-to-native environment. The practical significance of the study is conditioned by the proposed stages of foreign language speaking skills development. Moreover, a list of communicative situations based on the IT area specifics is proposed.