Emotional-semantic approach in teaching English to graduate students: theoretical foundations and practical application

Importance. In the modern academic environment, graduate students are held to a higher standard than ever before, including English proficiency as a mean of scientific communication, publication activity, and engagement in international community. However, traditional learning methods based on memorizing grammar rules and vocabulary often prove ineffective for adult learners whose cognitive and emotional characteristics require an alternative approach. In this context, the Schechter Method based on the emotional-semantic approach emerges a promising tool for teaching English to graduate students. This study aims at assessing validity of the Schechter Method in teaching English to adults.Materials and Methods. Methods of analyzing scientific and methodological literature, approaches to adult learning, as well as statistical processing of the data obtained led us to conclude about how effective and efficient the emotional-semantic approach is.Results and Discussion. The successful implementation of the Schechter Method in teaching English to graduate students requires their active engagement drawing on their prior experience, existing skills and competencies. The study determined that tasks aimed at developing dialogic speech skills should incorporate an emotional component and possess practical focus, ensuring that the educational process is meaningful and motivating. Within the study, we provide a lesson plan targeted at graduate students of the 43.04.03 “Hotel Management” program. The lesson plan is structured in the form of three-step intensive cycles.Conclusion. In the educational training practice for graduate students, the emotional-semantic approach performs as an integrated method of teaching adults that considers their psychological characteristics, and is based on key principles of andragogy. By combining cognitive and emotional components, this approach helps conquer psychological barriers commonly experienced by adult learners. The emphasis on the relevance and practical applicability of language learning makes the difference in terms of purposeful and effective use of language in real-life conditions, thereby enhancing both learning outcomes and student motivation.