Development of a multilingual online course with the language support for teaching physics in English

Abstract

Distance education offers an alternative to traditional teaching methods, particularly online courses. During the pandemic, the role of information and communication technologies in the field of education has increased and is used to organize both synchronous and asynchronous learning. However, not all information and communication technology (ICT) tools and platforms provide the necessary functionality for developing online courses in the direction of language integration. This article discusses the issues of creating a multilingual online course of physics in English with the necessary language support and additional functions for the development of students’ academic language. The study used such methods as a survey, focus groups, analytical and descriptive methods, and empirical research. The key features of the developed course are the use of various types of content and methods for assessing both subject and language knowledge and skills. The presented survey results, data on summative assessment (SE), and trial testing show the effectiveness of the developed course modules. The conclusions and results described in the article will be useful to teachers of natural sciences in general education and private schools, especially those using international programs, deputy directors, as well as teachers who teach their subjects in a second or third language.