Abstract
Introduction. The relevance of the research is accounted for by the search of new pedagogical technologies for the formation, preservation and reproduction of traditional cultural values in the socio-cultural space. The aim of the article is to analyse the educational potential of extracurricular activities in the English language involving the elements of palaeontology for secondary school students. Materials and methods: 1) study of due normative documents and scientific methodological literature; 2) organisation of two expert interviews with worldclass palaeontologists; 3) questioning encompassing sixty-four 8th-year pupils of two schools of Karaganda region, Kazakhstan; 4) experimental work aimed at introduction of a series of extracurricular activities in the English language with elements of palaeontology; 5) methods of mathematical processing of research results: Yule’s coefficient of association (Q), Pearson’s contingency coefficient (Cc), Fisher’s angular transformation criterion (φ), McNemar test (χ2). Results. A number of factors were revealed testifying that the palaeontological discoveries on the territory of Kazakhstan represent a cultural component which heightens the interest to the history of the native land, develops patriotism, improves the quality of education, as well as draws attention to the problem of imbalance between the interest in palaeontological finds of Kazakhstan on the part of the world scientific community and the lack of knowledge in Kazakh young people about the richness of the country’s ancient flora and fauna. The study of the regulatory framework revealed some inconsistencies and gaps in the biology curriculum for 7th-9th year school learners, which were filled only with the help of extracurricular activities in the English language with the inclusion of elements of palaeontology. The cumulative assessment formed by the means of analysis of two expert interviews makes one conclude on the interest of the global palaeontological community in the ancient flora and fauna of Kazakhstan as well as on the motivational, educational and socio-cultural potential of palaeontological content in school’s educational activities. Some statistically significant differences were revealed in respect of preference of extracurricular activity types in 8th-year learners (χ2exp =7.719; p≤0.05), on the ways to increase motivation to participate in such extracurricular activities (φemp=2.353 with p≤0.05) and regarding the extension of vocabulary on palaeontology in English (χ2 = 9.524 with p≤0.05). Conclusions. The evidential base of the educational potential of palaeontological elements in extracurricular activities at classes of English at secondary middle school can be used in interdisciplinary extracurricular activities at all educational levels.