In order for foreign language learning to be successful, a certain system, a teaching methodology, which would make it possible to solve the tasks most fully, are needed. Twenty-thirty years ago, most of the time (more than 90%) was devoted to theory. Students completed written assignments, read and translated texts, learned new words and constructions, but the development of speaking skills took only 10% of the time. As a result, a person knew grammar rules and vocabulary, understood texts, but could not speak fully. Therefore, the approach to learning has gradually changed.
Fundamental way
Fundamental is the most traditional method of teaching a foreign language. So, lyceum students studied Greek and Latin, while French, for example, absorbed naturally in Russian realities: along with the suggestions of governesses, in the course of communication with maman and papan and reading novels. To learn the language in the classical way, which was widely used in all domestic educational institutions until the beginning of the zero years and is still quite widespread, you had to spend at least several years, have a reserve of patience, because study always began with the basics, and recall the grammar of the Russian language.
Today, they rely on the fundamental methodology in language universities, because the translator can never be completely sure of his knowledge, he understands the unpredictability of language situations, which he must be ready for. Pursuing traditional methods, students learn to fully operate with different layers of vocabulary. If we talk about English, the most famous representative of the method is N. Bonk. All of her manuals on the methodology of teaching a foreign language and textbooks have withstood the competition of recent years, becoming a classic of the genre.
Classic foreign language
Classical methods differ from the fundamental ones in that they are most often designed for students of different ages and suggest learning from scratch. The teacher's tasks include aspects of setting the correct pronunciation, eliminating the psychological barrier, forming a grammar base. The approach is based on understanding the language as a full-fledged means of communication. That is, it is believed that all components (oral and written speech, listening, reading, and so on) should be developed systematically and to the same extent. Today, the goals have not changed, but the approach may be different.
Linguosociocultural method
The linguosociocultural approach involves an active dialogue of cultures in the methodology of teaching foreign languages. This is one of the comprehensive techniques for studying foreign, involving the inextricable connection of the student and teacher with the social and cultural environment of the country in which they speak the studied language. Proponents of this approach firmly believe that language becomes lifeless when the goal is only mastery of lexical and grammatical forms. Most convincingly this statement is confirmed by common language errors.
English learners may use the following expression: The Queen and her family. Grammatically, this is a correct construction, but the Briton will remain at a loss and do not immediately identify the enduring expression of The Royal Family. This seems insignificant, but translation errors have repeatedly generated diplomatic conflicts and serious misunderstandings. For example, until the second half of the Renaissance, Christian sculptors and artists depicted Moses with horns on their heads. That's because St. Jerome, who is considered the patron saint of translators, made a mistake. However, his translation of the Bible into Latin was the official text of the church from the end of the fourth century to the end of the twentieth. The expression keren or, meaning in Hebrew “the radiant face of Moses”, was translated as “horns”. No one dared to doubt the sacred text.
Most language learning methods attribute such errors to a lack of information about the daily life of the country being studied, but at the present stage this is already unforgivable. The linguosociocultural method is based on the fact that 52% of mistakes are made under the influence of the native language (for example, the usual “Do you have any questions in business communication” often translates as What problems are you interested in, while in English the problems lexeme has a stable negative connotation ), and 44% are hidden inside the studied. So, before, the main attention was paid to the correctness of speech, and today the meaning of the transmitted information is important.
At present, language is not just “an instrument of communication and mutual understanding” or “the totality of all words and their correct combination,” as linguists Sergey Ozhegov and Vladimir Dal treated it, respectively. Animals also have such a system of signs that allows expressing emotions and transmitting some kind of information. The “human” language is its connection with the culture, traditions of a particular country or region, the customs of a group of people, society. In this understanding, language becomes a sign of belonging of its carriers to society.
Culture is not only a means of communication and identification, but also divides people. So, in Russia, anyone who did not speak Russian was first called “German” from the word “dumb”. Then the word “stranger,” that is, “stranger,” came into circulation. Only when in the national consciousness this confrontation between "friends" and "strangers" smoothed out a little, did the word "foreigner" appear. Conflict of cultures becomes apparent. Thus, a single culture at the same time unites people and alienates them from other peoples and cultures.
The basis of the methodology of teaching foreign languages ​​is the combination of grammar, vocabulary and other language structures with extralinguistic factors. The main purpose of studying foreign in this context is to understand the interlocutor and the formation of linguistic perception at the level of intuition. Therefore, each student who has chosen this method of training should relate to the object being studied, as to the reflection of geography, history, living conditions, traditions and everyday life, everyday behavior of a certain people. The modern methodology of teaching foreign languages ​​is widely used in courses and in educational institutions.
Communicative way
One of the most common methods of teaching a foreign language in elementary school, secondary or senior is a communicative approach aimed at constant practice of communication. Increased attention is paid to speaking and listening comprehension, while only a small amount of time can be devoted to the study of reading and writing techniques (grammar). In the classroom there is no complicated vocabulary and syntactic constructions, because the spoken language of any person is very different from the written one. The epistolary genre is already in the past, which is clearly understood by proponents of a communicative approach to learning.
But it must be understood that only the practice of communication with a native speaker will not allow you to become a professional in any field or to settle in an unfamiliar country without any problems. It is necessary to regularly read publications in foreign publications. But even with a wide vocabulary and easy orientation in the text, it will not be easy to maintain a conversation with a foreign colleague. 600-1000 words are enough for everyday communication, but this is a poor vocabulary consisting mainly of cliched phrases. In order to fully learn how to communicate, you need to pay attention to partners, have a desire to constantly improve and know etiquette.
Oxford and Cambridge: Approaches
Within the framework of communication technology, monopolists in the field of teaching English — Oxford and Cambridge — work. These schools integrate communication with traditional elements of the educational process. It is assumed that the student is completely immersed in the language environment, which is achieved by minimizing the use of the native language. The main goal is to first learn to speak foreign, and then think in it.
There are no mechanical exercises. As part of the Oxford and Cambridge courses, they were replaced by game situations, tasks for finding errors, working with a partner, comparisons and comparisons. Excerpts from the explanatory dictionary (English-English) can often be seen in textbooks. This whole set of techniques allows you to create an English-language environment in which students can communicate, express their thoughts, read, draw conclusions. Foreign language courses necessarily include a country-specific aspect. It is considered necessary to give a person the opportunity to navigate the multicultural world with the help of such a determining factor as the English language. Globalization for the UK is a serious problem that they are striving to solve now.
Foreign language courses, in particular English, according to the Oxford system, rely on Headway textbooks developed by methodologists John and Liz Soars in terms of organizational time. The methodological set of each of the five levels includes a textbook, books for students and teachers, audio tapes. The duration of the course is approximately 120 academic hours. Liz Soars has extensive experience as an examiner at TOEFL, so after studying a course at any level, a student can try to get a certificate.
Each lesson usually consists of several parts. The first section: the development of speaking skills, the analysis of grammatical constructions, the implementation of a practical written assignment, the discussion of topics in pairs, the compilation of a dialogue, listening to audio recordings, consolidation and repetition of material that was passed earlier. The next part of the lesson: learning new words, doing exercises verbally and in writing, working with text, answering questions, discussing topics. Typically, the lesson ends with an audio part with various exercises that allow you to better perceive the material. A distinctive feature of teaching a foreign language at school from Headway textbooks is the study of grammar in two planes: first in the lesson (in context), then more fully in the workbook. The rules are also summarized at the end of the tutorial in a separate application.
Most British language teaching methods are based on the integration of modern and traditional techniques. A multi-level approach, a clear differentiation by age groups and level of language proficiency allow you to choose an approach to each student. That is, the main one is the currently popular individual approach. All British teaching models are aimed at developing four basic skills: speaking, writing, reading, listening. The emphasis is on video and audio, the use of interactive resources.
British courses allow you to build the skills so necessary for any modern person. Students learn to make presentations, conduct presentations and conduct business correspondence. The great advantage of this approach is the stimulation of a “live” and “situational” dialogue of cultures. The methodology of teaching foreign languages, which was developed at Oxford and Cambridge, pays considerable attention to the good systematization of the material, which makes it convenient to operate with concepts and, if necessary, return to difficult moments. In general, British courses are the best option for those who want to learn real English.
Design method
New in the methodology of teaching foreign languages ​​in Russia is the use of educational material in practice. After the module, students are given the opportunity to evaluate their knowledge and the degree of assimilation of the material. Writing a research project stimulates independent activity, presents additional difficulties for students, but opens up great opportunities for developing listening and reading skills, expanding vocabulary, helps to learn to shape your thoughts and argue your point of view. Younger students make colorful projects on the themes “My favorite toys”, “My home”, “My family”, and high school students are engaged in more serious developments related to the problems of terrorism, environmental protection, globalization. This is a foreign method of teaching foreign languages, which has shown good results.
Training method
The training approach is based on self-study of the language with the condition that students are given well-developed and well-structured material, which is clearly explained by the teacher. The student receives the theory, remembers syntactic constructions, grammar rules and uses them in practice. This technique is often used in online learning. The main advantages of the approach are the presence of a carefully designed program, the supply of information in an accessible form, and the ability to plan a curriculum on your own. Trainings can be used as part of the methodology of teaching Russian as a foreign language.
Intensive way
Some languages, in particular English, can be studied quite intensively. This approach allows you to put into practice a high degree of stereotyping - English consists of about a quarter cliche. By remembering a certain number of “stable expressions”, a student, in principle, will be able to express himself in a foreign language and understand the interlocutor in general terms. To read in the original of Shakespeare or Byron, of course, will not work, but the goals of people who choose an intensive technique are usually different. This technique is aimed at the formation of "speech behavior", therefore, it has, as a rule, a linguistic character. The courses will provide unlimited communication and the maximum realization of the student's potential, taking into account individual needs.
Emotional and semantic way
The origins of this methodology of teaching a foreign language are psychocorrection. For the Bulgarian psychiatrist Lozanov, learning a foreign language was primarily a medical tool. His achievements today are actively and quite successfully used in some courses.
The bottom line is that students begin to freely communicate with the teacher from the first lesson. They choose for themselves alter ego: the second name familiar to the native speaker of the studied language, and the corresponding “history” (for example, a violinist from Palermo, an architect from Glasgow and so on). All phrases and constructions are remembered in a natural way. This technique of teaching a foreign language is very reminiscent of how the Russian intelligentsia in the nineteenth century studied French. It is believed that the student must get to the grammar independently, already having some kind of "baggage".
After completing the first stage of language learning, the student will already feel relatively comfortable in a foreign country and will not be lost, after the second - he will not get confused in his own monologue, and after the third he will be able to be a full participant in almost any discussion.
Active Ways
Active technologies of teaching foreign languages ​​are distinguished into a separate group: round table, business game, brainstorming, game technique. As part of the round table, the teacher offers a specific topic. The students are given the task: to evaluate all the positive and negative sides, to determine the result. It is necessary to speak out on the issue under discussion, to argue your own theory and come to a final decision.
A brainstorming session is also aimed at discussing and solving a problem, but in this case the audience is divided. “Idea generators” offer solutions, and “experts” evaluate each position. As part of a business game, an imitation of live communication takes place. Actual situations are played out: job search, conclusion of an agreement, travel and so on. The basis of the techniques that are used in teaching children is also a game.
Qualification Exam Preparation
A large number of methods of teaching foreign languages ​​is aimed exclusively at the successful passing of the certification exam. The specific tasks depend on the student knowledge base. Such courses may not give any additional information, therefore they do not serve to learn the language.Usually everything is based only on repeating sections of grammar, vocabulary, focusing on specific forms of work that are offered on the exam. Obtaining an international certificate is the key to successful employment and qualifications, so the task requires a serious approach and preparation.