For learning a foreign language to be successful, you need a certain system, a teaching methodology that would allow you to most fully solve the tasks. Twenty or thirty years ago, most of the time (more than 90%) was devoted to theory. Students completed written tasks, read and translated texts, learned new words and constructions, but the development of conversational skills took only 10% of the time. As a result, the person knew the grammatical rules and vocabulary, understood the texts, but could not fully speak. Therefore, gradually the approach to learning has changed.
The fundamental way
Fundamental is the most traditional method of teaching a foreign language. Thus, lyceum students learned Greek and Latin, while French, for example, was absorbed naturally in Russian realities: along with the suggestions of governesses, in the course of communicating withmaman and papan and reading novels. To learn a language according to the classical scheme, which was widely used in all domestic educational institutions until the beginning of the 2000s and is still quite common, it was necessary to spend at least several years, have a reserve of patience, because studies always started with the basics, and remember the grammar of the Russian language.
Today, language universities rely on the fundamental methodology, because a translator can never be completely sure of his knowledge, he understands the unpredictability of language situations, which he must be ready for. Studying according to the traditional method, 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 methods of teaching a foreign language and textbooks have withstood the competition of recent years, becoming classics of the genre.
Classical foreign language
Classical methods differ from fundamental ones in that they are most often designed for students of different ages and involve learning from scratch. The tasks of the teacher include aspects of setting the correct pronunciation, the elimination of the psychological barrier, the formation of a grammar base. The approach is based on the understanding of 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) need to be developed systematically and to the same extent. Today the goals have not changed, but the approach may bevarious.
Linguistic sociocultural method
Linguistic socio-cultural approach involves an active dialogue of cultures in the methodology of teaching foreign languages. This is one of the comprehensive techniques for learning a foreign language, assuming an inseparable connection between the student and the teacher with the social and cultural environment of the country in which the language being studied is spoken. Proponents of this approach are firmly convinced that the language becomes lifeless when the goal is only the mastery of lexico-grammatical forms. Most convincingly, this statement is confirmed by common language errors.
English learners might use the following expression: The Queen and her family. This is a grammatically correct construction, but the Briton will remain at a loss and will not immediately identify the stable expression The Royal Family. It seems unimportant, but translation errors have repeatedly given rise to diplomatic conflicts and serious misunderstandings. For example, until the second half of the Renaissance, Christian sculptors and artists portrayed Moses with horns on his head. This is because Saint 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 shining face of Moses", was translated as "horns". No one dared question the sacred text.
Most language learning methods attribute such errors to a lack of information abouteveryday life of the country under study, but at the present stage this is already unforgivable. The linguo-sociocultural method is based on the fact that 52% of mistakes are made under the influence of the native language (for example, the usual business communication “What questions are you interested in?” is often translated as What problems are you interested in, while in English the lexeme problems has a stable negative connotation), and 44% lie within the studied. So, before the main attention was paid to the correctness of speech, but today the meaning of the transmitted information is important.
Currently, language is not just “an instrument of communication and mutual understanding” or “the totality of all words and their correct combination”, as linguists Sergei Ozhegov and Vladimir Dal treated it, respectively. Animals also have such a system of signs that allows them to express emotions and convey some information. "Human" language makes its connection with the culture, traditions of a particular country or region, the customs of a group of people, society. In this understanding, the language becomes a sign that its speakers belong to society.
Culture is not only a means of communication and identification, but also separates people. So, in Russia, anyone who did not speak Russian was first called "German" from the word "mute." Then the word "foreigner" came into circulation, that is, "alien". Only when this confrontation between “us” and “them” smoothed out a bit in the national consciousness did the word “foreigner” appear. The conflict of cultures becomes apparent. Thus, a single culture both unites people and separates 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 goal of studying a foreign language in this context is understanding the interlocutor and the formation of linguistic perception at the level of intuition. Therefore, each student who has chosen such a method of teaching should treat the object being studied as a reflection of geography, history, living conditions, traditions and way of life, everyday behavior of a certain people. Modern methods of teaching foreign languages are widely used in courses and educational institutions.
Communicative way
One of the most common methods of teaching a foreign language in elementary, middle or high school is the communicative approach, aimed at the constant practice of communication. Increased attention is paid to speaking and listening comprehension, while the study of reading and writing techniques (grammar) may be given only a small amount of time. There are no complex vocabulary and syntactic constructions in the classroom, because the oral speech of any person is very different from the written one. The epistolary genre is already in the past, which is clearly understood by the supporters of the communicative approach to teaching.
But you should definitely understand that only the practice of communication with a native speaker will not allow you to become a professional in some field or settle down in an unfamiliar country without any problems. You need to regularly read publications in foreignpublications. But even having a wide vocabulary and easily navigating the text, it will not be easy to keep up a conversation with a foreign colleague. For everyday communication, 600-1000 words are enough, but this is a poor vocabulary, consisting mainly of clichéd phrases. To fully learn how to communicate, you need to show attention to partners, have a desire to constantly improve and know etiquette.
Oxford and Cambridge approaches
Monopolists in the field of teaching English - Oxford and Cambridge - work within the framework of communicative technology. 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 teach to speak a foreign language, 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. In textbooks, you can often see excerpts from the explanatory dictionary (English-English). This whole set of techniques allows you to create an English-speaking environment in which students can communicate, express their thoughts, read, and draw conclusions. Foreign language courses necessarily include a regional aspect. It is considered necessary to give a person the opportunity to navigate in a multicultural world with the help of such a determining factor as the English language. Globalization for the UK is a serious problem that is already being addressednow.
Courses of foreign languages, in particular English, on the Oxford system in terms of organizational moment rely on Headway textbooks, developed by methodologists John and Liz Soars. The methodical set of each of the five levels includes a textbook, books for students and teachers, and audio cassettes. The duration of the course is approximately 120 academic hours. Liz Soars has extensive experience as a TOEFL examiner, so after completing 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 structures, the implementation of a practical written task, discussion of topics in pairs, drawing up a dialogue, listening to an audio recording, consolidating and repeating the material covered earlier. The next part of the lesson: learning new words, doing exercises orally and in writing, working with text, answering questions, discussing the topic. 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 using Headway textbooks is the study of grammar in two planes: first in the classroom (in context), then more fully in the workbook. Also the rules are summarized at the end of the tutorial in a separate appendix.
Most of the British methods of teaching foreign languages are developed on the basis of the integration of modern and traditional techniques. Layered approach, clear differentiationby age groups and language proficiency level allow you to choose an approach to each student. That is, the main one is the currently popular individual approach. All British learning models are aimed at developing four basic skills: speaking, writing, reading, listening. Emphasis is placed on video and audio, the use of interactive resources.
British courses allow you to form the skills so necessary for any modern person. Students learn to make reports, make presentations and conduct business correspondence. The great advantage of this approach is the stimulation of a "live" and "situational" dialogue of cultures. In the methodology of teaching foreign languages, which was developed at Oxford and Cambridge, considerable attention is paid to the good systematization of the material, which makes it possible to conveniently operate with concepts and, if necessary, return to difficult moments. In general, British courses represent the best option for those who want to learn real English.
Project way
New in the methodology of teaching foreign languages in Russia - the use of educational material in practice. After the module, students are given the opportunity to assess 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, helping to learn how to form their thoughts andargue your point of view. Younger students make colorful projects on the theme "My favorite toys", "My home", "My family", while high school students are engaged in more serious developments related to the problems of terrorism, environmental protection, and globalization. This is a foreign language teaching method that has shown good results.
Training method
The training approach is based on self-study of the language with the condition that students are given already worked out and well-structured material, which is clearly explained by the teacher. The student receives theory, memorizes syntactic constructions, grammatical 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 presentation of information in an accessible form and the ability to plan the study schedule independently. 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 makes it possible to put into practice a high degree of formulaicity - English consists of about a quarter of clichés. By memorizing a certain number of "stable expressions", the student, in principle, will be able to speak in a foreign language and understand the interlocutor in general terms. Of course, it will not work to read Shakespeare or Byron in the original, but the goalspeople who choose an intensive technique are usually different. This technique is aimed at the formation of "speech behavior", therefore, as a rule, it has a linguistic character. The courses will provide unlimited communication and maximum realization of the student's potential, taking into account individual needs.
Emotionally-semantic way
At the origins of this method of teaching a foreign language is psycho-correction. For the Bulgarian psychiatrist Lozanov, the study of a foreign language was primarily a medical tool. Today, his achievements 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 an alter ego for themselves: a middle name familiar to a native speaker of the language being studied, and a corresponding “history” (for example, a violinist from Palermo, an architect from Glasgow, and so on). All phrases and constructions are remembered naturally. This method of teaching a foreign language is very similar to how the Russian intelligentsia in the nineteenth century studied French. It is believed that the student must get to the grammar on their own, 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 get 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 allocated into a separate group: round table, business game, brainstorming, game methodology. As part of the round table, the teacher proposes a specific topic. The students are given the task: to evaluate all the positive and negative sides, to determine the result. You need to speak out on the issue under discussion, argue your own theory and come to a final decision.
Brainstorming is also aimed at discussing and solving the problem, but in this case the audience is divided. "Idea generators" offer solutions, and "experts" evaluate each position. As part of a business game, live communication is simulated. Real situations are played out: job search, conclusion of an agreement, travel and so on. The basis of the methods that are used in teaching children is also a game.
Preparation for qualifying exams
A large number of methods of teaching foreign languages is aimed solely at the successful passing of the certification exam. Specific tasks depend on the student's knowledge base. Such courses may not provide any additional information, therefore they do not serve to study the language. Usually, everything is built only on the repetition of sections of grammar, vocabulary, focusing on specific forms of work that are offered in the exam. Obtaining an international certificate is the key to successful employment and qualifications, so the task requires a serious approach and preparation.
