Foreign language classroom

In conclusion it may be said, according to A. Spicer, «The purpose of teaching materials is not to usurp the role of the teacher, nor even to make his work easier. Their main purpose is to make it possible for the teacher to teach more effectively, more interestingly, and more economically. It is equally important that the materials should help the pupil to learn more easily and more rapidly.»

It is well known that in our country much attention is given to foreign language learning. Educational researchers, methodologists and teachers are striving to improve teaching methods is this field. For this purpose new - teaching materials have been produced.

As a result the teacher has Teacher's Book, Pupil's Book, visual, audio-visual, audio, and other materials at his disposal.

For teaching English two sets of teaching materials are suggested which cover six years (5-10 forms) of the essential course in ten-year schools: (1) teaching materials by S.K. Folomkina, H.M. Weiser, E.I. Kaar, A.D. Klimentenko, and (2) teaching materials by A.P. Starkov, R.R. Dixon, Z.V. Starkova. Teaching materials by both groups of authors include: teacher's books, pupil's books, sets of wall-charts or albums, filmstrips (or slides), sound film loops, long-playing records and supplementary readers. 'Although both sets of teaching materials are based on scientific principles as to the selection of linguistic material, topics to be covered and terminal behaviour at the end of the course, however, they differ in many respects.

The main difference lies in the organization of teaching beginners. S. K - Folomkina, H.M. Weiser, E.I. Kaar start by teaching beginners all the language skills, i. e., hearing, speaking, reading, and writing simultaneously, although they give seven introductory lessons which are to be conducted orally. A.P. Starkov, R.R. Dixon, Z.V. Starkova start with the oral introductory course and teach hearing and speaking first for more than a term. During the oral introductory course, beginning with the fifth lesson, pupils start writing English letters and combinations of letters. They begin reading at the 40th class-period. Another difference is in the arrangement of the material in pupil's books. A.P. Starkov and R.R. Dixon adhere strictly to the arrangement of the material by «topics». S. K - Folomkina, H.M. Weiser, A.D. Klimentenko do not observe the topical arrangement of the material in pupil's books, though they cover the topics set by the syllabus.

They differ in their introduction of new material. S.K. Folomkina, H.M.-Weiser, E.I. Kaar, A.D. Klimentenko use oral presentation of linguistic materials. Pupils grasp the vocabulary or grammar items by ear so as to assimilate them mainly for auding. Oral work at linguistic material does not exceed one class-period, as a rule.

The second group of authors follow the oral approach in teaching linguistic material, i. e., pupils can use the material in auding and speaking before they can read and write it.

One more difference is in the use of the mother tongue in teaching English. They both admit the use of the mother tongue for presenting linguistic material whenever it is necessary to ensure comprehension of what pupils learn. As to translation exercises for developing pupils' language skills, they are used in pupil's books by the first group of authors, and are not utilized by the second.

They differ in presenting grammar too. The first group of authors present the material in sentences which are followed by grammar rules in the mother tongue in the pupil's books and exercises. A.P. Starkov, R.R. Dixon presents the material in structural groups. However, grammar rules are not excluded from teaching. In learning grammar material pupils pass through the following stages:

(1) they assimilate a structural group;

(2) they learn how to use the new words in the grammar structures;

(3) they utilize the structures in a logical sequence in speech;

(4) they speak within the situations offered, using the linguistic material covered.

There is a considerable difference in the authors' approach to the development of speaking and reading skills. S. K - Folomkina, H. M, Weiser, E.I. Kaar, A.D. Klimentenko, for instance, give preference to monologue as a form of speech that should be developed (see exercises in Book One, Book Two, etc.). A.P. Starkov, R.R. Dixon, 2. V. Starkova prefers developing dialogic speech first. In both systems oral language in its two forms, dialogue and monologue, is developed. As to general approach to teaching speaking and reading they have but little in common, and especially at the junior stage (5-6 forms).

Gradually the difference in these two sets of teaching materials becomes less striking since they both should meet the school syllabus requirements. Both sets of teaching materials are now in use in schools. Thus teachers of English have received new teaching materials and, therefore, they can teach more effectively than they could before. However, we could expect better results in language teaching if teachers were more fully informed about teaching aids and teaching materials and the methods they should apply, if they were more selective in the choice of methods and techniques.

Foreign languages at school» can supply teachers of foreign languages with useful information from various fields, namely, linguistics, psychology, methodology, teachers' experience, etc. Those who are interested in foreign language teaching abroad can find useful information in the following journals: «The English Language Teaching», «The Modern Languages» (Great Britain), «The Modern Language Journal», «language Learning» (USA).

One more problem should be touched upon in connection with the teaching aids and teaching materials. That is the problem of implementing them into school life. Indeed it is not sufficient to have new textbooks, teacher's guides, and other teaching materials which meet modern requirements. It is necessary that the teacher can digest all this and use the new teaching materials. The problem, as practice proves, is much more difficult than one might imagine. Its solution depends on many factors, and among them:

Thorough comprehension of the methodological credo of the authors by the teacher. To understand a system of leaching reflected in textbooks or other teaching materials.

The teacher should read about the system and, what is more desirable, listen to the authors when they give an interpolation of their system- The stranger the system of teaching is, the more interpretation it requires. Complete assimilation is attained, however, When the teacher uses the system for a number of years and strictly follows the recommendations given by the authors. If the teacher does not use a new textbook in the way he ought to, the textbook, as a rule, does not work. For instance, the series of textbooks for teaching English in schools compiled by A.P. Starkov and R.R. Dixon is highly appreciated by one group of teachers, namely, by those who have grasped the authors' methodological credo and follow their system of teaching, and at the same time is fully rejected by another, who either had no opportunity to study it or who accept the system of teaching reflect
ed in the series of textbooks for teaching English compiled by S.K. Folomkina, H.M. Weiser, E.I. Kaar, A.D. Klimentenko.

The teacher's ability to free himself of the methods and techniques he has become used to and acquire new ones. For example, for many years teachers have presented new words as isolated units, writing them down on the blackboard so that pupils can see the words, read and put them down in their vocabulary notes. They got used to the system. Then they had to give up this system to adopt the new one, the oral approach or the oral presentation of words, as is recommended in both series of English textbooks. Some teachers could easily accept the new approach. Some coped with it. And, finally, there are teachers who cannot give up presenting new words the way they did before. They go on with the old approach to vocabulary instruction. For many years teachers have widely used translation as a type of exercise for consolidating linguistic material and in' reading texts. They got accustomed to translation and liked it. And now they had to restrict the usage of translation and use instead various exercises within the English language utilizing audio-visual aids and materials as both sets of teaching materials require.

3. The teacher's qualification, his desire to be on top of his job, to seek new methods and techniques in language teaching and not only to accept those recommended. Such teachers always read journals and books on methods, they attend lectures and seminars for foreign language teachers.

Consequently, to solve the problem it is necessary:

to help teachers in comprehending the modern trends in foreign language teaching in general, and in assimilating the methodological credo of the authors of the textbooks they use, in particular;

to help teachers in accepting new approaches to foreign language teaching through exchange of experience in order to show them how to apply new methods and techniques of teaching and what results can be achieved;

(c) to improve teachers' training in teachers colleges and at refresher courses.

The sooner teachers of foreign language.acquire skills in handling teaching aids and in utilizing new teaching materials, the better results in language learning may be expected.

Conclusion

Today, in a century of scientific and technical process and innovative technologies human communication didn't cease to be need. With Internet development the role of foreign languages especially increased in our everyday life.

Methods of studying of languages are improved; there are new techniques of training.

The escalating flow of information demands introduction of new methods of training which allow to transfer the bigger volume of knowledge for rather short term, to provide high level of mastering being trained a studied material and its fixing in practice. It can be reached on the basis of introduction in educational process of interactive technologies of training and creation of psychologically comfortable environment. The tendency to transition was outlined in a technique of teaching of foreign languages from traditional communicative approach to the interactive.

The strong place is taken in educational process by an interactive method of training in a foreign language.

In process of expansion of borders of communication of people of the different people need to know not only their language, but also culture, successfully to develop cross-cultural communication increases.

Process of interactive interaction between subjects of educational process on the basis of multilateral communication is possible, on the one hand, on condition of mastering by them skills of interpersonal communication.

Cross-cultural communication is an adequate mutual understanding of two participants of the communicative act belonging to different national cultures. Acquisition of skill of cross-cultural communication and attention emphasis on cultural distinctions allows us to learn how to behave in various cross-cultural situations.

One of implementers of problems of informative aspect is creation of real and imagined situations of communication at a lesson of a foreign language. Familiarizing of school students with cultural values of the people native speaker is important. For this purpose authentic materials, including video movies have great value.

Their use promotes implementation of the major requirement of a communicative technique - to present process of mastering by language as comprehension of live foreign-language culture; individualization of training and development of motivated speech activity of trainees.

Role of modern interactive technologies and training methods in formation of cross-cultural competence - preparation of the person for life in the polycultural environment, understanding possessing developed feeling and respect of other cultures, in ability to live in peace and a consent with other people of different nationalities and beliefs.

Summing up stated, it is possible to assert that educational video courses and animations open ample opportunities for the active work in the course of formation of speech skills and abilities of pupils and do educational process of mastering by a foreign language attractive to schoolchildren at all grade levels. Efficiency of using the video film at speech training depends not only on exact definition of its place in training system, but also from that, the video employment structure as educational possibilities of a video film are co-ordinated with training problems is how much rationally organised. In structure of video employment for training of oral speech it is possible to point out the four stages:

1) preparatory - a stage of preliminary removal language and лингвострановедческих difficulties;

2) perception of a video film - development of abilities of perception of the information;

3) the control of understanding of the basic maintenance;

4) development of language skills and abilities of oral speech.

Repeated viewing of a fragment can precede the fourth stage. For the decision of each of tasks in view pupils should know not only the general maintenance of a video film, but also remember details, and also be able to estimate events, to give the characteristic to characters, using thus words and expressions from speech support of a video film.

The future task of training the foreign languages is learning to free orientation in the environment speaking another language and to ability adequately to react in various situations, that is to dialogue. New views on result of training promoted occurrence of new technologies and refusal from become outdated. Today new techniques with use of Internet resources are opposed to traditional training to foreign languages. To learn to dialogue on a foreign language, it is necessary to create the real, present reality situations (i.e. That is called as a principle of authenticity of dialogue) which will stimulate studying of a material and to develop adequate behaviour. New technologies try to correct this error. As it is known, everything in that the person is trained, he aspires to use in forthcoming activity. It is known also that use of knowledge, skills, abilities is based on carrying over, and carrying over depends, first of all, on that, training conditions are how much adequate to those conditions in which this knowledge, skills, it is supposed to use abilities. Hence, to prepare the pupil for participation in process of dialogue speaking another language it is necessary in the conditions of the dialogue speaking another language, created in a class. It also defines essence of communicative training which consists that training process is model of process of dialogue.

In summary it would be desirable to consider the problem on the basic problems which the teacher at the organisation of a lesson with using the technical aids should solve. The new technical aids have strongly entered into teaching and educational process, became today of school. And it is clear that the exact and careful control over such lessons will promote improvement of quality of lessons and training. Thus it is impossible to forget that the lesson using the technical aids inevitably influences the subsequent lessons on the given theme, from its quality depends the stability of knowledge - after all the lesson using the technical aids is most excited both informational and emotionally. Complexity of the analysis of a lesson with application of the technical aids also makes this lesson is unusual.

Rapid development of an information technology, slow, but steady transformation of the computer from the sacral subject accessible to only narrow circle devoted, in the phenomenon of the daily ordinary, etc. - all it should mention sooner or later occurrence Internet and such traditionally conservative area, as a domestic education.

Using new technologies, it is possible, integrating them into educational process, more effectively to solve variety of didactic problems at a lesson of English language: to form skills and abilities of reading, directly using materials of different degree of complexity to improve abilities of audition on the basis of authentic sound texts to improve abilities of the monologic and dialogical statement on the basis of the problem discussion, presented by the teacher or someone from pupils, to improve abilities of written speech, individually or in writing making answers, participating in preparation of abstracts and compositions; to fill up the lexicon, both active, and passive, lexicon of the modern English language reflecting a certain stage of development of culture of the people, social and a society political system; To get acquainted with cultural knowledge including speech etiquette, features of speech behaviour of the various people in the conditions of dialogue, features of culture, traditions of the country of studied language; At work with computer technologies the role of the teacher, which primary goal varies also - to support and direct development of the person of pupils, their creative search. Relations with pupils are under construction on principles of cooperation and joint creativity. In these conditions revision of the organizational forms which have developed today of study is inevitable: increase in independent individual and group work of pupils, a withdrawal from a traditional lesson with prevalence of an explanatory-illustrative method of training, increase in volume of practical and creative works of search and research character.

Young children like to sing and play various games, that is why songs and games should constitute an important part of teaching materials. Folksongs and popular current songs develop a feeling for the distinctive culture being studied. They furnish a frame work for pronunciation practice. Games give an opportunity for spontaneous self-expression in the foreign language and can be used as a device for relaxation.

Foreign language learning is comprised of several components, including grammatical competence, communicative competence, language proficiency, as well as a change in attitudes towards one's own or another culture. For scholars and laymen alike, cultural competence, i.e., the knowledge of the conventions, customs, beliefs, and systems of meaning of another country, is indisputably an integral part of foreign language learning, and many teachers have seen it as their goal to incorporate the teaching of culture into the foreign language curriculum. It could be maintained that the notion of communicative competence, which, in the past decade or so, has blazed a trail, so to speak, in foreign language teaching, emphasising the role of context and the circumstances under which language can be used accurately and appropriately, `fall short of the mark when it comes to actually equipping students with the cognitive skills they need in a second-culture environment'

The idea of teaching culture is nothing new to second language teachers. In many cases, teaching culture has meant focusing a few lessons on holidays, customary clothing, folk songs, and food. While these topics may be useful, without a broader context or frame they offer little in the way of enriching linguistic or social insight-especially if a goal of language instruction is to enable students to function effectively in another language and society. Understanding the cultural context of day-to-day conversational conventions such as greetings, farewells, forms of address, thanking, making requests, and giving or receiving compliments means more than just being able to produce grammatical sentences. It means knowing what is appropriate to say to whom, and in what situations, and it means understanding the beliefs and values represented by the various forms and usages of the language.

Culture must be fully incorporated as a vital component of language learning. Second language teachers should identify key cultural items in every aspect of the language that they teach. Students can be successful in speaking a second language only if cultural issues are an inherent part of the curriculum.

This means that language is not only part of how we define culture, it also reflects culture. Thus, the culture associated with a language cannot be learned in a few lessons about celebrations, folk songs, or costumes of the area in which the language is spoken. Culture is a much broader concept that is inherently tied to many of the linguistic concepts taught in second language classes.

In conclusion it may be said, according to A. Spicer, «The purpose of teaching the foreign languages is not to usurp the role of the teacher, nor even to make his work easier. Their main purpose is to make it possible for the teacher to teach more effectively, more interestingly, and more economically. It is equally important that the materials should help the pupil to learn more easily and more rapidly».

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