Филологические науки/1.Методика преподавания языка и литературы

Ст. преподаватели Арысланова Б.К., Туякбаева З.К.

Южно-Казахстанский Педагогический Университет, Казахстан, Шымкент

THE USE OF DIFFERENT METHODS AT THE LESSONS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

There are a lot of methods of teaching which can be used at the lessons of foreign language. This article presents some of them. Let us consider Suggestopedia. For the first time Suggestopedia was applied in the second half of the last century. The founder of this method, Georgy Lozanov, believed that language learning can be made more efficient if the psychological barriers to learning are lowered. He believed that learners raise these barriers and limit themselves because of a fear of failure. In order to make better use of learners` capabilities, Lozanov has developed a process of “desuggestion”, which he has applied to language learning. This process is designed to promote a relaxed frame of mind and to convert learners` fears into positive energy and enthusiasm for language learning. If we consider the distinguishing features of this method we can see that in Suggestopedia, great attention is paid to the environment. The seating is as comfortable as possible, the lighting is not harsh, and music plays in the background/ Colorful posters and charts are pinned to the wall. The posters show attractive sights in the target language country. The charts contain grammatical information which, in casual readings, the students will absorb without conscious effort. The Suggestopedia teacher’s tone is always calm as students are reassured that language learning is easy and fun. At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher briefly presents the vocabulary and grammar. The text for the day is given to the students; in the left column the text is in the target language; in the right column it is in the students` mother tongue. The teacher reads the text, while music plays in the background. The students relax and listen. For homework, the students are asked to read the text before going to bed and on getting up in the morning. The teacher leads the class in role play, question and answer and other activities based on the text. During these activities, students are invited to use their imaginations and to take on new names and personalities in the target language. They are encouraged to visualize themselves as successful people in their new identities, with exciting jobs and a good standing in the community. If it’s comfortable for you normally to sit on the floor at home, consider bringing in mats to your next story telling class and asking your class to settle themselves comfortably on the floor to listen. You may also want to bring your tape recorder to the class and to play music in the background.

The next item of this article is devoted to the Silent Way methods and its usage at the lessons of the English language. In the Silent Way learners are actively responsible for their own learning. Learning a language is seen not as process of habit formation, as is advocated by the Audio-lingual Method, but rather process whereby the learner discovers the rules of the target language and then applies those rules to understand and use the language. In other words, learning is more effective of learners discover the rules of the target language for themselves, rather than just remembering and repeating what is to be learnt. A basic premise of the Silent Way is that the Teacher should talk as little as possible and should encourage the learner to speak as mush as possible. Mistakes are considered part of the process of discovering the rules, and the teacher should not interfere in this process by correcting the learner’s mistakes. All four language skills are taught from the beginning, though reading and writing are sequenced to follow what has been produced orally. Special charts are used to teach pronunciation. First, there is a round-color chart, containing blocks of color, each one representing a sound in the target language. The teacher and students point to blocks of color on the chart to form syllables, words and sentences. Second, there are the word - charts, containing words whose letters are color coded in the same way as the sound –color chart. The teacher and students make up sentences, point to words on the chart and read the sentences they have spoken. Third, there are color-coded charts which help students associate the sounds of the language with their spelling. For example, “ey”, “ei” and “eigh”, which are all different spellings of the sound [ei] in English, are listed and color coded together. Bits of wood of varying lengths and different colors are used to introduce vocabulary and structures. At the beginning level they can be used to teach numbers and colors. At an intermediate level they can be used to teach comparatives. And at a later stages they can be used to teach conditionals (If I had a blue one, I would give it to you).

The Silent Way is designed to be used with small groups. Teachers intending to use the method should go intensive training in its techniques and philosophy. So advantages of this method are: What students discover for themselves is retained and owned in a more permanent and meaningful way than are materials which have been packaged and only require students to memorize them. Second is the idea of peer coaching in a noncompetitive environment. Having presented the materials, you stand back and let your students experiment with the rules and generate talk in English. Your only role during this group work is to make sure that the group atmosphere is open to the contributions of all its members.

In conclusion, we must say that the features of these two methods are easy to imitate and by introducing them into your classroom you will add enjoyment and novelty to your English lessons.

Literature:

1. Abbot G., D.Mckeating, J. Greenwood and P.Wingard. The teaching of English as an international language. A practical guide. London: Collins, 1981

2. Haycraft J. An introduction to English language teaching. Harlow: Longman 1978

3. Hubbafd P., H. Jones., B.Thornton and R.Wheeler. A training course for TEFL, Oxford: Oxford University Press 1983

4. M.Rinvolucri and P.Davis. More grammar games. Cambridge University Press 1992

5. S.Rixon. How to use games in language teaching. London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd 1981