Education Sciences
/ 5. Modern Methods of Teaching
Ivanchenko T.U.
South-Russia State University of Economics
and Services, Russia
ABOUT SOME PROBLEMS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING
Russia today is
fundamentally a different country from what is was 15-17 years ago. The
country's macro-economic indicators are stronger and healthier than ever
before. The role of foreign language becomes more important as technologies
allow for increased international business. Business dealings are effective when
you know your partner and the language he speaks. Studies indicate that
linguistic competency is not sufficient to overcome cross-cultural negotiation
and business problems. Culture and language strategies also play a great role.
New
efforts are aimed at improving foreign language education in the Russian
Federation. There is the need to strengthen foreign language skills among the
students of non-linguistic higher educational establishments. Knowledge of one or several foreign languages becomes an
integral part of professional education [1].
Compared to students in much
of the world, Russian students lag far behind in their foreign language
capabilities. We can learn a great deal by examining successes in foreign
language teaching at different educational institutions in our country and
abroad and using the information to implement practices and policies that will
support the development of better foreign language education and a higher level
of foreign language proficiency among our citizens.
To have
better results we must:
1) learn
from experience in foreign language teaching in other countries. Many European
countries have adapted their foreign language teaching at the national level to
the frameworks and standards articulated by the Council of Europe's language
policy and activities which are a planning instrument that provides a common
basis and terminology for describing objectives, methods and approaches,
skills, practices, and assessments in language teaching, and it is used for
planning syllabuses, examinations, teaching materials, and teacher training
programs throughout Europe;
2) use innovative
technologies and media. They provide interaction with speakers of other
languages, and improve foreign language teaching in the classroom. This is a
way to increase access to information and entertainment in a foreign language. We
need specific research on how technology can best be used to increase students'
proficiency in other languages. The importance of the Internet and specialized
databases for information retrieval is of special importance. There are television
programs, films, computer games, and music videos and teachers try to develop
successful strategies for integrating their students' informal foreign language
exposure into classroom teaching;
3)
activate interaction and collaboration with speakers of other languages [1],
[2]. Access to information on the World Wide Web and the
use of new information technologies, especially networked computers, has
contributed to increased communication among foreign language teachers and
students in many countries. Through e-mail, mailing lists, discussion groups,
and chat rooms, the Internet has increased access to and communication in the
foreign language with speakers;
4)
develop communicative teaching methods. It means a focus
on communicative and intercultural learning which does not only stimulate a
productive discussion of teaching objectives, methods, and underlying
rationales that are now reflected in curricula and textbooks, but also results
in increased oral and written proficiency for their students;
5)
focus on raising students' awareness of various communication strategies [2],[3]
including strategies to bridge vocabulary gaps, reading and listening
strategies, and general language learning strategies.
Other notable
methods include the sole use of the foreign language in the classroom; a
modular approach to teaching in which students are grouped according to
proficiency level and project-oriented learning that emphasizes the use of
authentic materials through technology and integrates learning about
English-speaking countries with language and content learning [3].
Learning
content-area subjects through the medium of a foreign language has become an
essential part of learning professional English. In some cases, a foreign
language is used as the medium of instruction in non-language subjects.
Traditionally, business language teaching begins with a linguistic model
that is adapted to a business context. The focus is on providing the language
needed for a business context, with some content on business practices and
culture. The focus moves from written to oral language skills. However,
grammar, syntax, and lexicon are still vital components to the business
language class.
The main weakness in the traditional model is the emphasis on language
production rather than two-way communication between the native and non-native
speaker. There are difficulties in assessing language ability beyond grammar,
syntax, and lexicon. There are limited measures for cultural adaptability,
professional proficiency, and business functions.
Another shortcoming is the lack of training in language strategies when
communication problems arise. The problem is that the traditional model starts
with the premise that knowledge of business language allows businesses to
communicate across cultures effectively. Being culturally sensitive in a
business context helps, but does not guarantee success. Likewise, being fluent
in a foreign language may not be sufficient, even if language training has been
in a business context. Students need to understand the basis for professional
language genres including business practices and cultural influences.
The traditional business language model also assumes that messages
appropriate in one language will be appropriate to a business context in
another culture. However, this is not always true, even in communicating
between two cultures with a common language. For example, references to family
names may be important to establish a sense of credibility in the Northeast and
Southern United States, but holds little meaning for Westerners. There are many
layers of communication that are inferred depending on the context [4].
Business communication teachers often approach the mechanics of a
language differently from the traditional model, since business language,
including lexicon, syntax, rhetoric, and style, is often different from every
day language. This is why so much time is spent on these topics. However, the
corporate culture can have an effect on choice of language, grammar, and style.
As a result, the business communication model needs to teach communicators to
be flexible.
For example, when we look at foreign language textbooks, there is an
indication of a growing movement towards English as International Language, and
a neutral Spanish language that is not Castilian. Students need to be able to
communicate in the target language, depending on the audience [4]. Rather than
beginning with concrete language rules and looking at the exceptions, students
need to be taught which rules may not be broken to prevent communication
breakdowns. Students also need self-study language learning skills so they can
master a foreign language outside the classroom, in the work place. These
skills include observation, language trials, and self-correction.
Students need to be taught when an error is acceptable and when it must
be corrected to continue the communication process. If a business professional
is giving an oral presentation in English and conjugates a word incorrectly, there
will not be a breakdown in communication, unless the presenter stops and
searches for the correct form of the verb. However, an incorrectly conjugated
verb in Spanish can result in misunderstandings about the subject of a
sentence. This would result in a serious breakdown in communication and should
be addressed [4].
The integration of
career and foreign language studies contributes significantly to both the
business community and the foreign language education profession. It fills a
critical need in both disciplines and is leading to increasingly successful
global interactions.
REFERENCES
1) Slesarenko I.V. The Tasks of the Language Teaching at Modern Technical
Institute / Higher Education in Russia. - №11. – 2009. – p.151
2) Narolina V.I. Teaching a Future Professional Cross-cultural
Communication / Higher Education in Russia. - №1. – 2009. – p.124
3) Ingrid Pufahl, Nancy C. Rhodes, Donna Christian What We Can Learn From Foreign Language Teaching
In Other Countries, Center for Applied
Linguistics. - Mode of access: http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/digest_pdfs/0106-pufahl.pdf
4) Yonkers, Virginia The
Business Communication Model For Teaching Foreign Business Languages, Siena College. - Mode of access: www.krannert.purdue.edu