ENGLISH TEACHING METHODS

Abstract: The article presents an excursion into the methodology of teaching English. Throughout the history of mankind, many different educational methods have been developed. The main ones are considered here, their advantages and disadvantages are indicated.

Keywords: methodology, English, the role of the English language, the opinion of scientists, different schools of language learning.

Since the builders of the Tower of Babel spoke in different languages, society began to need translators. “Translators” were appreciated everywhere. Until recently, a foreign language was more of a hobby and knowing it as a native language meant being an esthete, belonging to a certain circle, or (the most harmless option) being known as an eccentric. But times are changing ...

Any house, as you know, begins with an architectural plan. Now we are less and less afraid of the huge fortress called “Foreign Language”, at the top of which the flag proudly flies (most often British). In this case, this necessary plan will be the knowledge of modern methods of study.

Recently, when the educational technology market is replete with offers for a wide variety of methods of learning English, the question “What method do you teach?” becoming more relevant, which indicates an increase in the culture of consumption of intellectual products. A puzzled entrant, student or businessman (however, also a student) is increasingly freezing in front of bookshelves with linguistic literature and media manuals or looking thoughtfully at a long list of advertisements: “English in two weeks”, “A communicative method of teaching English,” “English with the Native speakers in Samarkand”, “Effective express method”, “English at the subconscious level” ... So much new and unknown, and this raises doubts about the results. Is it possible to trust modern technologies or give preference to well-established “brands”, such as Bonk, Eckersley or Headway, which gradually turn into the category of methodical classics?

The teaching of language acquired an applied character, while earlier it was comparatively abstract and theorized. Aristotle also brought out the famous triad of teaching ethics, which is the best match with modern requirements: logo — quality of presentation, pathos — contact with the audience, ethos — attitude towards others. This article will discuss some of the methods.

The fundamental technique. This is truly the oldest and most traditional technique. That is what the lyceum students taught Latin and Greek, while French was absorbed naturally, along with the strict suggestions of governesses and communication with “maman” and “papan”. The classical method, like no other, fits the description of the “fortress capture plan”: phonetics code, visual images of syntactic constructions, obligatory lexical stock. Perhaps the most famous representative of the classical methodology of teaching a foreign language is N.A. Bonk.

Linguo-sociocultural method. One of the most serious and comprehensive methods of learning a foreign language is linguo-social and cultural, involving an appeal to such a component as the social and cultural environment. Proponents of this method are firmly convinced that language loses its life when teachers and students set the goal to master only “lifeless” lexical and grammatical forms. Someone noticed that personality is a product of culture. This definition also applies to language. The linguo-sociocultural method combines language structures (grammar, vocabulary, etc.) with extralinguistic factors.

Communicative approach. The first line in the popularity rating of methods is actively held by the communicative approach, which, as its name implies, is aimed at the practice of communication. This technique works great in Europe and the USA. The communicative technique, as its name already implies, is aimed precisely at the possibility of communication. Of the four “whales” on which any language training (reading, writing, speaking and listening perception) rests, the last two are given increased attention. You will not hear particularly complex syntactic constructions or serious vocabulary in the classroom. The spoken language of any literate person is quite different from the written one.

Intensive technique. Particularly popular is the intensive English teaching methodology. She helps everyone for whom the phrases “Time is money” and “Money is time” are equivalent. To study English at an intense pace allows a high degree of stereotyping — this language consists of 25% clichés. By remembering and practicing a certain circle of “stable expressions”, you can, in principle, explain yourself and understand your interlocutor.

Emotional-semantic method. The source of the emotional-semantic method of studying foreign languages is the Bulgarian psychiatrist Lozanov, who worked with patients according to his own method of psycho-correction. He created the so-called interest groups, and learning a foreign language was a medical tool. The Kitaygorodskaya school has been working for 25 years using the method of the same name, built on a combination of Lazanov developments with a fundamental course, and accepts both adults and children.

Preparation for tests and qualification exams. An extensive methodological “building” is crowned with training programs for tests and qualification exams. To pass the test effectively, it is best to go to a language school or courses that have specialized in preparing students for certain certificates for some time (someone works with the USA using the TOEFL method; there are colleges that help you get the ESOL certificate of a university Pitman (United Kingdom); most courses provide the opportunity to get “SAE” or “GMAT”).

“Aerobatics” test methods — this is preparation for foreign exams. If you pursue the goal of safely passing them, then you will need not only knowledge, but also speed, the ability to concentrate, discard unnecessary information, highlight the main thing, as well as the ability to show maximum creative abilities when writing an essay. Obtaining a diploma or certificate is a qualification and guarantee of employment, therefore, especially serious preparation is required here. Although today there are several options for test scales, they are not fundamentally different from each other. Typically, the scale includes seven levels: beginner, elementary, pre-intermediate (or lower intermediate), intermediate, higher intermediate,

So, in the domestic methodological market there are products for every taste. It remains only to determine the goals, means, and most importantly — in the methods. Then the choice of courses and training programs will not be so difficult.

LITERATURE:

1. Расторгуев В.Н. Методика преподавания английского языка // Образование и бизнес. — 1999. — № 5. — 100 с.
2. Старцев Б.В. Методика преподавания английского языка // Итоги. — 2008. — № 8. — 100 с.