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Раздел III
ПРИКЛАДНЫЕ АСПЕКТЫ ТЕОРИИ ОБУЧЕНИЯ РОДНЫМ И ИНОСТРАННЫМ ЯЗЫКАМ В СТРАНАХ - ЧЛЕНАХ СНГ
УДК 372.881.111.1 С. П. Асатрян
доцент кафедры педагогики и преподавания иностранных языков Ереванского государственного университета языков и социальных наук имени В. Я. Брюсова, г. Ереван, Армения e-mail: asatryansusanna@yahoo.com
ПРАКТИКА РАЗГОВОРНОЙ РЕЧИ КАК ГЛАВНАЯ ПРЕДПОСЫЛКА ДЛЯ ДОСТИЖЕНИЯ УЧАЩИМИСЯ КОММУНИКАТИВНОЙ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ
Для формирования коммуникативной компетенции учащихся преподаватели иностранного языка должны создавать в классе эффективную, аутентичную и благоприятную обстановку. В статье представлено несколько методических приемов, основанных на так называемом подходе сбалансированных заданий. Автор полагает, что их регулярное применение повысит мотивацию студентов и сделает процесс обучения более содержательным и увлекательным.
Ключевые слова: упражнение в говорении; позитивный / негативный отзыв; аутентичность; практика разговорной речи; работа в малых группах; интерактивные умения.
S. P. Asatryan
Ass. Prof., Yerevan State University of Languages
and Social Sciences named after V. Ya. Brusov, Yerevan, Armenia
e-mail: asatryansusanna@yahoo.com
CONVERSATION PRACTICE AS THE MAIN PRECONDITION TO ACHIEVE LEARNERS' COMMUNICATIVE EFFICIENCY
Teaching / learning speaking is a very important part in foreign language teaching methodology. To develop the learner's communicative competence teachers should create a safe authentic and positive environment in class for meaningful communication to take place. The article introduces several techniques based on the so called "Balanced Activities Approach". The author maintains
that their regular implementation will enhance learners' motivation and make the learning process more meaningful and enjoyable.
Key words, foreign language teaching methodology; communicative competence; communication; techniques; "Balanced Activities Approach".
The overall goal of teaching speaking is to achieve communicative competence. Learners should be able to make themselves understood, using their current proficiency to the full. Within high school context, to speak fluently in English, learners must be able to pronounce phonemes correctly, use appropriate stress and intonation patterns in their connected speech. But there is more to it than that. They will have to be able to speak in a range of different genres and situations, and they will have to be able to use a range of conversational and conversational repair strategies.
S. Thornbury suggests various dimensions of speaking events in order to describe different speaking genres [6, p. 13-14]. For example, we can identify a distinction between transactional and interpersonal functions. The main purpose of transactional function is to convey information and facilitate the exchange of information or data, whereas the interpersonal function is about maintaining and sustaining a good relationship between interlocuters.
Learners should try to avoid confusion due to the use of faulty pronunciation, incorrect grammar or vocabulary, or intercultural shock that they might encounter in different sociocultural contexts.
To help students develop their communicative competence in speaking, teachers can apply the so called a Balanced activities approach in which language input, structured output and communicative output are interwoven (http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/speaking/developspeak.htm).
Language input comes through receptive acts: e.g. teacher talk, any kind of listening activities, reading passages, and the language heard and read outside of class. It gives learners the material base they need to begin producing language themselves, that is the language input leads to spoken production or spoken interaction. Language input may be content oriented or form oriented.
Content-oriented input focuses on information, it may also include examples of the use of learning strategies.
Form-oriented input focuses on ways of using the language. It combines all elements which build the learners language communicative competence and its components: linguistic competence, discourse competence,
sociolinguistic competence, strategic competence. So the learners should focus on the guidance from the teacher or another source on vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar (linguistic competence), appropriate things to say in specific contexts (discourse competence), expectations for rate of speech, pause length, turn-taking, and other social aspects of language use (sociolinguistic competence) [2, p. 108-123].
Structured output focuses on correct language forms. Students may have options for responses. Structured output is designed to make learners comfortable producing specific language items recently introduced, sometimes in combination with previously learned items. Language teachers often use structured output exercises as a transition between the presentation stage and the practice stage of a lesson plan. Two common kinds of structured output activities are information gap and jigsaw activities. In both types of activities students complete a task by obtaining missing information. However, information gap and jigsaw activities provide practice on specific items of language: they are more like drills than communication.
1. In communicative output, the learners' main goal is to complete a task, that is to perform and to realize a task-based language activity. For this purpose they can design their own school website or plan a trip, create posters, video clips, or organize an event, put on a play. The success of communicative output activities depends on the completion of the task, while language is a tool to an end, not an end in itself.
According to the Balanced activities approach, teachers introduce a variety of activities from different categories of input and output. Learners at all proficiency levels, including beginners, benefit from this variety; it is more motivating and it results in effective language learning.
While performing communicative tasks, learners also develop their strategic competence, as they use different communicative strategies. What is important, these activities should be based on authentic situations which motivate learners to communicate. They perform different tasks, suited to their interest and linguistic development. Both the teacher and the learners will achieve real satisfaction and confidence if the communication has been successful. The most common types of communicative output activities are role plays and discussions [3].
Based on the Balanced activities approach teachers can promote the learner's communicative competence through a variety of in-class/out-of-class activities:
- dialogues, interviews
- discussions
- presentations
- information gaps, information transfers
- different types of games
- language exchanges
- surveys
- pair / group work
- role play, simulations.
Next we will introduce several examples of the above mentioned communicative tasks, which can be set up as language input, structured output and communicative output activities. We consider these exercises very efficient:
1. Find someone who...
Every student takes a sheet of paper and walks around the room, asking the other students for information. The learners must interact only in English, using complete sentences.
To provide authenticity in class, the learners are to ask interesting questions related to real life events, situations, facts, for example:
Find someone who...
doesn't smoke never drinks alcohol never tells a lie doesn't eat beef cannot cook can drive a motorcycle can program a computer likes computer games can use Microsoft Word has a bank account never takes a taxi usually takes the bus gets up at 6:30 a.m.
The teacher walks around the classroom and observes the learners to prevent them using repeated questions. They also focus their attention on the learners mistakes, slips, or any kind of difficulties occurring in communication.
2. Presentations
More advanced classes need to use spoken English not only for informal interaction, but also for formal presentations, which involve longer stretches of connected speech and may be accompanied by written of graphic material displayed on a screen or in the form of flashcards / handouts. They are often followed by a question-and-answer session or discussion.
Presentations can be:
• Short: one to three minutes long
• Show and describe - the students show objects that have been brought from home and tell the class about their significance.
• Describe - Students show a picture or an object and describe it.
• About myself - The students introduce themselves: family, hobbies, interests, friends, tastes, etc.
- Medium-length: five to ten minutes long - Such presentations may be supported by a picture or text shown on the board. Besides, students might recommend a favourite book, film, TV programme or a play to the audience and try to make them like it.
- Long: 15 minutes or more - This is the most advanced type of presentations, that has a clear structure: introduction, main body, ending (summarizing / drawing conclusions / making recommendations). Long presentations may convey:
S information S argument.
The teacher's contribution is generally in feedback, but he / she can help students by giving them tips when they are preparing, e. g.:
• keep eye contact with the audience
• don't read the slides aloud
• speak clearly
• use your body language if you need, but not overuse it, etc. [7, p. 127-128].
3. School committee
This is a group activity and a sort of simulation. Students act as school committee members and try to agree on the sum of money for their school to spend. They discuss the school items that they have to buy and try to prioritize. The teacher can help the learners to order all the items and make their choices.
A similar activity was first published on the British Council's Language Assistant website (www.teachingenglish.org.uk/language-assistant).
Preparation
The teacher introduces the list of items, e.g.
• shelves, books for the library
• new furniture for the classrooms
• computer room with laptops for every student
• interactive whiteboards for every classroom
• a new dining area for lunchtime
• a common room for relaxation.
Procedure
• The students work in small groups.
• They imagine that the school has been given a large sum of money to spend on new items. So as committee members they decide how to spend the money. They prioritize the items according to their importance and school needs. The teacher observes the students in action.
• After making their decisions the two groups get together to compare and justify their choices. The teacher could award scores to the group that has the best plan and the best justification for their expenses.
As a follow up activity the teacher can ask the students a school to imagine the same school with the new furniture and design their own school. The teacher can also 'offer' them more funds and see what else they will be able to initiate.
In this kind of activities students perform different roles and get involved in situations outside the classroom. As role plays imitate life, students should be able to perform a range of language functions. Below we introduce a sample of different communicative acts that learners can use in their talk, making communication more successful and authentic.
Besides role relationships, students practice and develop their socio-linguistic competence, as they have to use language that is appropriate to specific definite social contexts and characters (http://www.nclrc.org/ essentials/speaking/developspeak.htm). For this purpose the learners must be able to speak in different genres and situations, using a range of conversational and conversational repair strategies. They should activate their strategic competence if they appear in typical functional exchanges [3, p. 343].
Language Functions (samples)
Agreeing Disagreeing Asking detailed information Getting information Ask and tell about latest events Inviting Asking for permission
- 1 agree. - 1 disagree. IV/i-question: - How's it going? - What's new? - Do you want to... - Can 1 ask you
- So do 1. - 1 don't think so. - What did you (This means - Guess what? - Do you wanna... a question?
- Me too. (No.) do over the "How are you?" (What interesting (informal) - May 1 have a
- Me neither. - That's not right. weekend? not has happened - Would you like piece of cake?
(.Agreeing about - Yes, but... - Where did you "Where are you since 1 last saw to... (more polite) - Could 1 get you to
a negative idea.) (I'm sorry, but) go for Spring going?") you?) - How about turn off the lights?
1 don't agree. Break? - How's (1 want to tell you (V+-/ng)? - Do you mind if
- 1 don't either. - How was your everything? something. Ask - How would you 1 smoke?
(.Agreeing about trip? - How's life? me about it.) like to... - Would you mind
a negative idea.) - When did you get back? (The appropriate response to this if 1 asked you something?
- You're right. - What kind of is "What?") - Is it okay if 1 sit
- That's right. things did you A: Guess what? here?
- Good idea. see? A: 1 just got a new - Would it be all
- 1 think that's - Who did you go job. rightifl borrow...
a good idea. with?
- How many people were there? - Whose car did you drive? B: What? B: Congratulations!
4. Talking about the past
The overall goal of this activity is to review and provide appropriate practice in various ways to talk about the past, including past continuous, two perfect forms, used to and expressing past regret (I wish I hadn't...). This could also be used as a diagnostic for high school level learners.
Preparation
Before the lesson starts, the teacher prepares a copy of questions for himself / herself and the learners. They can also explain the activity's aims and procedure to the learners in every detail.
Procedure
1. The teacher asks the learners to answer the questions first - this could be done in note form or as full written answers.
2. The teacher asks the learners to share their answers to each question. The teacher can encourage a discussion based on responses but not correct mistakes.
3. The teacher asks the learners to ask him / her the same question, then records their answers.
4. If one of the goals is accuracy, the teacher can give the learners time to correct their answers using the teacher's as a model. If the learners are interested and motivated, the teacher might provoke a discussion and develop the language points more explicitly, e.g. [4].
1. What have you been doing since our last class?
The learner:
The teacher:
2. 5 years ago today, what were you doing?
The learner:
The teacher:
3. Have you ever been anywhere or done anything unique as part of your job?
The learner:
The teacher:
4. What important things have you learnt in your work?
The learner:
The teacher:
5. What is your greatest regret? What do you wish you had never done?
The learner:
The teacher:
Вестник МГЛУ. Выпуск 25 (736) /2015
The conclusion is more than obvious: in order to achieve successful communication in class, teachers should apply a few useful and simple principles:
• use group or pair work
• base the activities on easy language
• make a careful choice of topics and tasks to stimulate learners' interests
• make students aware of the purpose of their activity and conditions for success.
We would like to enclose our interpretations of the present issue bringing forward the statement by J. Sheils: "The correct and careful choice and organization of activities provide learners with appropriate learning experiences, fostering their motivation, confidence and communicative efficiency" [5, p. 139]. This requires a certain attitude on the part ofthe teacher towards learners' performances, coordinating and conducting the whole process of integrated language teaching / learning [1, p. 20]. For this account the realization of balanced activities approach in communicative practice serves the students' continuing interest and involvement in the learning process as being the necessary dominant factor in language teaching.
REFERENCES
1. Asatryan S. Teaching Speaking Through Communicative Activities // Инновационный потенциал, состояние и тенденции развития в экономике, проектном менеджменте, образовании, политологии, юриспруденции, психологии, экологии, медицине, филологии, философии, социологии, технике, физике, математике : материалы Междунар. науч. конф. - СПб. : Культ-ИнформПресс, 2013. - С. 13-20.
2. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages : Learning, Teaching, Assessment / Modern Languages Division ; Council of Europe. -Strasbourg, 2001. - 259 p.
3. Harmer J. How To Teach English. - Pearson, Longman, 2010. - 448 p.
4. Holmes D. Teaching Speaking for Communication. - 2004. - URL : www. noblepath.info/speaking/apeaking_activities.pdf
5. Sheils J. Communication in the Modern Language Classroom. - Council of Europe, 1993. - 310 p.
6. Thornbury S. How To Teach Speaking. - Pearson, Longman, 2005. - 185 p.
7. Ur P. A Course in English Language Teaching. - Cambridge University Press, 2012. - 325 p.
